02/02/10

Dead Oceans Teams With FROG EYES For New LP, Shares Album Cut "A Flower in a Glove" There are more than a few of us here at Dead Oceans who have been closely watching the career of FROG EYES since their first album surfaced many moons ago. We have been admirers and collectors of all things Frog Eyes for years, so when the opportunity to release their new album was presented to us, we did not hesitate. We are beyond pleased to be working with one of the finest, most dynamic bands making music today. And on April 27th we will be releasing Frog Eyes' crowning achievement. Three years in the making, Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph marks Frog Eyes’ thunderous, frantic, fiery return. This is a slow-brewed masterpiece that is unmistakably Frog Eyes, a new album that was very much worth the wait. On this point we feel unassailable: Frog Eyes keeps getting better and better. This is an album with weight. It's wrapped in a gauze of fuzz, but a fuzz that's neither yesteryear nor painfully now. Paul's Tomb: A Triumph is neither overly modern nor awkwardly vintage, and it contains a depth and bombast that's not only absent in Frog Eyes' previous work, it's absent from most contemporary music. Read more about Paul's Tomb: A Triumph HERE. We are pleased to share the mammoth opener from Paul's Tomb: A Triumph. "A Flower in a Glove" encapsulates everything we love about Frog Eyes in just over nine minutes – an epic beginning to a monstrous album. Listen to "A Flower in a Glove" HERE.

01/26/10

A Backstage Performance From CALIFONE Here's a nice backstage clip of CALIFONE playing "Funeral Singers" on Pitchfork.tv's Tunnel Vision. Video bloggers Yours Truly caught up with Califone at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall.

01/25/10

Dead Oceans Signs THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH, Announces The Wild Hunt When fans lined up to see the sold-out Bon Iver performances at New York City’s Town Hall in late 2008, few of them went with any expectations of the opening act. But the audience that night, and on every other night of Bon Iver’s tour that December, was introduced to something special, something unforgettable: THE TALLEST MAN ON EARTH. This was the first of several tours for the Tallest Man on Earth (aka Kristian Matsson), with obsessive crowds growing each step of the way. Earlier in the year, The Tallest Man on Earth had released one of 2008’s most powerful records, one that Pitchfork praised, calling Matsson “a natural-born folksinger, earnest, clever, and comforting.” Shallow Grave could not have been more simple, just Matsson’s commanding vocals with an acoustic guitar or banjo, recorded at his home in Dalarna, Sweden. Although the album was released on the Swedish label Gravitation without the help of widespread distribution, the story of The Tallest Man on Earth spread far and wide through word of mouth. It is impossible to discuss The Tallest Man on Earth’s music without acknowledging Bob Dylan. The seemingly effortlessness, the melodic sensibility and the deft lyricism all recall Dylan’s early years. But when you witness the Tallest Man on Earth perform live, you are watching a man possessed. The energy pours out with every word. Full of intensity and raw emotion, he paces the stage, bringing the audience into the palm of his hand, completely lost in his songs. With unbridled excitement, we bring you The Tallest Man on Earth’s second LP, The Wild Hunt. It is all here: The words. The voice. The melodies. Ten perfect songs. Today Dead Oceans is offering a free download of The Wild Hunt's first single, "King of Spain." Download "King of Spain" HERE. The Wild Hunt will be released on April 13th (April 12th in the UK) via Dead Oceans. Tallest Man on Earth's North American tour is slated for spring (updates are forthcoming). Other scheduled European dates are available HERE.

01/21/10

PHOSPHORESCENT On Tour with David Gray this Spring Last fall, PHOSPHORESCENT bassist Jeff Bailey is watching a primetime news show when British songwriter David Gray appears for an interview. The interviewer inquires as to what Gray is listening to on his iPod and he responds, “Frank Sinatra, and an album called Pride by Phosphorescent.” We were admittedly skeptical, but upon doing a quick internet search, we found Gray singing the praises of Phosphorescent to Entertainment Weekly and a Spin review of a David Gray performance, which mentions that Gray opened the show by, “emerging from the darkness to the narcotic strains of Phosphorescent's 'Cocaine Lights'." High praise from an unexpected fan, but we are thrilled that David Gray and Willie Nelson are two of Phosphorescent’s biggest champions. A month or so passes and then something even more unexpected happens. An email shows up in the inbox of Phosphorescent’s Matthew Houck from Gray himself, with enthusiastic support for the music and an open ended invitation to open any of Gray’s upcoming tour dates. Phosphorescent accepted the invite and will soon be hitting the road with Gray throughout the United States and Europe. The tour dates are posted below. We expected our first big announcement from Phosphorescent in 2010 to be the saucy details of their (nearly completed) new album. But, it has one final coat of paint before we can share any substantial information, except to say that something very special is brewing. You can also check out a particularly nice solo rendition of Phosphorescent performing "A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise" at the offices of American Songwriter Magazine this past fall HERE. See all the tour dates HERE.

01/18/10

A New Song From AKRON/FAMILY Via Vienna Just before a show last November, AKRON/FAMILY stopped by a Turkish café and confectionery in Vienna to record a session with Euro indie music bloggers They Shoot Music Don't They. You can watch two songs from the session — the new track "Silly Bear," included below, and "Crickets" from 2007's Love is Simple. Watch both clips and see some extra photos from the session HERE. Meanwhile, Akron/Family are back in the States and on the road this spring. The band will kick off a month-long tour with a free show in Portland this weekend. 01/23/10 Portland, OR - Holocene - FREE show w/ Au, Wow & Flutter 02/17/10 Greensboro, NC - Artiska Cafe w/ Warpaint 02/18/10 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club w/ Warpaint 02/19/10 Orlando, FL - Back Booth w/ Warpaint 02/20/10 Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder w/ Warpaint 02/21/10 New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks w/ Warpaint 02/23/10 Houston, TX - Walter's On Washington w/ Warpaint 02/24/10 Austin, TX - The Parish w/ Warpaint 02/25/10 Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre w/ Warpaint 02/26/10 Memphis, TN - Hi Tone w/ Warpaint 02/27/10 Nashville, TN - Exit/In w/ Warpaint 02/28/10 Knoxville, TN - Pilot Light w/ Warpaint 03/01/10 Harrisonburg, VA - Clementine Cafe w/ Warpaint 03/03/10 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Warpaint

01/08/10

Hear THE DONKEYS' Daytrotter Session If you head on over to the Daytrotter website you can hear the latest session from THE DONKEYS, which premiered on New Year's Eve. The band laid down four tracks for Daytrotter, including the new song "Nu Blu Stocking." This sunny slice of SoCal pop is a welcome reprieve from the winter glum, and will almost make you forget if there is snow on the ground. Listen to The Donkeys' Daytrotter session HERE. Also, this morning we added a few new Donkeys tour dates. Look for the band on the West coast on the following dates: 01/27/10 Los Angeles, CA - Echo w/ Rev Peyton's Big Damn Band 01/28/10 San Luis Obispo, CA - The Crossroads 01/29/10 Santa Cruz, CA - Crepe Place w/ Parson Redheads, Social Studies 01/30/10 San Francisco, CA - Hemlock Tavern w/ Parson Redheads, Social Studies 02/19/10 San Diego, CA - Casbah w/ Joel P West, Red Pony Clock, Hot Moon

01/08/10

CITAY Launches Dream Get Together Project, Tour, Releases New Mp3 We've all done it. Over a few drinks, or a few records, among close friends, we've conspired to create the ultimate "best of" list, arguing over the greatest guitarist, the sickest solo, the most epic song, or the sweetest vocals. Cliché or not, it is a conversation we’ve all had. Well, CITAY is no different. Citay not only rounds up some of the finest musicians in San Francisco to fill their ranks, but they are also huge music fans, and great students of rock history. Thus, when it came time to pick a name for their new album they picked Dream Get Together which alludes to the concept of an ideal musical pairing, or the ultimate joining of musical forces. We were inspired by this and decided it was time to ask some of our friends in the music community what their "dream get together" would be. The response has been wonderful with contributions from Jens Lekman, The Antlers, Suckers, Steve McBean of Black Mountain and Pink Mountaintops, Nicole Atkins, Bishop Allen, Akron/Family, Excepter, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Foreign Born, tUnE-YarDs, Parts & Labor, Welcome Wagon, and more. We'll be unraveling one "Dream Get Together" on Citay’s website every day from here on through the release of Citay's new album by the same name on January 26. You can stay up-to-date on this project either by checking back daily on Citay’s website, or by following Dead Oceans on Twitter. Visit either link to see the first "dream get together" from Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YarDs. We are also happy to release “Mirror Kisses” the second MP3 from Citay’s new album. Featuring Garbus guesting on lead vocals, “Mirror Kisses” was written specifically with her elastic singing voice in mind. Listen to "Mirror Kisses" HERE. Also check out updated Citay tour dates HERE.

01/07/10

WHITE HINTERLAND Announces Kairos LP, Premieres MP3 for "Icarus" The evolution of WHITE HINTERLAND's music has been graceful and inspiring, shifting chameleon-like from jazz-tinged chamber-pop to French ye-ye music. Now, with the March 9 release of Kairos (March 8 in the UK), White Hinterland delves into a modern, electronic wash and uncovers a confident, captivating pop voice. And we just feel a little blessed to be along for the ride. Please join us. Longtime White Hinterland supporter Gorilla Vs. Bear premiered Kairos opener "Icarus" today, saying, “the new record finds Casey Dienel eschewing the jazzier/folk steez of her earlier work in favor of spectral, slinky modern R&B and minimal pop...On the surface, a dramatic shift, but Kairos feels like an undeniably graceful, surprisingly natural step up. ’Icarus’ is the album's ethereal, spooky/sexy opening track.” Listen to "Icarus" HERE. Spring tour dates will be announced soon.

01/06/10

JOHN VANDERSLICE's New 7" Single Available for Pre-Order "D.I.A.L.O.," the second 7" single from JOHN VANDERSLICE's 2009 release, Romanian Names is now available for pre-order. The song is a highlight from an album with no shortage of highlights, and paired with the exclusive non-album track "Do What You Want" makes for an incredible 1-2 punch. The fried out fuzz-pop of "Do What You Want" plays a perfect foil to the spacey sonics of "D.I.A.L.O." Containing two instant classics, one per side, this is the way a great 7" single should be. Pre-order "D.I.A.L.O." HERE.

12/14/09

CALIFONE'S Tim Rutili Talks to IFC.com About Film Making The Independent Film Channel caught up with CALIFONE frontman Tim Rutili to talk about the process behind his film, All My Friends Are Funeral Singers, set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Read the revealing interview HERE and watch the exclusive clip below. joe's ear from Califone on Vimeo.

12/04/09

CALIFONE'S All My Friends Are Funeral Singers to Screen at Sundance Dead Oceans is thrilled to announce CALIFONE'S All My Friends Are Funeral Singers will screen at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Sundance announced yesterday that the film—released as an accompaniment to the band's album of the same name— will be featured as part of the festival's New Frontier section, which highlights work that explores the limits of traditional aesthetics and the narrative structures of filmmaking. Directed by Califone frontman Tim Rutili, All My Friends Are Funeral Singers tells the story of a fortune teller who lives and works in and old house crowded with ghosts. When a mysterious light appears in the woods, the ghosts realize they are trapped and begin to rebel. Califone have screened the film alongside live performances on their latest tour, but Sundance will serve as the film's official world premiere. The band will give one performance alongside the film at the festival, and it will also screen on its own. Watch the trailer HERE The 2010 Sundance Film Festival runs January 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available HERE.

12/04/09

Exclusive MT. ST. HELENS VIETNAM BAND Holiday MP3 Featured On LA Weekly Blog At their Holiday Extravaganza show in Seattle later this month, MT. ST. HELENS VIETNAM BAND will have a available a hyper-exclusive holday-flavored EP, An Eskimo Christmas, full of brand-new, ice-kicking jams. Recently, LA Weekly's lovely blog posted one of the new tunes, "Inuit," on its site. And there it waits for to come and download it. Get it HERE. Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band are celebrating their triumphant year with a West Coast tour (accompanied by The Growlers). Go catch them if they're rolling through your hood. All tour dates can be found HERE.

11/30/09

Dead Oceans Holiday CD Sale We're pleased to offer a holiday season CD sale on all of our 2009 full length releases. The sale is running now through Thursday, December 31. For a list of participating independent record stores, click HERE.

11/25/09

CITAY Unveil Details from Dream Get Together, Share Free MP3 We are thrilled to announce the details of Dream Get Together, the third long player from San Francisco’s CITAY. Coming January 26th (January 25th in the UK), Dream Get Together channels everything we love about Citay into their most cohesive and sophisticated album yet. The symphonic dueling lead guitars, soaring vocals, grandiose acoustic explorations and audacious synth solos are all present, sewn together seamlessly into an epic work. Seldom has there been a more obvious choice for an album-opener than "Careful With That Hat," a song propelled by a deep groove and swing that practically begs the listener to stand up and air-drum wildly. The vocals soar, the lead guitars catch fire and the mammoth solo (courtesy of guitarist Josh Pollock) builds to an ecstatic explosion. This is the shot across the bow. Citay have arrived on Dream Get Together. For the first taste of Dream Get Together, check out album opener “Careful With that Hat” HERE.

11/24/09

NURSES Perform New Song at Philly In-Store A while back, NURSES stopped by Art in the Age's flagship store on their way through Philadelphia for an in-store performance and playful photo shoot. The band played three songs from Apple's Acre and one new track called "Disney." Footage from the performance and photos of the band's inspired human pyramid are available on the store's blog HERE. Check out the new song in the video below. Art In The Age Presents... Nurses "Disney" In-Store Performance from Art In The Age on Vimeo.

11/24/09

AKRON/FAMILY Featured in All Tomorrow's Parties Documentary Look for AKRON/FAMILY in the new documentary All Tomorrow's Parties, out today in the US. In an out-of-season holiday camp on the coast of England, alternative music festival All Tomorrow’s Parties serves up a heady combination of alternative music, crazy golf and chalet-living; all curated by a single band or artist. This post-punk DIY bricolage uses material generated by the fans and musicians themselves, on a multitude of formats and over the history of ATP, to capture the uncompromising spirit of a parallel music universe. An Akron/Family performance from the festival is featured, along with contributions from artists including Belle and Sebastian, Grizzly Bear, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Animal Collective and more. For more info on the documentary, visit the film's website HERE or watch the trailer below.

11/20/09

CALIFONE Release New Video For "Funeral Singers" The music from CALIFONE'S latest LP, All My Friends Are Funeral Singers, naturally goes hand-in-hand with the full-length film of the same name, directed by frontman Tim Rutili. Now the band has released the first video for the album track "Funeral Singers." See it below, or read more about what Pitchfork had to say HERE. Califone will be performing along the West Coast in December, playing a live soundtrack to the All My Friends Are Funeral Singers film, as well as a set of songs not accompanied by the movie. 12/03/09 Seattle, WA - Husky Union - University of Washtingon 12/04/09 Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre 12/05/09 Portland, OR - The Mission Theater 12/07/09 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall 12/09/09 Los Angeles, CA - Hammer Museum

11/18/09

BOWERBIRDS Perform NPR Tiny Desk Concert Watch BOWERBIRDS' Tiny Desk Concert, filmed for NPR on July 7, the same day Upper Air was released. The four song set includes "Hooves," "Teeth," "House of Diamonds," and "In Our Talons." See the video below, or read more of what NPR had to say about Bowerbirds HERE.

11/17/09

Dead Oceans Insiders Discuss The Role of the Record Label Earlier this week Dead Oceans's own Chris Swanson and Darius Van Arman weighed in on The Role of the Record Label in a roundtable discussion with NPR's Carrie Brownstein. Chris and Darius joined representatives from Matador, Merge, Saddle Creek, and Kill Rock Stars to talk about a record label's role in the changing music industry. Read the conversation HERE.

11/16/09

AKRON/FAMILY'S Southern Tour with Warpaint this February AKRON/FAMILY will bring their transcendent, engaging live show to the Southern United States this February. Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free, the band's 2009 LP triumph, continues to be Akron/Family's bold new chapter in their always-evolving and ethralling sound. Akron/Family's live spirit is best described by Time Out New York: This "everyone's invited" attitude is the crux of Akron/Family's performance philosophy, and it seems to work; word-of-mouth enthusiasm about its live show builds like a grassroots movement. Auxiliary brass, audience-participation percussion, the occasional impromptu parade into the street, all while managing to play the songs that fans want to hear - small wonder these shows are some of the only occasions when you can literally witness 200 New Yorkers smiling in unison. All dates are with Warpaint: 2/17/2010 Greensboro, NC - Artiska Cafe 2/18/2010 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club 2/19/2010 Orlando, FL - Back Booth 2/20/2010 Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder 2/21/2010 New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks 2/23/2010 Houston, TX - Walter’s on Washington 2/24/2010 Austin, TX - The Parish 2/25/2010 Dallas, TX - Granada Theater 2/26/2010 Memphis, TN - Hi Tone 2/27/2010 Nashville, TN - Exit / In 2/28/2010 Knoxville, TN - Pilot Light 3/3/2010 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg

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