Pas Chic Chic

Here is the latest release from Pas Chic Chic...an art rock supergroup that features members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Set Fire to Flames, and Fly Pan Am.

The new 12"/digital release features three new songs with all the lyrics written in French...“Allez Vous Faire Influencer”, “Premier Souffle”, and “Interlude”.

You can hear “Allez Vous Faire Influencer” here.

Little Dragon

Little Dragon is one of the most unique original groups out there right now - with a sound that infused melancholy pop, everything else, this group is positioned to be huge. And they were just the opening act on the most recent Gorillaz tour...need I say more? Validation and street cred has been effectively established.

Here's their video for "Blinking Pigs"


Anyway, next year they will be heading out on their own headlining tour which includes a whole bunch of U.S. dates, so get excited.

Tour Dates:
1/7 LOS ANGELES, CA @ LA Museum of Natural History
1/8 LOS ANGELES, CA @ Echoplex
1/10 PORTLAND, OR @ Doug Fir
1/11 VANCOUVER, BC @ Fortune
1/12 SEATTLE, WA @ Nectar Lounge
1/14 FARGO, ND @ The Aquarium
1/15 NORTHFIELD (MINNEAPOLIS), MN The Cave @ Carleton College
1/16 CHICAGO, IL Tomorrow Never Knows @ Lincoln Hall
1/17 TORONTO, ON Wrongbar
1/18 MONTREAL, PQ @ Il Motore
1/19 BOSTON, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
1/20 BROOKLYN, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
1/21 NEW YORK, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
1/22 WASHINGTON, DC @ Black Cat
1/23 PHILADELPHIA, PA @ Johnny Brendas
1/25 ATLANTA, GA @ Masquerade
1/26 ORLANDO, FL @ Backbooth
1/27 TAMPA, FL @ Crowbar
1/28 MIAMI, FL @ The Electric Pickle
1/29 Sundance SALT LAKE CITY, UT @ Urban Lounge
1/30 AUSTIN, TX @ Parish
2/2 RIVERSIDE, CA The Barn @ UC Riverside
2/3 SANTA CRUZ, CA @ Rio Theatre
2/4 SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ Independent

Gangrene

Gutter Water is the debut album from hip-hop duo Gangrene (a pairing comprised of rapper/dj's The Alchemist & Oh No).









Here's the video for their song "Take Drugs". It's really interesting, unique video...but rather disturbing in a lot of ways. Their publicist refers to it as "completely grotesque". You be the judge.

Jonquil - "One Hundred Suns"

One Hundred Suns the debut EP from Jonquil is not only refreshing but actually awe-inspiring. It feels like sensory overload - but it's not - or is it? I hear these songs. I taste these songs. I see these songs. I smell these songs. And ultimately, I feel these songs.

Hailing from Oxford, England - Jonquil was launched by three guys, Hugo Manuel, Sam Hudson Scott, and Robin McDiarmind from a bedroom floor. Self-described as Paul Simon's take on The Smiths - there's a safe emotional distance that Morrissey accomplished through his aching voice, that Jonquil captures with jangling guitars on a song like "It Never Rains". The difference is that The Smiths sounded like a late night cry - and like Paul Simon, Jonquil sounds like an early morning drive. Although I must admit, their naive optimism does almost come full circle and leave a ghostly echo in the back of your mind.

And to be perfectly honest, there has not been a sharper guitar riff this year, than the one on the intro to their first single "Get Up" (which you can download here, for free). The arrangements are lavish and sprawling - and yet ultimately minimal. They take a few instruments off the shelf and make them sound like the whole damn store. That alone is impressive.

Clearly Jonquil is a force to be reckoned with. This is a debut that feels like a continuation. It's like they're wrapping up some wonderful thought that they already shared with you - and yet you know they haven't...but they will. One Hundred Suns as a collection of songs literally will burst from your speakers and rain both joy and sadness on everything.







You can download "Fighting Smiles" here.

Go-Go Boots and DBT...

As we announced last week, Drive-by Truckers will be releasing their latest album Go-Go Boots in February, barely a year after the release of the immutable The Big To Do.

Since then the band has had their long time friend, photographer Jason Thrasher filming concerts, rehearsals, acoustic performances, and behind the scenes conversations with the band. These are being edited down into an internet docu-series also called "Go-Go Boots" - it will begin running in the end of December and they will put out new episodes regularly until the release of the new album.

Here is a preview of the series as frontman Patterson Hood discusses the idea behind the series itself, as well as the band's upcoming Record Store Day release, "The Thanksgiving Filter"/"Used to Be a Cop" 7 inch.



And while we're on the topic...here is also an acoustic performance of "The Thanksgiving Filter" from Patterson Hood.