Shonen Knife have been the most internationally recognized name in Japanese Rock music since their entrance onto the alternative rock scene in the early 90s when them became the indie darlings of hipsters and rock stars alike. Since their inception in Osaka in 1981 (featuring Naoko’s sister Atsuko and their friend, bassist/vocalist Michie), to their current lineup featuring members Ritsuko (bass, vocals) and Emi (drums,vocals), Shonen Knife have maintained their rightful place in the ever changing indie rock scene.

2011 marks thirty years since Naoko and the band began releasing albums featuring their joyous mixture of pop, punk, food and fantasy for the world to enjoy, and to commemorate this major milestone, the ladies will be launching a fall tour in support of their latest release, Osaka Ramones, a 13-track tribute to NYC’s legendary punk band, The Ramones. Offering support on the trek will be Oakland, CA garage rockers, Shannon and the Clams.

“Ramones were my all-time idols since I first heard their music from a radio and rushed to a record shop. This year is the 30th anniversary of Shonen Knife. For celebration, we decided to record a cover album of our favorite band the Ramones. The title is Osaka Ramones with our respect. I’m very happy to release an Osaka Ramones project and to recognize their contribution to the evolution of Shonen Knife,“ explains Naoko.

To stream snippets of Shonen Knife’s Osaka Ramones go to: www.goodcharamel.com.

Shonen Knife Tour Dates
with opener, Shannon and the Clams

October
20- Toronto, ONT- Horseshoe Tavern
21- Montreal- QC- II Motore
22- Brooklyn, NY-  Public Assembly (CMJ)
24- Baltimore, MD- Otto Bar
25- Durham, NC-  The Pinhook
26- Atlanta, GA- Masquerade
27- Mobile, AL- Alabama Music Box
28- Houston, TX-  GroundHall
29- Austin, TX- Red 7
November
1- Los Angeles, CA- TBA
2- San Diego, CA – Casbah
3- Long Beach, CA – Alex’s Bar
4- San Francisco, CA- Bottom of the Hill
5- Portland, OR- Dante’s
7- Vancouver, BC- Biltmore Cabaret
8- Seattle, WA- Tractor Tavern
11- Minneapolis, MN- First Ave.
12- Chicago, IL- Empty Bottle
13- Kalamazoo, MI- The Strutt
14- Indianpolis, IN- Radio, Radio
17- Pittsburgh, PA- 31st Pub
18- Brooklyn, NY-  The Bellhouse
19- Buffalo, NY- Mohawk Palace

Additional dates to be added.

Artist/Producer/Director and Eurythmics co-founder, Dave Stewart’s new album, The Blackbird Diaries is set to be released on Tuesday, June 28th 2011. Recently completed in Nashville, the album was produced by Dave Stewart and Mike Bradford and was recorded and mixed by John McBride at his famed Blackbird Studio. The Blackbird Diaries is set to feature all new material including a co-write with Bob Dylan as well as duets with Stevie Nicks, Martina McBride, Colbie Caillat and features The Secret Sisters. Dave is backed throughout the album by a stellar assortment of musicians on the album including guitarist Tom Bukovac, drummer Chad Cromwell, bassist Michael Rhodes, steel guitarist Dan Dugmore and Mike Rojas on piano. As an integral part of Stevie Nicks new album, “In Your Dreams,” (he was co-producer, co-writer, photographer, performer and movie director) Dave has been invited by Stevie as her special guest to perform at Webster Hall in New York City on May 4th.

Watch exclusive trailer about the upcoming companion film The Blackbird Diaries

mp3: Download free song “Magic In The Blues”

“This was my favorite time ever in the studio, I wrote most of the songs on the spot and recorded all of them in one incredible session lasting 5 days and nights!,”  explains Dave Stewart.  I made an unusual film of the process that not only features all the musicians and performers but also gives away some of my writing secrets which involves both a well known fortune teller and hypnotist who allowed themselves to be filmed in session with me.”

Dave Stewart’s The Blackbird Diaries is unlike anything he has embarked on during his illustrious 30 year music career both with Eurythmics and as a solo artist. With an American flare and rooted in rock, country, and blues, the album is in the vein of recent releases by Bob Dylan and Neil Young – masterful recordings mixed with rich and detailed lyrics.  The Blackbird Diaries showcases a very different type of songwriting for Stewart with more story-driven autobiographical lyrics, which is a departure from the pop/rock sounds which have made him one of the most successful and revered songwriters/collaborators of all time. Tales of loves conquered and loves lost, Dave gets intimate, personal with words while he allows his music to rock free on an album that might just prove to be this artist’s second, and perhaps finest, act.

A multi-media entrepreneur, Dave Stewart is recognized as one of the most respected and accomplished talents in the entertainment industry today.  His career spans more than 30 years and more than 100 million album sales, plus a Lifetime Achievement Award with Eurythmics partner Annie Lennox. With Lennox, Stewart delivered ingenious pop/rock hits such as “Here Comes The Rain Again,” “Would I Lie To You,” “Missionary Man,” and “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”.  One of the most sought-after writers and music producers, Dave has crafted songs for and collaborated with the likes of Mick Jagger, Bono, Tom Petty, and Gwen Stefani (to name a few) and has shared the stage with everybody from BB King, U2, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. Stewart has won Best British Producer four times and Best British Songwriter five times, as well as numerous Grammy, MTV, and European awards.  A highly-regarded artist and filmmaker, Stewart has scored and penned the title songs for many hit movies throughout the years, including the Mick Jagger collaboration for the film Alfie, which won the pair a Golden Globe. He produced the award-winning documentary Deep Blues, and his feature directorial debut Honestpremiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000. Stewart and songwriter/producer Glen Ballard recently wrote a musical adaptation of the 1990 Jerry Zucker film Ghost, which opens in London’s West End in June this year. This Year Stewart also co-wrote and co-produced Joss Stone’s new album as well as Stevie Nicks’ new album “In Your Dreams” which marks the first occasion Nicks has ever collaborated on a solo album.

“We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Dave.  He is a legend who has been associated with all kinds of quality music for years and the Blackbird Diaries is an amazing accomplishment.  We will hunt and kill for him, adds Cliff Chenfeld, Co-Owner Razor & Tie.
Dave Stewart is the latest addition to join the leading independent label Razor & Tie and the diverse and acclaimed roster that includes such artists as Foreigner, Vanessa Carlton, Richard Ashcroft, Nicole Atkins, Angelique Kidjo, Dave Barnes, All That Remains, Norma Jean, Dweezil Zappa, Dar Williams, Chelsea Grin and The Summer Set.  The New York City-based label is one of the fastest growing independent record companies in the United States, and has garnered both Platinum sales and Grammy awards in its 20-year history.

The Blackbird Diaries Tracklisting:
1.     So Long Ago
2.     Beast Called Fame
3.     Magic In The Blues
4.     All Messed Up (featuring Martina McBride)
5.     Stevie Baby
6.     Cheaper Than Free (featuring Stevie Nicks)
7.     The Gypsy Girl and Me
8.     One Way Ticket To The Moon (featuring The Secret Sisters)
9.     Bulletproof Vest (featuring Colbie Caillat)
10.  Worth The Waiting For
11.  The Well
12.  Country Wine (featuring The Secret Sisters)

Produced by Dave Stewart and Mike Bradford
Mixed & Engineered by John McBride
Associate Producer: John McBride
Executive Producer: Dave Kaplan
Mixed and recorded at: Blackbird Studio, Nashville, TN

MNDR (pronounced “mandar”) consists of Amanda Warner and Peter Wade. They are a an electronic music duo, formed in 2009 in New York City.

In 2008, Warner moved from Oakland, Ca. to New York city to work as a songwriter for hire. Eventually she met Wade, and that meeting decided to think about fronting an act herself. The duo uploaded four tracks to Myspace in 2009, which would eventually be turned into their debut EP: E. P.E. They are currently working on a full length album that will hopefully be released sometime in 2011.

The duo re-recorded the song “Fade To Black” from E. P.E. on the fake language of Simlish, and is featured in the video game The Sims3: High-End Loft Stuff.

MNDR’s official Green Label Sound single “Cut Me Out” now has a video that is equally impressive! Director Tim Saccenti and Amanda Warner (MNDR) combined their creativity to give a visual complement to the song’s emotion and lyrics. Tim’s team used Kinect technology to capture the images, and then manipulated the data into what you see in the final product (watch the behind the scenes video). This unique technique yields an incredible digital aesthetic that expresses the nature of the track. So check out the video and don’t forget to download the official Green Label Sound single “ Cut Me Out ” and the Hervé remix for free right now!

http://www.greenlabelsound.com/

Website:  http://mndr.com/

mp3: “Black Girls in Dresses

http://www.myspace.com/thetonycastles

Paul Sicilian and Gabriel Wurzel first crossed paths as freshmen at a central Connecticut high school. The two soon began playing together in bands, squeezing some excitement out of the endless Tuesday that is CT. The pair went to Skidmore College, where they continued to write music. There they were introduced to fellow student and musician Willie Miesmer. Within two years of graduating all three moved to Brooklyn, NY where they reconnected and began playing together, often swapping instruments and experimenting with loop pedals and samplers. The chemistry was instant. They continue to deconstruct and reinvent their sound while maintaining a mutual love for melody and space. Their debut five song EP No Service, recorded and produced by Jake Aron (Jamie Lidell, Yeasayer, Chairlift) and mixed at the Rare Book Room by Nicolas Vernhes (Dirty Projectors, Deerhunter, Silver Jews) is forthcoming September 21, 2010 on Famous Class Records.

Tour Dates:

9-17 – Record Release Show (venue TBA) – New York
9-23 – Rock and Roll Hotel – Washington, DC*
9-24 – Grog Shop – Cleveland Heights, OH*
9-25 – Midpoint Music Festival – Cincinnati, OH*
9-26 – Exit In – Nashville,TN*
9-27 – The Old Rock House – St. Louis, MO*
9-28 – Metro – Chicago, IL*
9-29 – Mickey Finn’s Pub – Toledo, OH*
9-30 – Phoenix Concert Theatre – Toronto,ON*
10-01 – Cabaret Mile End – Montreal, QC*
10-02 – HG Showcase Lounge – Burlington, VT*
10-03 – Paradise – Boston, MA*

*w/ Tom Tom Club

The ridiculously prolific Bay Area band Thee Oh Sees are back with another full-length long-player. Warm Slime is guaranteed to please fans of their whacked-out garage /  psych / punk jams.
Recorded by Sacramento sultan of sound Chris Woodhouse, Warm Slime carries on in the same tradition as the group’s previous In The Red release, Help, showcasing their  more electrified and rocking side, in comparison to other recent home-recorded releases. The centerpiece is undoubtedly the mind-bending title track, which clocks in at  nearly 14 minutes and takes up the entirety of the album’s first side. It’s a psychedelic epic of “Inna Gadda Da Vida” proportions! John Dwyer’s guitar playing is at its quadra- spazzed best here, and the vocal interplay with Brigid Dawson gives it an X-crossed-with-the-Troggs vibe. The results are stunning.
US Fall Tour
Thu 9/2/10    SF Eagle  San Francisco  CA w/Arab on Radar
Sat 9/4/10    Fuck Yeah Fest  Los Angeles  CA
Sun 9/5/10   DAM House Davis CA
Thu 9/9/10    Crocodile Cafe    Seattle  WA w/Tyvek and Love Tan
Fri 9/10/10    Music Fest NW    Portland  OR w/The Gories
Sat 9/11/10    Northern    Olympia  WA
Sun 9/12/10    BSMT    Missoula  MT
Tue 9/14/10    Turf Club    St. Paul  MN
Wed 9/15/10    Lincoln Hall    Chicago  IL w/Hot Machines and Paul Cary
Thu 9/16/10    Magic Stick    Detroit  MI
Fri 9/17/10    The Bug Jar    Rochester  NY
Sat 9/18/10    Firehouse 13    Providence  RI
Sun 9/19/10    Magic Room Gallery    Brighton   MA
Tue 9/21/10    Central Park Summer Stage    New York   NY w/Pavement
Tue 9/21/10    Santos Party House    New York   NY w/Sex Beet
Thu 9/23/10    Goner Fest   Memphis  TN
Fri 9/24/10    Jack Pot Saloon   Lawrence    KS
Sat 9/25/10    Bender’s   Denver CO
Wed 9/29/10    Bimbo’s 365 Club    San Francisco,    CA w/Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Fri 10/1/10    Fox Theater   San Francisco  CA w/Flaming Lips
Sat 10/2/10  Scion Garage Rock Festival Lawrence, KS w/The Gories, The Oblivions, Cola Freaks, Sex Beat & more
12/3-5/10      All Tomorrow’s Parties England
Fri 2/25/11    Bruise Cruise  Miami  FL w/Black Lips, Vivian Girls, Ty Segall &more

http://www.myspace.com/ohsees

The Saratoga Springs, NY duo of Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel, known collectively as Phantogram, released their debut LP Eyelid Movies on Barsuk Records earlier this year. The band recently capped a spring touring season consisting of a national run with The Antlers, a West Coast tour with The xx, and Canadian dates with Metric and Passion Pit with a huge co-headlining show at Governor’s Island in New York with Caribou on July 16th.  August will have them back home in their studio writing and getting surprises ready for the fall tour.

Tour Dates:

September:
05 Chicago, IL – North Coast Music Festival
09 Portland, OR – Music Fest Northwest
22 Boston, MA – Paradise
24 Columbus, OH – The Basement *
25 Cincinnati, OH – Midpoint Music Festival *
27 Greensboro, NC – Artistica +
28 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle *
29 Atlanta, GA – Drunken Unicorn *
30 Tallahassee, FL – Club Downunder *

October:
01 Orlando, FL – Backbooth *
02 Miami, FL – Electric Pickle
04 Baton Rouge, LA – Spanish Moon *
05 Austin, TX – Mohawk *
08 Phoenix, AZ – Sanctum *
06 Dallas, TX – The Loft *
09 San Diego, CA – Casbah *
10 Los Angeles, CA – Filter’s Culture Collide Festival #
11 Sacramento, CA – Blue Lamp *
14 Seattle, WA – Neumo’s *
16 San Francisco, CA – Treasure Island Festival %
18 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court *
19 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theatre *
21 Iowa City, IA – The Blue Moose *
22 Minneapolis, MN – Fineline *
23 Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon *
25 Akron, OH – Musica *
26 Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Small *
28 Washington, DC – Black Cat *
29 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg *
30 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s *

* w/ Josiah Wolf
+ w/ Tobacco
# w/ Klaxons, Black Lips, Monotonix
% w/ LCD Soundsystem, Miike Snow, !!!

For More information:
http://www.myspace.com/phantogram
http://twitter.com/phantogram
http://www.barsuk.com/bands/phantogram

Nike Dunks are hot. You should get some! Just go to EastBay.com and use my code AFTOP515 to save 15% off any order!! Or plug in the code AFTOP520 and save 20% off any order of $75 or more!!

If you’re not much of a sneaker pimp but more of an internet hustler type, head on over to GoDaddy.com and get your dream domain — www.newyorkyoudaman.com — I just bought Heddaville.com for just 7.49!! Use my code TOP7 — go now and make me (Hedda) happy forever and ever (that’s a really long time)!

***************************

Top 5 Music Countdown: Favorite Songs About a Little Town Called New York City!!

5.  “New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down”
-LCD Soundsystem

4.  “Lovecraft in Brooklyn”
-The Mountain Goats (Aesop Rock Remix)

3.  “Downtown Train”
-Tom Waits

2.  “NYC”
-Interpol

1. “First We Take Manhattan”
-Leonard Cohen

Bonus round! 20 more New York-inspired songs for a longer, vitamin-fortified playlist!

“Walk on the Wild Side”
-Lou Reed

“Brooklyn Bound”
-The Black Keys

“Brooklyn”
-Mos Def

“The Long Island Sound”
-Beirut

“Where I’m From”
-Digable Planets

“What New York Used to Be”
-The Kills

“Stock Exchange”
-Miss Kittin & the Hacker

“Positively 4th Street”
-Bob Dylan

“Yeah! New York”
-Yeah Yeah Yeahs

“This Mess We’re In”
-PJ Harvey (Feat. Thom Yorke)

“South 2nd”
-CocoRosie

“NYC Everything”
-RZA

“Chelsea Hotel”
-Leonard Cohen

“Hello Brooklyn”
-Beastie Boys

“Fairy Tale of New York”
-Stars (Pogues cover)

“Piazza, New York Catcher”
-Belle & Sebastian

“The Last Tango in Brooklyn”
-Frightened Rabbit

“53rd & 3rd”
-The Ramones

“New York, New York”
-Cat Power

“Hello Brooklyn”
-Jay-Z & Lil’ Wayne

Also, while you’re there, leave me a comment with your top 5 favorite New York songs!!

One of the most celebrated and beloved forces in modern music, Canadian pop-rock icons Tegan and Sara will release their eagerly awaited sixth studio album, entitled SAINTHOOD, on October 27th on Sire/Vapor Records.

Rest of the story after the break – Check out Tiesto featuring Tegan and Sara on Vocals

SAINTHOOD was produced by Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla (who also produced 2007’s critically applauded THE CON) and Howard Redekopp (who produced 2004’s groundbreaking effort SO JEALOUS) and mixed by Grammy Award winner Dave Sardy (Oasis, Primal Scream, Marilyn Manson).

The follow-up to 2007’s THE CON, SAINTHOOD addresses secular themes of devotion, delusion, and exemplary behavior in the pursuit of love and relationships. The songs, Tegan and Sara say, were “inspired by emotional longing and the quiet actions we hope may be noticed by the objects of our affection. SAINTHOOD is about obsession with romantic ideals. In the service of relationships we practice being perfect. We practice our sainthood in the hope that we will be rewarded with adora­tion. As we are driven to become anything for someone else, we sometimes become martyrs for our cause.

“Love, like faith, can never be held in an individual’s hands. But the story of a great love affair – especially one that is unrequited or has ended too soon – can be woven like scripture or a bedtime story. And so the themes of SAINTHOOD are tied together by this simple title, borrowed, with great respect, from the lyrics of the Leonard Cohen song ‘Came So Far For Beauty’: ‘I practiced all my sainthood / I gave to one and all / But the rumors of my virtue / They moved her not at all.’”

Tegan and Sara began recording SAINTHOOD in May at the legendary Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, CA, where Tom Petty, Nirvana, and Fleetwood Mac have all recorded. They finished laying down tracks at Seattle’s Two Sticks Audio, owned by Death Cab drummer Jason McGerr.

Tegan and Sara have also recently completed their first ever set of books, titled ON, IN, AT. The three-book set chronicles different time periods in writing and photographs from the past year of Tegan and Sara’s lives: their 2008 US national tour, their 2009 Australian tour, and a joint writing session in New Orleans for the new album. The books will be released in conjunction with the SAINTHOOD pre-sale, with more information coming soon at teganandsara.com.

To celebrate the release of SAINTHOOD, Tegan and Sara will perform four very special shows: October 25th and 26th at Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theater, and October 30th and 31st at New York City’s Town Hall. Tickets for all shows are on-sale now.

Just confirmed: Tegan and Sara will perform live on NBC’s The Tonight Show with THE Conan O’Brien on Nov 2. Tune in at 11:35 PM. Check local listings for details. Plans for a full U.S. tour in February 2010 in support of SAINTHOOD will be announced soon.

The track-listing for SAINTHOOD is as follows:

Arrow
Don’t Rush
Hell
On Directing
Red Belt
The Cure
Northshore
Night Watch
Alligator
Paperback Head
The Ocean
Sentimental Tune
Someday