Chad VanGaalen Gives Out Free EP and Plans Canadian Tour (Can You Say Pretentious?)

By Matt Lundy on

Chad VanGaalen is like a younger, Canadian version of Robert Pollard. Behind a relentless work ethic, all the guy needs is some shitty recording equipment to pump out his falsetto-laced brand of folk-pop. When I spoke to Chad back in March, he said that he didn’t start actively listening to music until his late high school days, and that his time was wrapped up in drawing and animation. Then, of course, he bought a four-track recorder and started writing a boatload of catchy songs. Fresh off the debut album of his instrumental/electronic side project Black Mold, Chad has reached back into the Soft Airplane (TMT Review) vault to offer up a free digital EP of B-sides from that recording time.

You can download the EP at the Soft Airplane website. Better yet, you can catch Chad VanGaalen in the coming weeks when he does a primarily West Coast tour of Canada.

Tourdates:
09.19.09 - Toronto, ON - The Church of the Redeemer
10.08.09 - Regina, SK - The Exchange
10.09.09 - Winnipeg, MB - The Park Theatre
10.10.09 - Saskatoon, SK - Broadway Theatre
10.14.09 - Victoria, BC - Alix Goolden Performance Hall
10.15.09 - Vancouver, BC - The Rio
10.16.09 - Kelowna, BC - Habitat
10.18.09 - Edmonton, AB - Myer Horowitz Theatre

Why Have Beatles Mania When You Can Have Hair Police Mania!!?? Hair Police Tours Europe with Family Battle Snake

By Jon Lorenz on 09-17-2009

Fuck The Beatles!! There, I said it. Now let's move on to an important matter. Hair Police are jetting out to Europe to battle all this mania with their pals Family Battle Snake. These boys will be UK trippin' for a mere week, jaunting around Europe, pissin' all over Abbey Road, and burning every Beatles record they stumble upon. For this tour, both Hair Police and Family Battle Snake will have special tour edition LPs put out by Harbinger Sound -- Hair Police with Stay In Bodies, and Family Battle Snake with Glass Face Island. Each LP will be in an edition of 100, so you'd better act quick on these since, unlike all those crappy Beatles records, they won't be reissued a million times with mutliple remastered versions in mono and stereo.

The tour will kick off in Bristol and conclude in Glasgow, followed by one final Hair Police gig in Dublin and three more solo dates for Family Battle Snake, finishing up in Manchester. The two groups are also playing the very first No Fun Fest Sweden with a whole gang of noisemakers, including Wolf Eyes, Burning Star Core, Prurient, Emeralds, and so many more. Family Battle Snake are playing September 18, while Hair Police are closing out the fest September 20.

So if you're lucky enough to catch these dudes in action, make sure and pick up one of their limited tour LPs and avoid at all costs picking up any of the Beatles reissues.

Here are the dates:
09.18.09 - Stockholm, Sweden - Fylkingen (No Fun Fest Sweden) **
09.20.09 - Stockholm, Sweden - Fylkingen (No Fun Fest Sweden) *
11.15.09 - Bristol, UK - The Croft
11.16.09 - London, UK - Cargo &
11.17.09 - Cambridge, UK - The Man on the Moon
11.18.09 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club $
11.19.09 - Glasgow, UK - Stereo
11.20.09 - Dublin, Ireland - Whelens *
11.20.09 - Edinburgh, UK - Stills Gallery **
11.21.09 - Newcastle, UK - The Telegraph ** +
11.22.09 - Manchester, UK - tba **

* (Hair Police only)

** (Family Battle Snake only)

& Noxagt

+ Jazzfinger, Masterslave, Eyeballs

$ Astral Social Club, Mutant Ape

Update: Pavement Reunion Pre-Sale Tickets On Sale Tomorrow, Compilation LP Due Next Year

By Mr P on 09-17-2009

No two shits about it: the Pavement reunion (TMT News) is officially happening, but, as Matador appropriately warns, "this tour is not a prelude to additional jaunts and/or a permanent reunion." So, yes, the reunion may be on, BUT FOR HOW LONG, AND WILL THERE BE A NEW ALBUM, ETC.

Pre-sale tickets for the first announced show -- September 21 at Rumsey Playfield in New York -- will be available via Ticketmaster tomorrow morning (password: ZOWEE). And expect a retrospective Pavement compilation sometime next year via Matador.

Check out Matador's post here and follow all the juicy Pavement reunion details here.

[Photo: Gail Butensky]

RIP: Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary

By Shane Mack on 09-17-2009

From Peter, Paul and Mary's official website:

Mary Travers passed away today [Wednesday, September 15, 2009]. After successful recovery from leukemia through a bone marrow/stem cell transplant, Mary succumbed to the side effects of one of the chemotherapy treatments. [...]

Mary Travers fought cancer and its consequent illnesses with an inspiring strength and determination, maintaining a positive outlook and uncomplaining spirit throughout. Mary’s life and legacy remain a great American treasure. She was a passionate singer of songs, songs that have enlightened us and moved us to action as citizens of America and the world. She never failed to champion those most in need, those most deprived of their rights as citizens and human beings, and those targeted by racism and discrimination; the powerless, the infirm, the poor. Mary never shrank before a threat to her person if it got in the way of pursuing her deeply held convictions, and she was as loyal on behalf of her friends as she was to her principles. Mary helped awaken mainstream America to the humanizing message of folk music. She reached millions of people in the struggle to guarantee social justice for all and has left a profound and lasting impact on all of us. Each of us, many in profoundly personal ways, will deeply miss her and the gifts she has given us--as an artist, as a triumphant role model, and as a dear, beloved friend. Well done, Mary Travers. We shall miss you beyond telling.

- Mary Travers official website
- Peter, Paul and Mary official website
- Peter, Paul and Mary Wikipedia entry

Stream The Flaming Lips’ Embryonic Now (And Don’t Forget About The Soft Bulletin Vinyl Reissue)

By Mr P on 09-16-2009

The Flaming Lips just finished a blazing performance of Embryonic track "Convinced Of The Hex" on The Colbert Report, and guess what? I'M BACKSTAGE! WOOHOO!! It's absolutely insane here: groups of people are snorting lines of coke, a few are engaging in fisticuffs, and nearly everyone else is fucking their brains out, with sex juices splashing everywhere. I love it!

Anyway: as a little bonus, The Colbert Nation website is currently streaming the forthcoming double album Embryonic in its entirety. The stream will only be available through next Monday, so get your fix soon or you'll have to wait for its October 13 release or TBA leak. Feel free to pre-order here if you're into that whole purchasing music thing.

And in case you forgot, The Soft Bulletin has been reissued on vinyl for its 10th anniversary and includes a 3-track bonus CD. FYI: it's limited.

The Soft Bulletin LP version tracklisting:

1. Race for the Prize
2. A Spoonful Weighs a Ton
3. The Spark That Bled
4. The Spiderbite Song
5. Buggin'
6. What Is the Light?
7. The Observer
8. Waitin' for a Superman
9. Suddenly Everything Has Changed
10. The Gash
11. Slow Motion
12. Feeling Yourself Distintegrate
13. Sleeping on the Roof

Bonus CD:

1. 1000 Foot Hands (final mix)
2. The Captain (Non-album track)
3. Satellite For You (Non-album track)

Smashing Pumpkins to Release 44 Free Songs, To Be Known Collectively as Teargarden by Kaleidyscope; Something Tells Me This Isn’t the 19-Year-Old Drummer’s Idea

By Mr P on 09-16-2009

What do you get when you mix 42-year-old Billy Corgan with a 19-year-old drummer named "Mike"?

A heartwarming father/son-like relationship? ("Hey, let's go toss the ball around!") Weird, barely-legal sexual activity? ("Hey, let's go toss my balls around!") One would assume both, but Corgan has never been one for tradition. Instead, Corgan and "Mike" (a.k.a. The Smashing Pumpkins) will write some songs, record some songs, and release some songs. And not just a couple songs here and there, but 44 songs, released for free on the internet and not-for-free on 11 EPs that will eventually be collected as a box set titled Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. Confusing? Bill, take it away:

The album will feature 44 songs, 4 of which are now being recorded. My desire is to release a song at a time beginning around Halloween of this year, with each new release coming shortly after until all 44 are out. Each song will be made available absolutely for free, to anyone anywhere. There will be no strings attached. Free will mean free, which means you won't have to sign up for anything, give an email address, or jump through a hoop. You will be able to go and take the song or songs as you wish, as many times as you wish.

We will however sell highly limited edition EP's (of 4 songs each times 11), and details of how those EP's will be made available are still being worked out. Because the songs themselves will be free, the EP's will be more like collectors items for the discerning fan who will want the art itself, along with the highest possible audio quality available. The EP's will be more like mini-box sets rather than your normal cd single. We may also offer other variations for sale, say for example a digital single with a demo version of a song. The commitment that is most important is the one I'm making to you: that the music of 'Teargarden by Kaleidyscope' will be available for free to everyone. All 44 songs: free for ALL.

When the entire album is finished, it will be compiled into a deluxe box set which will also be made available for sale. Those who have bought the EP's need not worry, as the box set will not be a recompilation of the limited edition pieces.

The rest of the post describes what the album is based on, but who cares?? Just kidding! You can read the post here. Or should I say, experience the post.

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