Saddle Creek recording artist Orenda Fink (of Azure Ray, wife of Todd Fink of The Faint) has made her 2005 debut album Invisible Ones available for free download on her website now through the end of January in an effort to encourage relief effort donations for the current crisis in Haiti. In a very personal letter posted to her site that recounts her time in Haiti spent making music, art, and – most importantly – friends, Orenda asks that people make a donation to a relief effort organization in return for downloading the album. Invisible Ones, her solo debut, was inspired by and mainly written during her travels there in 2003.
I’m fully jazzed that Omaha indierock veterans Cursive will be doing 2 shows this spring on the Sunset Strip. They’ll be out from Feb.16 – Apr.2 supporting Chicago’s Alkaline Trio starting and ending the tour in the LA area. If you haven’t caught Cursive since their days with Cellist Greta Cohn you may be pleasantly surprised with the renewed energy/texture that the addition/replacement of keys/horns has been to the bands live show. I felt like using a lot of slashes today. Need fulfilled. See you next month, Cursive!
Cursive tour dates (all in support of Alkaline Trio)
FEB. 16 POMONA, CA GLASS HOUSE
FEB. 17 LOS ANGELES, CA HOUSE OF BLUES (SUNSET STRIP)
FEB. 18 SAN FRANCISCO, CA REGENCY BALLROOM
FEB. 19 PORTLAND, OR WONDER BALLROOM
FEB. 20 SEATTLE, WA NEUMO’S
FEB. 23 BOISE, ID KNITTING FACTORY
FEB. 24 SALT LAKE CITY, UT IN THE VENUE
FEB. 25 DENVER, CO GOTHIC THEATRE
FEB. 26 LAWRENCE, KS GRANADA THEATRE
FEB. 27 CHICAGO, IL METRO
FEB. 28 CHICAGO, IL METRO
MAR. 2 ROYAL OAK, MI ROYAL OAK MUSIC THEATRE
MAR. 3 COLUMBUS, OH NEWPORT MUSIC HALL
MAR. 4 CLEVELAND, OH HOUSE OF BLUES
MAR. 5 PITTSBURGH, PA CLUB ZOO
MAR. 6 TORONTO, ON PHOENIX CONCERT THEATRE
MAR. 8 CLIFTON PARK, NY NORTHERN LIGHTS
MAR. 9 HARTFORD, CT WEBSTER THEATRE
MAR. 11 PHILADELPHIA, PA TROCADERO
MAR. 12 NEW YORK, NY NOKIA THEATRE
MAR. 13 SAYREVILLE, NJ STARLAND BALLROOM
MAR. 14 PROVIDENCE, RI LUPO’S HEARTBREAK HOTEL
MAR. 16 TOWSON, MD RECHER THEATRE
MAR. 17 CHARLOTTE, NC AMOS’ SOUTHEND
MAR. 18 CHARLESTON, SC MUSIC FARM
MAR. 19 ATLANTA, GA MASQUERADE
MAR. 20 JACKSONVILLE, FL FREEBIRD LIVE
MAR. 22 ORLANDO, FL HOUSE OF BLUES
MAR. 23 FT. LAUDERDALE, FL REVOLUTION
MAR. 25 NEW ORLEANS, LA HOUSE OF BLUES
MAR. 26 HOUSTON, TX WAREHOUSE LIVE
MAR. 27 DALLAS, TX PALLADIUM BALLROOM
MAR. 28 AUSTIN, TX EMO’S
MAR. 30 TEMPE, AZ THE MARQUEE
APR. 1 SAN DIEGO, CA HOUSE OF BLUES
APR. 2 LOS ANGELES, CA HOUSE OF BLUES (SUNSET STRIP)
Old Canes is the work of Lawrence, KS native Chris Crisci (of The Appleseed Cast). The band has an eclectic indie-folk sound with lush instrumentation reminicent of Band of Horses or Sea Wolf. His most recent album Feral Harmonic was released on 10/20 through Omaha’s Saddle Creek Records. A limited edition set of HANDMADE CD & LP packaging is available. You can download an MP3 of “Trust” from Feral Harmonic here.
I highly recommend getting to the show by 9pm to see LA up-and-comers Sol Giant & I Will Never Be The Same. Drink specials kick in just as Old Canes takes the stage…the perfect Sunday!
Limited edition CDs and LPs of Feral Harmonic are now available in the Saddle Creek online store. Hand-assembled at the Saddle Creek office by Grammy* award-winning artist Zack Nipper, each CD and LP is wrapped with a black ribbon and features hand ink-stamped impressions on the cover label and inner/outer packaging, and a booklet of black and white photographs. The vinyl run is a hand-numbered edition of 1,000 and includes a code to download the album in high quality MP3 format.
Old Canes is the brainchild of Chris Crisci (The Appleseed Cast), who wrote and recorded Feral Harmonic in his basement studio. On tour, he is joined by Kelly Hangauer (4th of July), Taylor Hollenbeck, Lucas Oswald (Minus Story), John Momberg (Appleseed Cast/Dactyls; drums on the West coast leg of the tour), and Jeff Stoltz (Drakkar Sauna; drums on the East coast leg of the tour).
“Let Me Up” is the 3rd Single from Cursive’s Mama, I’m Swollen, available from Saddle Creek.
A new Daytrotter session from the band debuted online yesterday and can be downloaded here. The session features “What Have I Done?” off of Mama, I’m Swollen and “The Casualty” from Cursive’s Domestica, in addition to covers of The Cure’s “Love Cats” and David Bowie’s “Modern Love”.
Cursive will be in Las Vegas at the Beauty Bar on Sept 24th and in Tokyo October 26th & 27th. More US tour dates will be announced soon.
Monsters of Folk (My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, and singer/songwriter M. Ward) will be touring this fall to support their record (out September 22nd). Throughout each show of the tour, the four members will be switching instruments. True commies that they are, Monsters of Folk are partnering with Air Traffic Control, a resource for musicians’ philanthropic and social change work, to donate monies raised from ticket sales. The band will be donating $1 from every ticket sold on the tour to local non-profits.
via Press Release: “On a daily basis, we see how hard organizations like these work to make our communities, country and world a better place.” said Erin Potts, the organization’s executive director. “In a time when economic resources are harder to come by and organizations are overwhelmed by urgency and need, the Monsters of Folk tour’s charitable activities are a significant way to energize and support the tireless and often overlooked work that these organizers are doing.”
For a complete list of charities and for more information on Air Traffic Control, please visit www.atctower.net.
Im not sure I totally get the video’s concept but it’s one of my favorite songs off of Mama, I’m Swollen. It features Tania Raymonde (Alex Linus from LOST). Thanks to the press release for that info because I surely don’t watch that fucking show. I’m also the person who asked Mischa Barton “Are You a model?” at the Viper Room last night even though I knew full well who she was. (I only saw 1 episode of The OC ever.) Man, TV is stupid. Go see a fucking concert!
Cursive will be on tour all summer. I’d like to point out that Box Awesome in Lincoln, NE was the bar I used to run sound for. It’s an intimate setting and will probably be the best show in Lincoln all year. Check that out if you are in the area. (pretty sure its sold out)
Previously Announced:
JUNE 13 DENVER, CO WESTWORD MUSIC SHOWCASE
JUNE 17 LINCOLN, NE BOX AWESOME
JUNE 18 SIOUX FALLS, SD NUTTY’S NORTH
JUNE 19 RAPID CITY, SD DAHL CENTER
JUNE 20 BILLINGS, MT YELLOWSTONE VALLEY BREWERY
JUNE 21 MISSOULA, MT THE PALACE
JUNE 23 SEATTLE, WA NEUMO’S
JUNE 24 PORTLAND, OR WONDER BALLROOM
JUNE 26 SACRAMENTO, CA BOARDWALK
JUNE 27 SAN FRANCISCO, CA GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL
JUNE 28 LOS ANGELES, CA EL REY THEATRE
JUNE 29 POMONA, CA GLASSHOUSE
JUNE 30 LAS VEGAS, NV BEAUTY BAR
JULY 1 SALT LAKE CITY, UT IN THE VENUE
JULY 24 OMAHA, NE SLOWDOWN
(Mutual of Omaha’s “Wild About Omaha” Weekend)
New Dates:
JULY 25 IOWA CITY, IA PICADOR
JULY 26 DEKALB, IL OTTO’S
JULY 27 INDIANAPOLIS, IN RADIO RADIO
JULY 28 PONTIAC, MI PIKE ROOM
JULY 29 CLEVELAND, OH GROG SHOP
JULY 30 ROCHESTER, NY BUG JAR
JULY 31 BUFFALO, NY TRALF MUSIC HALL
AUG. 1 TORONTO, ONT HORSESHOE TAVERN
AUG. 3 CAMBRIDGE, MA MIDDLE EAST (Downstairs)
AUG. 4 MILFORD, CT DANIEL STREET
AUG. 6 HOBOKEN, NJ MAXWELL’S
AUG. 7 PHILADELPHIA, PA FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH
AUG. 8 BALTIMORE, MD OTTO BAR
APR. 30 – ORLANDO, FL @ THE SOCIAL* (sold out)
MAY 1 – ATLANTA, GA @ VARIETY PLAYHOUSE*
MAY 2 – CARRBORO, NC @ CAT’S CRADLE*
MAY 3 – WASHINGTON, DC @ BLACK CAT*
MAY 4 – STATE COLLEGE, PA @ THE STATE THEATRE*
MAY 5 – PITTSBURGH, PA @ DIESEL*
MAY 6 – DETROIT, MI @ MAGIC STICK*
MAY 7 – MILWAUKEE, WI @ TURNER HALL#
MAY 8 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN @ FIRST AVENUE
MAY 9 – CHICAGO, IL @ BOTTOM LOUNGE#
MAY 12 – LONDON, UK @ DINGWALLS
MAY 14 – CARDIFF, UK @ CLWB IFOR BACH
MAY 15 – BRIGHTON, UK @ THE GREAT ESCAPE
MAY 16 – BIRMINGHAM, UK @ HARE AND HOUNDS
MAY 17 – NORWICH, UK @ ARTS CENTRE
MAY 18 – MANCHESTER, UK @ ACADEMY 3
MAY 19 – YORK, UK @ FIBBERS
MAY 20 – NEWCASTLE, UK @ ACADEMY 2
MAY 21 – LONDON, UK @ STAG & DAGGER FESTIVAL
MAY 22 – LEEDS, UK @ STAG & DAGGER FESTIVAL
MAY 23 – GLASGOW, UK @ STAG & DAGGER FESTIVAL
MAY 24 – NOTTINGHAM, UK @ DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL
* with MAN MAN
# with P.O.S.
Cursive June/July Tour:
JUNE 13 – DENVER, CO @ WESTWORD MUSIC SHOWCASE
JUNE 18 – SIOUX FALLS, SD @ NUTTY’S NORTH
JUNE 20 – BILLINGS, MT @ YELLOWSTONE VALLEY BREWERY
JUNE 21 – MISSOULA, MT @ THE OTHER SIDE
JUNE 22 – SPOKANE, WA @ KNITTING FACTORY
JUNE 23 – SEATTLE, WA @ NEUMO’S
JUNE 24 – PORTLAND, OR @ WONDER BALLROOM
JUNE 27 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL
JUNE 28 – LOS ANGELES, CA @ EL REY THEATRE
JUNE 29 – POMONA, CA @ GLASSHOUSE
JULY 1 – SALT LAKE CITY, UT @ CLUB SOUND
I know a couple peeps in this video. And Cursive killed it live at Spaceland a couple weeks ago. They are on fire right now with the addition of 2 new members, if they are coming anywhere near you, I highly recommend you see them.
Starting today (March 1st, which just so happens to be Nebraska’s Birthday!) Cursive is selling their new album online for Just $1. Mama, I’m Swollen doesn’t come out until March 10th but you can download it (legally) through Saddle-Creek.com for the next 9 days but it goes up in price $1 everyday.
I think that cheap pre-releases like this are a VERY SMART idea. The industry is fucked and scrambling to make money off of the MUSIC again and affordability may be the only way to save it. Saddle Creek totally has it right. They’ve been distributing their Vinyl with a free download for years. Once the industry figures out that concert ticket prices and more annoyingly the fucked up “convienience” and handling charges are too high, then we just might have the chance to save music so people can make a decent living at it again.
Next time you are thinking of going to karaoke, go see a band instead.
Absolutepunk.net is streaming the new Cursive track “From The Hips” from their forthcoming record Mama, I’m Swollen. (click the link or image to the left and look for the music player in the center column). We should be getting an advanced copy for review soon.
Cursive resume touring in March to support the new record, which comes out March 10th. Frontman Tim Kasher has hinted that he will release some solo work later in the year.
CURSIVE TOUR DATES:
Mar 09 – Williamsburg Music Hall – Brooklyn, NY
Mar 10 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY
Mar 12 – Spaceland – Los Angeles, CA (I’ve heard it’s already SOLD OUT!)
Mar 13 – White Rabbit – San Antonio, TX
Mar 14 – The Casbah – San Diego, CA
Mar 15 – Rhythm Room – Phoenix, AZ
Mar 16 – Slowdown – Omaha, NE
Mar 18 – White Rabbit – San Antonio, TX
Omaha’s Indie/Dance/Electro band The Faint has been turning audiences into sweat-drenched hipsters for over a decade and have 4 amazing albums to their credit. I had the chance recently to talk to frontman Todd Fink about the new record Fasciinatiion, the amazing dance party they call their live show and what’s going on in Omaha’s ever-expanding music scene. In our interview he talked about their choice to start their own label (blank.wav), the ideas behind their first album in 5 years (he says really its been about 4), and the artist’s newfound opportunity for creative control in an ailing music business.
I, being from Nebraska, am a huge fan of The Faint. Luckily they are touring through L.A. doing 2 nights at the Fonda. I just might have to see them both. And after 4 years of waiting …a new record!
Press Release:
A culmination of nearly four years of writing and recording, Omaha quintet, The Faint are preparing to release their fifth album, Fasciinatiion, on August 5 onthe band’s own newly-formed label, blank.wav. Working on their own without any time constraints, the songs went through many recorded incarnations before finding their final forms. The result is the best album in the band’s career, a record that is the purest culmination of The Faint’s brilliant musical instincts, ideas and aesthetic, with each member contributing equally to its creation.
The Faint Tour Dates July
27 Des Moines, IA – People’s Court
28 Sioux Falls, SD – Ramkota Annex
29 Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
30 Salt Lake City, UT – In The Venue
31 Boise, ID – Knitting Factory August
1 Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
2 Seattle, WA – The Showbox
3 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
4 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
5 San Francisco, CA – The Grand Ballroom
7 Los Angeles, CA – Henry Fonda Theatre
8 Los Angeles, CA – Henry Fonda Theatre
9 San Diego, CA – SOMA
11 Austin, TX – La Zona Rosa
12 Dallas, TX – Palladium Ballroom
14 Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
15 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
16 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
17 Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero
18 New York City, NY – Terminal 5
20 Worcester, MA – The Palladium
21 Toronto, ONT – Opera House
22 Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
23 Omaha, NE – Sokol Auditorium
Oh Sokol Hall. How I miss thee. I wish I could go back to the Danse Macabre CD release show and tell myself how important seeing Cursive, Bright Eyes and The Faint on one bill would be. I need memory TiVo.
It’s been a while since I freed the beast and I’ve been asked whats up a few times lately so here is a drop on some new shizzle thats been buzzing in my ear&brain lately.
Word from SXSW this year is that ex-Test Icicle contributor’s Devonte Hynes project Lightspeed Champion is set to explode. This kid is talented and right in line with all of that sloppy britindie (i’m sure this word has been used before but i havent heard it so i’m claiming it in the name of the queen.) coming out lately. He is also uber-linked to Omaha-Saddle Creek which instantly wins points in my book. (Unless you are only on the label because your brother is talented.)
By boy Brady introduced me to his friends in The Devil’s Orchestra sometime in the middle of last year. I caught a couple shows and some rehearsals and recently I saw them at Cinespace here in the ‘hood and the audience response was kinda nuts. Beyond blaming Cocaine which is a distinct possibility I think these kids are something for the metal motherfuckers to check out. It’s a little bit Rush, a little bit of the Sword/Dragonforce thing and some of that Dog Fashion Disco random circus/jazz breakdown thing. All 3 band members are pretty killer players. Warning: Instrumental.
I tried to buy She & Him tickets this week but April 29th @ the Vista in Los Feliz show was already sold out. Thankfully they booked a 2nd date. She & Him consists of 1 parts Zooey Deschanel on Vocals and some piano and 1 part My Morning Jacket slinger M.Ward on guitars and arrangements. Zooey’s voice is adorable and holds up pretty well but at times pushes a little too heavily on the Billie Holliday sound. I won’t hold it against her because the songs are pretty good in comparison to Rilo Kiley’s most recent effort. The album is a bit schizophrenic much as Coconaut Records was but M.Ward totally gives this record the cred and sophistication it needed. I caught M.Ward last year opening for Bright Eyes at the Hollywood Bowl and was floored. His show the blew old farts Yo La Tengo back to the grunge revivalist carpool they belong in. Besides, Is there anything hotter than a blue-eyed brunette?
Ok maybe one thing hotter, Kate Micucci. She is a one woman Renaissance festival. Very creative, maybe…too creative. As in, so creative it would make the world jealous to listen to all that she can do (Art, Music, Acting, Being Nice). I saw and met her in a Barbeque Joint in Chinatown during a no-audience stand up show. Besides the performers there were 2 people there, who eventually left when they finished their meal. So i guess for a little while the employees and I were the whole audience. But SHE WAS AMAZING! She played ukulele and with her diminutive yet powerful voice she sang these adorable, and funny, yet deep and endearing songs. Wait, I mentioned she played Ukulele right? Write this name down.
Priscilla Ahn: clean, pure like irish spring. I caught her show last year at a benefit for a private school for overly believed in children and she was great. She layered her sound with the aid of a Boss loop station (a la KT Tunstall) and was so lovely. She has since been signed, made an album, and will be destroying America’s hearts with the Hotel Cafe tour. I will drop another Hotel Cafe name and tell you about Jim Bianco. This guy is like Tom Waits for the DMB/Jack Johnson set. but dont mishear me, he is really like neither of them, he is the kind of music that you need to hand a copy of to fans of mom-rock to steer them over to more dangerous sounds. I saw him at the Hotel Cafe with Butch Walker, Cary Brothers and Pink guest and he blew everyone away, for real. His music will molest your ears. Butch is still beyond amazing and has a new project called 1969.
So now you have a ton of shit to download and get your spring started right. And I have to go to bed because I’ve been getting to work 15 minutes late everyday for the last 3 months and everyday try to not do so. *sigh* Futility.
Saddle Creek recording artist Orenda Fink (of Azure Ray, wife of Todd Fink of The Faint) has made her 2005 debut album Invisible Ones available for free download on her website now through the end of January in an effort to encourage relief effort donations for the current crisis in Haiti. In a very personal letter posted to her site that recounts her time in Haiti spent making music, art, and – most importantly – friends, Orenda asks that people make a donation to a relief effort organization in return for downloading the album. Invisible Ones, her solo debut, was inspired by and mainly written during her travels there in 2003.
Omaha’s Indie/Dance/Electro band 
Priscilla Ahn
