Freelance Whales at 2010 SXSW

Freelance Whales just performed an exclusive set of songs from his upcoming record to the folks at NPR Music. This is part of the excellent coverage offered by this station of the 2010 SXSW Festival in Austin, TX. This festival keeps improving every year becoming without a doubt one of the best choices for new music and a real venue for bands that look forward and propose original things.

Freelance Whales is really one band to watch this year. The music from this Brooklyn band is full of tones decorated with incredible harmonies from a clever combination of guitars, banjo, harmonium and glockenspiel that carry you throughout to finally place you directly in a happy place. Their debut album Weathervanes will release in April on Frenchkiss/Mom + Pop Records.

I happened to hear them live last year (completely out of luck) during their opening show to Fanfarlo at Johnny Brenda's. I was immediately drawn to their songs and I am looking forward to seeing them again on May 3 when they'll return to Philly as the opening show for the Shout Out Louds at the First Unitarian Church.

Below are three cuts from their new record.

Enjoy,

MM

Bloodbuzz Ohio... new track from The National

FYI Bro's...

Hi everyone,

There's been a lot of exciting activity here at National HQ as we prepare for the release of "High Violet".

Today you can download "Bloodbuzz Ohio", a song from our upcoming album, if you visit:
http://www.highviolet.com

And in case you missed it, here's a link to see our performance of "Terrible Love" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon:http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/blogs/2010/03/the-national-debuts-terrible-love/

We've been adding festival dates this summer and will be announcing more headline shows in the US, UK & Europe soon.
We hope to see you this summer!

OSHEAGA Festival - Montreal

From Arcade Fire's website:

It's been confirmed that Arcade Fire will headline Osheaga Festival, Montreal, on Saturday July 31st 2010. Included in the [awesome] line-up for that day are Pavement, The National and Stars, amongst others.



Early Bird weekend tickets go on sale tomorrow (23rd March) at noon local time. Day tickets go on sale on Saturday 27th March, also at noon local time. For more information see osheaga.com.



MM

The National -Terrible Love

Just debuted last night March 10, 2010 on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

I am eagerly awaiting for May 11.

MM

Arcade Fire - Coming back even before Oxegen

Exciting news those we got yesterday on Arcade Fire's reappearance at Ireland's Oxegen Festival on July 9 in what appeared (at least for a day) as the band's first show in 2 years...Now, things have changed and it seems that the Montreal band is setting up a full European tour, as judged by their recent announcement that confirms them as the headliner in Hove Festival in Arendal, Norway. This seems to be a week before the Ireland's show, making this (at least for today) their comeback show for a while.

Personally, I have some questions and doubts of what they are planning to offer as new and original, which better be good, really good...especially after that long, long retreat that the band decided to go into prior to this tour and potentially new album. I am still in, but remain curious.

MM

Arcade Fire Announce First Show in Two Years

Les dejo lo que publica Spin el día de hoy... Por favor Arcade Fire para cerrar ACL 2010!!!

Montreal's dramatic indie rock orchestra, the Arcade Fire, is confirmed to perform at Ireland's Oxegen Festival, July 8-11 -- their first show in two years.

The band last performed at Barack Obama's inauguration in January '09 -- watch video here -- and hasn't played proper tour dates since early 2008, when they did select shows in Japan and two gigs supporting Obama on the campaign trail in Ohio.

As recently as December, Arcade Fire appeared on track to release their third, as-yet-untitled album in May, with a single preceding it in early 2010, but now the band is targeting a late-summer release. The album is being produced by Markus Dravs, who engineered Neon Bible, SPIN's No. 2 album of 2007.

The Oxegen Festival will also feature Eminem, Muse, Jay-Z, Vampire Weekend, Black Eyed Peas, Broken Social Scene, Kasabian, Hot Chip, and many more. For the full Oxygen Festival 2010 line up, click here.

High Violet - New Album by The National

To be released on May 11. An album some of us have been waiting for a couple of years.

Go here for additional info.

MM

Efterklang... enjoy...

Efterklang's Magic Chairs is the Copenhagen-based outfit's debut record for 4AD and third full-length in total. With the likes of 'Modern Drift', with its intricate and looping arpeggios, and 'I Was Playing Drums', arguably the band's most accessible pop song to date, it is an album that is a bold as it is bewitching.

"We shot the videos in VEGA, our favourite venue in Copenhagen with a small room called Lille VEGA and a bigger called Store VEGA. We are on the floor of Store Vega in a circle (this is where all good bands play in Copenhagen - TV on the Radio, Bon Iver, The National and many other 4AD bands have played here recently).

We will play live in the same room on April 17th when our tour swings by our hometown. VEGA is from the '50s and it is a protected and historical building. It is beautiful and the music they promote is also beautiful.

We wanted to document our live band, and unlike the very popular intimate and acoustic sessions we do so often these days, we wanted to play live for full power. That's the concept - the session gives you Efterklang as we would perform live on a stage, not Efterklang performing live with an acoustic guitar and two spoons (although we also like that format).

We wanted to shoot without an audience and therefore the idea about the circle was very appealing. We could play for each other and together. Like in our rehearsal space, but much much better and in a more beautiful space!"