Ach, the Sun! It Burns! Avert Your Eyes and Gaze at Your Shoes! Sonic Cathedral Compilation to Feature M83, Dean & Britta, School of Seven Bells

By David Nadelle on

What comes around, goes around. Or so they say. After recent years spent herky jerkin’ around the dancefloor like hopped-up hyenas, the time has come for the sloth dancers of the world to have their day out of the sun. While persuading DJs to pump out lush swathes of layered atmos is as difficult as getting them to play Reveen, you will soon be able to stay at home instead and shimmy very slow while eyeing the floorboards of your apartment. Sonic Cathedral will release on April 20 a compilation entitled Cathedral Classics Volume One, which collects a good number of songs from the boutique label’s first 11 7-inch singles released between 2006 and 2008.

Dedicated to all things opaque and shoegazey, Sonic Cathedral is not just a label, but also a promoter of live shows throughout England (but mostly in London). For this compilation, they have gathered together the past, present, and future of the genre as both performers and remixers. Vets like Mark Gardener (Ride), Sonic Boom (Spaceman 3), Neil Halstead (Slowdive/Mojave 3), Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins), and Dean & Britta (Luna) all appear on Cathedral Classics Volume One, as well as like-minded disciples like M83 and School of Seven Bells. Furthermore, two Japancakes My Bloody Valentine covers, “Soon” and “Touched,” are mixed by James Rutledge and Ricardo Tobar respectively. Needless to say, with 17 ethereal sounds, you will be floating on air. Well, let’s hope it’s air and not air biscuits.

1. The Tamborines - “Sally O’ Gannon”
2. The Tamborines - “Be Around”
3. Mark Gardener - “The Story of the Eye (Ulrich Schnauss Mix)”
4. Sarabeth Tucek - “Something for You (Contino Mix)”
5. School of Seven Bells - “My Cabal (Robin Guthrie Mix)”
6. Kyte - “Planet”
7. Kyte - “Secular Ventures (Maps Mix)”
8. Dean & Britta - “White Horses (Sonic Boom Mix)”
9. Miranda Lee Richards - “Life Boat (Neil Halstead Mix)”
10. Maps - “To the Sky (M83 Mix)”
11. M83 - “We Own the Sky (Maps Mix)”
12. Japancakes - “Soon (James Rutledge Mix)”
13. Japancakes - “Touched (Ricardo Tobar Mix)”
14. The Early Years - “Like a Suicide”
15. The Early Years - “The Computer Voice”
16. Daniel Land & The Modern Painters - “Within the Boundaries”
17. Daniel Land & The Modern Painters - “Benjamin’s Room”

Ray LaMontagne (Pronounced /lɑːmɒnˈteɪːn/) To Sing from Gut on April Tour

By Shelley Su on Mar 18 2009

Guitar-play. A soulful, smoky voice. Good looks. Add these things together, and it's Ray LaMontagne. The total package is enough to make a lot of women swoon (TMT News) and say some inappropriate things. It's no wonder, really, when he has an entire horn section trumpeting: "You are the best thing to ever happen to me" in his latest, 2008 release Gossip In The Grain (TMT Review). The album is the highest debut (a solid opening at #3 on the Billboard Chart) for the Stephen Stills-inspired singer-songwriter. While adding heartthrob to his own list of life skills, LaMontagne has even cracked some of TMT's Best Of 2008 individual lists.

LaMontagne will be bringing his charm back from Europe to a city near you starting in April. And get this: in true Bono-like philanthropic form, front row seats purchased here will have a portion of the proceeds donated to The National Children's Cancer Society. It's just one of many charitable foundations he's made contributions to.

Is it me, or is this guy getting dreamier by the minute?

Tourdates* for you swooning types:
04.02.09 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre
04.03.09 - Pittsburgh, PA - Palace Theater
04.04.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theater
04.06.09 - Albany, NY - The Egg
04.07.09 - Northampton, MA - Calvin Theatre
04.08.09 - New Haven, CT - Schubert Theater
04.11.09 - Portland, ME - Merrill Auditorium
04.12.09 - Burlington, VT Flynn Center For The Performing Arts
04.14.09 - Montreal, QUE Metropolis
04.15.09 - Toronto, ONT Massey Hall
04.17.09 - Cleveland, OH State Theatre
04.18.09 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre
04.19.09 - Ann Arbor, MI - Michigan Theatre
04.21.09 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater
04.22.09 - St. Louis, MO - Pageant Theater
04.24.09 - Asheville, NC - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
04.25.09 - Louisville, KY - Brown Theater
04.27.09 - Birmingham, AL - Alabama Theatre
04.28.09 - Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theatre
04.29.09 - Tampa, FL - Tampa Theatre
04.30.09 - Miami, FL - Fillmore @ Jackie Gleason

* Opening acts: Low Anthem, April 2-15; Jessica Lea Mayfield, April 17-30

Meanwhile, catch LaMontagne on SNL this Saturday.

Magik Markers Fall Out of Their Box, Find New Home on Drag City With Balf Quarry, Tour with Ghost

By Jon Lorenz on Mar 18 2009

A lot has changed for Magik Markers over these past few years. Leah Quimby left the band in May of 2006, turning the Markers into a duo of Elisa Ambrogio and Pete Nolan. The duo then continued on with a much more focused, song-oriented record with the Lee Renaldo-produced Boss (TMT Review). Meanwhile, Ambrogio moved to San Francisco and then later Seattle, while Nolan moved to Brooklyn. Still unsettled, Magik Markers are now making a label change, jumping from Ecstatic Peace! to Drag City with their new record Balf Quarry.

Despite these changes, Balf Quarry ironically sees the two taking a jump back, with references to the city that used to be their ground turf: Hartford, Connecticut. Indeed, the title Balf Quarry is a reference to "an old stone pit just outside of Hartford, Connecticut."

Produced by Scott Colburn (Sun City Girls, Animal Collective, Sir Richard Bishop), Balf Quarry sees the Markers in a much darker setting. According to Drag City, the new album "is like immersing yourself in a great horror film, complete with mental dissipation, catharsis for the ears, and the most satisfying psychotic listening experience you'll have this year."

Look out for Balf Quarry May 5. Here's the tracklist:

1. Risperdal
2. Don't Take in Your Sleep
3. Jerks
4. Psychosomatic
5. 7/23
6. State Numbers
7. The Ricecar of Dr. Clara Haber
8. The Lighter Side of... Hippies
9. Ohio R./Live/Hoosier
10. Shells
05.09.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg *
05.10.09 - Washington, DC - Velvet Lounge *
05.11.09 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 *
05.12.09 - Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle Tavern & Music *
05.13.09 - Athens, GA - Tasty World *
06.26.09 - Ithaca, NY - Lost Dog Lounge
06.28.09 - Montreal, QC - Casa Del Popolo

* Ghost

[Photo: John Ruscher]

Tara Jane O’Neil Signs to K Records; Fans Everywhere Shocked to Discover She Wasn’t Signed to K Records All Along; She Is an Artist and From the Pacific Northwest, After All; Anyway, She is Briefly Touring Too In (Surprise, Surprise) the Pacific Northwest – I Wonder Why She’s Not Touring the Rest of the Country, But Maybe It’s Because She Also Has Another Job; I Wish I Had a Job Right Now, But I Can’t Seem to Get Any Responses to Mailed-Out Resumes; If Anybody Knows of Places in North Texas That Are Hiring Recent College Graduates, Holler at Your Boy

By Papaya on Mar 18 2009

Tara Jane O'Neil is set to release her fifth solo studio album A Ways Away as an LP May 5 on K Records. Contributions can be expected from should-be-K-alum Jana Hunter and actual K-alum Mirah. The tracklist has also been unveiled:

1. Dig In
2. In Tall Grass
3. Drowning
4. A New Binding
5. Howl
6. Pearl into Sand
7. Beast, Go Along
8. A Vertiginous One
9. Biwa
10. The Drowning Electric

Not that the tracklist really means anything without songs to go along with it. However, use of impressive vocabulary such as “vertiginous” makes the album look particularly promising, IMHO.

Her particularly enigmatic live show can also be witnessed at any of the following locations:
03.18.09 - Austin, TX - SXSW
04.01.09 - Anacortes, WA - The Department of Safety #
04.03.09 - Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret #
04.04.09 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater #
04.05.09 - Arcata, CA - TBA #
04.30.09 - Portland, OR Fontanelle Gallery

# Mirah

Maria Taylor Announces New LP and Tour, Actually Looks Good in Converse and a Dress

By Kasia Galaxy on Mar 18 2009

All right, we get it. You girls look really freaking cute in Maria Taylor's video for "Time Lapse Lifeline," committing minor offenses like throwing surprise water balloons and knocking out mailboxes. A lot more darling than those girls in high school who wore skirts and Converse, anyway.

Maria Taylor -- lead tomfoolerer in the video -- has already released the song, which is the first single from her upcoming album, LadyLuck. Another track, "Cartoons and Forever Plans," co-written by Michael Stipe, was actually made available yesterday via iTunes, the real St. Patrick's Day, not the fake one everyone celebrated on Saturday.

Currently in Europe, Taylor will return to the U.S. for a coast-to-coast tour with Whispertown 2000. That lady always manages to snag a string of the hearts or two.

The tourdates:
04.04.09 - Gainesville, FL - Common Grounds
04.05.09 - Orlando, FL - The Social
04.06.09 - Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits
04.07.09 - Birmingham, AL - Bottle Tree
04.08.09 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
04.09.09 - Carrboro, NC - Local 506
04.10.09 - Washington, DC - Rock N Roll Hotel
04.11.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Barbary
04.12.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Bell House
04.13.09 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's
04.14.09 - Boston, MA - Great Scott
04.16.09 - Buffalo, NY - Mohawk Place
04.17.09 - Toronto, ON - El Mocambo
04.18.09 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
04.19.09 - Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
04.20.09 - Chicago, IL - Schuba's
04.21.09 - Madison, WI - High Noon
04.22.09 - Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar
04.24.09 - Omaha, NE - Waiting Room
04.25.09 - Denver, CO - HI Dive
04.26.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
04.28.09 - Seattle, WA - Vera Project
04.29.09 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir
05.01.09 - San Francisco, CA - Café Du Nord
05.02.09 - Visalia, CA - Cellar Door
05.03.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour

Time To Dig Up Your Red Energy Dome Hats: Devo Announce First New Album Since 1990 And Add More Tourdates

By Annapocalypse on Mar 17 2009

The last time Devo released a new album (Smooth Noodle Maps in June 1990), the following things were happening:

- George H.W. Bush was president, and he had just signed a treaty with Mikhail Gorbachev to end chemical weapon production.
- Speaking of which, the Soviet Union still existed.
- The first TV show in HDTV aired.
- Universal Studios Florida opened to the public.
- I was five years old and definitely not sitting here celebrating the return of Devo with my dome hat on my head.

Devo’s new album will mark their first new music endeavor since their 2007 single “Watch Us Work It," which was featured in a Dell Computer commercial. They are currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on the as-yet untitled release. According to Rolling Stone, they’ve been contacted by 20 different producers (everyone from Snoop Dogg to Fatboy Slim), and Fall 2009 has been confirmed as a release date.

New Devo tourdates:
03.18.09 - Dallas, TX - The Palladium
03.19.09 - Austin, TX - Keynote Panel at SXSW Convention Center
03.20.09 - Austin, TX -SXSW at Austin Music Hall $
05.06.09 - London, UK - ATP Fest at The Forum/Kentish Town
05.08.09 - Minehead, Somerset UK - ATP Fest at Butlins Holiday Centre
$ Tricky

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