Mames Babegenush, from Denmark, bring their Balkan-klezmer jazz to the USA for eight shows. The dates begin August 25 and are listed below.

The band creates a unique fusion of styles from their Scandanavian roots to dance music to klezmer and jazz. There is a mix of exuberance and melancholy in the work. Every few years bands try to ressurect Klezmer music with varying levels of success. This band is perhaps, musically, the most successful of them all. They've even played at Carnegie Hall.

And well all know what it takes to get there.

A new LP is in the offing. Listen to some music below and keep up to date at  www.mames.dk.

Black Tape For A Blue Girl have a new Kickstarter for their upcoming release, To Touch The Milky. Like many underground artists the group is funding the
release (as they've funded other recent releases) via crowdfunding. Some bemoan the new state of the music industry and its finances but btfbg's Sam Rosenthal sees an upside.

"I did a radio interview at Portland’s Xray.fm on Monday; I haven’t done an in-the-studio interview in a while. DJ Bob Ham asked about getting to know so many of the backers over the course of my nine crowdfunding campaigns. In the 90s, when Black Tape For A Blue Girl’s Remnants of a deeper purity was the most successful release on Projekt, the CDs shipped out to Projekt’s distributor, out into the void," he says. "I felt disconnected from the people who loved what I create. Now I know their names, and answer their questions. It was great selling 16,000 CDs back in the day, but it’s also great being directly in touch with people who value the art at $50 or even $500. That’s pretty great, too."

Like many btfbg records this one is a first person narrative of an individual in conflict.

"I see the characters in the seven songs as being at a point where something has to give, something has to change, they are sort of hitting a wall in life and they need to try to get beyond that. There’s also this other thematic idea: one of the song’s is Samsara, which is a Buddhist idea that life is a cycle where you come back again and again to live this existence and maybe you understand a little bit better how to get through life, or how to get out of the sorrow of life. I picture the photos I’m shooting with Mercy for the cover and art cards as displaying this characters coming back again and again."

The title, to Rosenthal, reflects a feeling of longing and hopefulness balanced agains the recognition of the absurdity of actually "touching the Milky Way."

You can help out with the Kickstarter HERE.

Sun Culture (aka Chase Coy), released his debut LP in March. The indie-beach music comes out of...Nashville. Lots of surfers in Nashville. You see them wandering around with a dazed look on their faces, searching for the elusive wave.

Coy is originally from Indiana and his music is quite, "now." You can check out the song, Sea Salt, below. Keep an eye open for more from the project soon. Work has begun on a second release.

Cage 21 is a new compilation celebrating 21 years at Cage Studios. Martin Bowes started the studio primarily to produce music for his band, Attrition. A few years back Bowes revamped the studio and opened it to the public. He has worked on production, mastering and remixes for a bevy of impressive artists.

This compilation featers the work of; Naked Lunch, Contaminated Intelligence, Seraph Sin, Scarlet Leaves, Lost Elegy, Apsara Maschima, Accolade (featuring Sean Henry),  Man Woman Machine, Rossetti's Compass, Acclimate, ENGRAM, TyLean, Michael X Christian (featuring Rachel Lesko), Disjecta membra, Roladex, Johnathon/Christian, ATTRITION, John Costello, Empire State Human, Casa de Orates and My Silent Wake.

This collection is also a preview of the upcoming LP by Attrition (which sounds like a magnificent effort).

Want to go to Riot Fest but a little short on cash? Riot Fest offers an option--layaway. Yep, layaway like your grandma used to do for Christmas presents. Whether you plan on attending in Chicago, Toronto or Denver? You can take advantage of this offer. Go HERE for more information.

Below is the Riotfest line up for Chicago. Head to riotfest.org for more info on lineups at other locations.

Toronto, September 6-7.
Denver, September 12-14.
Chicago, September 19-21.

Alt-J announced their new LP, This is All Yours, out September 22, 2014. They also have new tour dates for Europe and North America. You can find out about tickets at the band website, www.altjband.com.

You can pre-order the record now. If you pre-order via the band website you will receive a code to buy tickets before anyone else on June 11 and 12. General tickets go onsale June 12.

Elephant Stone's new LP, Three Poisons, comes out August 26, 2014. Check ut the title track below now. The band is out of Montreal and was formed by sitarist Rishi Dhir (who also plays bass). You may have seen him/heard him playing with The Black Angels.

The band has released an EP and two LPs while touring extensively. There will be a world tour. Keep an eye on the band's website for news.

The English Beat--the American version featuring Dave Wakeling--are about to head out on tour. Having seen the band myself I can tell you that getting out to see them isn't just a trip down memory lane (yeah they played some General Public songs). The music is every bit as alive and relavant as it was almost 20 years ago.

And even more interesting Wakeling says  his constant touring in recent years has been testing the water for new material. New music from The English Beat would be welcome. A fun band to see live. Check out dates below.

After a diagnosis of chronic insomnia for Chris Corner the future of IAMX looked grim. The condition is nothing to take lightly and could easily end a career. But, instead, Corner is adapting. To that end he is returning the the stage for an intimate performance streaming live via StageIt beginning at 3pm EST, Saturday May 31, 2014. Access is via virtual ticketing. You can buy tickets and "tip" during the performance. Go HERE for more information.

This show will be a bit different from the usual fare from IAMX featuring Corner on acoustic guitar with effects. It is an "unplugged" sort of affair but a bit more than that.

People, out of Brooklyn, have a debut LP, 3xaWoman, coming out June 17, 2014 on Telegraph Harp. You can check out two songs below, Piles for Miles and Liklihood of Bang. Listen to them. The band is a little hard to define? The music has an edge to it but also has well-defined pop sensibilities. The songs have elements that will many anyone only comfortable with run of the mill pop...uncomfortable.

This is good stuff and you really should keep an eye open for more from the band and the new label.