Low:: Breaker (Music Video)

Breaker by Low, off their new album, Drums and Guns. In stores March 20th on Sub Pop Records.

Kingblind Downloads (Weekend Edition)

Here are some tracks to get your weekend off to the right start.. Kick out the jams!

Calexico “Ocean of Noise” (Arcade Fire Cover)

Dinosaur Jr.- Almost Ready

Shapes and Sizes:: Head Movin'

The Black Lips: "Buried Alive"

Grizzly Bear - Marla (cover song)

Art Brut:: Direct Hit

Kings of Leon:: On Call

Wilco: Walken

The Hellacopters:: Everything's on TV

Jarvis Cocker:: Jarvis (Album Review)

In November 2002, Pulp took their final curtain with a compilation album called Hits. It featured opaque sleevenotes from novelist Harland Miller and one last new song, Last Day of the Miners' Strike, that sketched out the trajectory of the early stages of Pulp's 21-year career against pithy recollections of life in the 80s. Hits would have counted as a well thought-out, enormously dignified coda to the career of one of the 90s' best-loved bands if it hadn't struggled to No 71 for one week, then immediately dropped out of the charts. It was, Jarvis Cocker recently noted, a "real silent fart" that precipitated his retirement to France: "For all this worrying and soul-searching, nobody was that arsed, evidently."

So you can't really blame Cocker for taking a more esoteric route to his comeback, in keeping with the rarefied, defiantly non-mainstream projects he has involved himself in since his retirement: fronting electro duo Relaxed Muscle while dressed, for reasons best known to himself, as a skeleton; winning Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes with a Rolf Harris impersonation made all the more piquant by the seriousness with which he evidently took the business of singing Two Little Boys in a false beard; The Trip, a startling compilation with a remit that stretched from the Birthday Party's Release the Bats to Radio 4 incidental music Sailing By; and, less loveably, recommending baleful US trio ARE Weapons to his manager, Rough Trade label boss Geoff Travis (Cocker was later spotted leaving an almost wilfully pathetic London ARE Weapons gig early, wearing what looked like an extremely sheepish expression).

The comeback began in the summer with the download-only single Running The World, one of the few major releases this year for which the adjective "unprecedented" seems inadequate. It arrived with a video featuring the lyrics scrolling across the screen in follow-the-bouncing-ball style: "Bluntly put in the fewest of words," ran the chorus, delivered in a baritone croon, "cunts are still running the world." That was followed by a series of podcasts featuring Cocker reading Icelandic folk tales and JD Salinger short stories.

All of which suggested his debut solo album would be a far less accessible affair than it turns out to be. In Pulp, Cocker's abilities as a lyricist tended to mean that his melodic sense was overlooked - Common People remains the solitary hit of the Britpop era remembered for its lyrics rather than its tune. It's a balance the opening tracks of Jarvis seek to redress. Don't Let Him Waste Your Time and Black Magic are fantastic pop songs, both based around huge glam-rock riffs that sound naggingly familiar but prove impossible to place. Meanwhile, Baby's Coming Back To Me, a luscious ballad first heard rather disappointingly rendered by Nancy Sinatra on her eponymous 2004 album, here receives a fitting treatment, decorated with hypnotic xylophone sounds that recall Gassenhauer, the short piece by Carmina Burana composer Carl Orff with which Cocker chose to open The Trip.

It's possibly just as well that Cocker's way with a gorgeous tune is foregrounded: without it, Jarvis might prove an impossibly bleak listen. Running the World is relegated to secret-track status - its sudden appearance 20 minutes after the album has ended only adds to its startling, foul-mouthed impact - but its bitter, blackly comic worldview permeates the rest of the album. Even the love songs sound hopeless: by the end of Baby's Coming Back, it's established pretty thoroughly that Baby's never going anywhere near him again. Fat Children shifts its ire from the ruling elite to the underclass, with its protagonist murdered by the titular overweight hoodies. With typical deftness, the lyrics balance wit ("they wobbled menacingly under the yellow street light") with outrage: the police are "elsewhere, putting bullets in some guy's head for no particular reason", the attackers are the spawn of parents "giving birth to maggots without the sense to become flies". I Will Kill Again starts out listing a vision of domestic bliss to gentle flute and piano accompaniment - wife and kids, rabbits in the garden, the occasional glass of wine - only to become steadily darker as the song progresses: boredom, internet porn, false friendship, the murderous tendencies suggested in the title. It's all the more unsettling because it isn't entirely clear whether the lyric is meant as fiction or as an allegory for Cocker's return to the music business that famously led him to a breakdown at the height of Pulp's success.

It's the only moment on Jarvis where you ponder the wisdom of Cocker's decision to unretire himself: the rest of the time you just feel grateful that such a unique voice has returned at full power. The question of whether it will be any better received commercially than Pulp's final releases hangs over the album, but artistically at least, Jarvis is an idiosyncratic triumph.
(Alexis Petridis-UK)

Grant-Lee Phillips:: "Strangelet" (Kingblind Album Giveaway)

Kingblind is happy to be giving away two copies of the new Grant-Lee Phillips CD to TWO lucky winners. To enter just send an email to kingblind(at)gmail.com with GRANT-LEE in the Subject Line and your name and address in the body of the message. Remember if you don't have GRANT-LEE in the subject line and your name and address in the body of the message you can't win. We will randomly pick a winner today.

Listen to Grant-Lee Phillips- "Soft Asylum" MP3

About Grant-Lee Phillips & Strangelet

Although many contemporary musicians lay claim to the troubadour tradition, Grant-Lee Phillips truly embodies the legacy of courtly poet-musicians,

crafting songs that combine lyrical storytelling and a dreamy, down-to-earth delivery. The New York Times has characterized Phillips as an artist who sings “with the conviction that rock can still be heroic.” His latest and 5th solo album in seven years, entitled Strangelet, is slated for a March 27 release on Zoë / Rounder Records. It was written, engineered, produced and performed almost entirely by Phillips himself with a little help from his friends including R.E.M. guitarist, Peter Buck.

Following on the heels of Phillips' 2004 critically acclaimed Virginia Creeper, Strangelet's twelve tracks smoothly blend tales of heartache, conflict, and loss with stories of love, hope, and redemption. It's a work that is essentially grounded in the concept of confronting reality, relinquishing fear of the unknown, and refusing to be destroyed by things you can't see, things you can't control, and things that may not even exist. It was recorded in Phillips' home studio in Los Angeles as well as in Seattle at Juniper Studios, home of drummer Bill Rieflin (Blackouts, REM, Ministry, etc.). Part of the intimate feel of Strangelet stems from a personal, hands-on approach. In addition to writing, producing, and engineering the material, Phillips himself played most of the instruments including piano, bass, guitars, organ, baritone and even ukulele--whatever struck his fancy and felt right in the composition. Buck sat in on a couple of tracks (“Soft Asylum” and “Fountain of Youth”) while fellow musician Eric Gorfain contributed a number of string arrangements to the album with his string section, The Section, notably on the forlorn “Same Blue Devils,” a track that Phillips describes as one of the more “intimate corridors” on the album.

STRANGELET DUE MARCH 27 on ZOË / ROUNDER RECORDS

Neil Young:: Live at Massey Hall (Album Review)

It never rains but it pours eh? A good decade and a half after taunting us with tales of boundless archive treats and multiple disc box sets Neil Young seems to have finally decided that we’ve been patient enough. Mere months after releasing the awesomely good Live At The Fillmore East (with Crazy Horse) he now brings us this historic gig from 1971 in its entirety. Boy, was it worth the wait…

Following the commercial highpoints of his stint with Crosby Stills and Nash and the platinum-selling After The Goldrush – this gig represents a triumphant homecoming of sorts. The excitement of the audience witnessing the local boy’s return is palpable, even when Young announces that he’s going to be doing a set mainly composed of new numbers! But what numbers they are.

His next album was to be his greatest commercial achievement (and ironically was to eventually force him onto a more challenging musical path) – Harvest. Stripped of either the country garage stylings of Crazy Horse or his more salubrious West Coast chums, these direct readings brim with the energy of a man hitting his songwriting zenith. Not only do we get early versions of classics such as ‘’Heart Of Gold’’ or ‘’Old Man’’ we hear songs that were either shelved for several years (‘’See The Sky About To Rain’’, ‘’Journey Through The Past’’ and ‘’Love In Mind’’) or simply never saw the light of day (‘’Bad Fog Of Loneliness’’).

Peppered with earlier material, even from his days with Buffalo Springfield, it fast becomes clear that this is no ordinary ‘unplugged’ experience. His approach to acoustic troubador chic had, by this point, been tempered by his membership of the West Coast royalty. Every chord and inflection contain the sun-drenched mellowness and harmonic sophistication associated with the period, but remain entirely Young’s due to his own gloomier perspective (‘I live on a ranch now…lucky me.’).

For all that, Young is obviously in fine spirits, joking with the crowd while still bringing a fiecre concentration to each number. The ringing applause prior to the encore of “I Am A Child” says it all, really. His producer, David Briggs, urged Young to release the gig instead of Harvest, and listening to it 35 years later, you can see why. This is the real Neil…
(Chris Jones-UK)

Trans Am:: Conspiracy of the Gods (Music Video)

What are Earth Intruders?
Find out here

Kingblind Downloads

The Go Find:: Dictionary

Kristoffer Ragnstam:: Breakfast by the mattress

Bjork Gudmundsdottir (Yeah... THAT Bjork) Debut album when she was 11

Bikini Kill:: Peel Sessions

Mew:: Live at SXSW

The New Pornographers:: Live 2006

The Fall:: Reformation Post TLC (Album Review)

Mark E Smith sets out his stall early doors on "Reformation Post TLC". It's clear from the off that this is a two-pronged attack. Target number one: the ageing punk/post-punk/indie types displaying their beer guts, if not their initial spirit, on
money-grabbing reunion tours. Target number two: the Manchester-based musicians who either quit or were fired during The Fall's last American tour.

Most saliently, "Reformation Post TLC" demonstrates a consistency no other band has managed in the past decade. Since 1999's underrated, "The Marshall Suite", The Fall have released three excellent albums ("The Unutterable", "Country On The Click", "Fall Heads Roll"), not including this latest effort. It's hard to think of any younger bands who've managed the same feat, even with the security of proper record deals and warming blankets of hype.

Today, The Fall are as musically diverse as they have been for some time, with the departure of the Manchester boys seeming to have freed up the songwriting. It still sounds like The Fall, of course, but the staple rockabilly guitars and complaining electronics are joined by what sounds like the product of jam sessions. Those Fall fans shocked when a bearded hippie appeared behind the bass will doubtless scratch their bald pates in alarm, but comfort is at hand.

The album opens with three of the hardest tracks The Fall have recorded since "The Unutterable", with "Fall Sound"'s serpentine repeated riff and Smith's rolled r's and yelps making it the unholiest of the trinity. The ten minutes of random claps and buzzes that form "Das Boat" might try patience, but it's become a tradition of Fall records to feature one meandering bit of nonsense. Plus, you get the feeling that some piss-taking is intended. In any case, the flickering nuances of "Systematic Abuse" prop up the tail of the album.

Importantly, "Reformation Post TLC" sees Mark E Smith putting more emotion into an album than usual. The record opens with his malevolent cackle, while "Insult Song" finds him chortling as he mocks his American band and even his stern-looking Greek wife Elena. The cover of Merle Haggard's "White Line Fever", meanwhile, is almost shockingly tender, as the man who once exhorted 'Mr Pharmacist' to pay him a visit realises what a toll prescribed chemicals can exact.

Even while half the youthful bands in Britain ham-fistedly try to capture the state of the nation (see Bloc Party, Jamie T), Smith manages to nail it with the likes of "The Wright Stuff", a critique of celebrity culture and junk TV. "Reformation Post TLC" is a record put together with care by a man who still does. Tender and loving it might not be, but one of the albums of the year? Definitely.
(Luke Turner)

The Hold Steady announce US tour

The Hold Steady have announced the details of an extensive US tour.

The band will kick things off in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on May 12, and plan to hit several cities including Detroit, Denver, Portland and Los Angeles, as well as the Sasquatch! Festival in Washington on May 26.

The band, who are supporting their recent album, 'Boys And Girls In America', will conclude their spring jaunt at Tennessee's Bonnaroo Festival on June 16.

The tour dates are:

Harrisburg, PA Abbey Bar (May 12)
Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom (13)
Newport, KY Southgate House (14)
Detroit, MI Magic Stick (15)
Grand Rapids, MI Intersection (16)
Milwaukee, WI Miramar (17)
Madison, WI Orpheum Stage Door (18)
Omaha, NE Sokol Underground (20)
Denver, CO Ogden Theatre (22)
Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge (23)
Boise, ID Neurolux (24)
George, WA The Gorge - Sasquatch! Festival (26)
Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom (28)
San Francisco, CA Slim's (30)
Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre (31)
Phoenix, AZ Brick House (June 2)
Houston, TX Walter's on Washington (7)
Austin, TX Emo's (8)
Norman, OK Opolis Production (10)
Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Festival (16)
(nme)

Kingblind Downloads

Ruby Isle:: Teenage Riot (Sonic Youth cover)

Dntel:: Dumb Luck

Peter Bjorn and John: 2007-03-15, Austin (SXSW) [flac]

Gruff Rhys: "Candylion" (Super Furry Animals)

The Fucking Champs: "Spring Break"

Band of Horses - Tour EP pw= dickdarlington

Arcade Fire, Air Set For Bowie-Curated Festival

The Arcade Fire, Air, Deerhoof, Secret Machines and the Polyphonic Spree are among the first acts confirmed for the inaugural High Line Festival, which, as previously reported, will be curated by David Bowie. The event will run May 9-19 at venues near the High Line, a public park being created atop a long-abandoned elevated railway line on the west side of Manhattan.

Although it was announced last year that Bowie would play an outdoor concert as part of the festival, such an event is not on the initial High Line schedule.

"The request was for me to choose artists and acts that I myself would go out of my way to see," Bowie says on his Web site. "Although this inaugural year will be modest in scale we've been pretty lucky in that many whom I asked have accepted.

"I'm also pleased that many emerging artists are participating alongside more established talents that represent a fairly wide cross section of disciplines within the arts community," he continues. "I would really hope that the exposure this festival affords will help these folk get the attention they deserve."

The H&M-sponsored festival will also boast a May 19 show by comedian Ricky Gervais, performances by Laurie Anderson and John Cameron Mitchell, a public art exhibition and screenings of Bowie's 10 favorite Spanish-language films.

According to Bowie's site, the artist "hopes to be adding a few more artists plus some support acts that aren't in place yet."
(billboard online)

Bagpipes, Trumpets Enliven New White Stripes CD

Bagpipes and trumpet work from a previously unknown Latin musician are among the new sounds to be heard on the White Stripes' "Icky Thump," due in mid-June via Third Man/Warner Bros. The 13-track set was produced by frontman Jack White and follows 2005's "Get Behind Me Satan," which debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200.

"Icky Thump" runs the gamut from arena rock to blues to a spoken-word prayer to Saint Andrew. "Conquest" is set to a hot tango rhythm, featuring a trumpeter that White discovered playing a Mexican restaurant in Nashville. The song describes a reversal of roles in a relationship, where "the hunted became the huntress / the hunter became the prey / she with all her female guile / led him helpless down the aisle."

Bagpipes and a rollicking Scottish dance structure are applied to "Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn," capped by the refrain of "lai-de-lai-de-li-oh." Drummer Meg White's voice can be heard a number of songs, including her banter with Jack on the playful "Rag and Bone" and on the aforementioned spoken-word track "St. Andrew (This Battle Is in the Air)."

There is no piano on "Icky Thump" despite the instrument's significant presence on "Get Behind Me Satan," though several tracks are punctuated with synths and Wurlitzer. Cuts like "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues" and "Catch Hell Blues," as suggested by their titles, are a return to the garage-blues that underscored the band's earlier records.

As previously reported, the album was recorded at Nashville's Blackbird Studio over the span of three weeks. According to the group's Web site, an upcoming tour "will include all 10 provinces and 3 territories of Canada, as well as the remaining 16 states of the United States the band have yet to play. A few major markets that have been journeyed to in the past will also be included."

Here is the "Icky Thump" track list:

"Icky Thump"
"You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)"
"300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues"
"Conquest"
"Bone Broke"
"Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn"
"St. Andrew (This Battle Is in the Air)"
"Little Cream Soda"
"Rag and Bone"
"I'm Slowly Turning Into You"
"A Martyr For My Love For You"
"Catch Hell Blues"
"Effect and Cause"
(via billboard)

Band of Horses return to studio

Sub Pop sweethearts Band of Horses have headed back into the studio: Here is word from the band.

Hey Everyone. We're in Ashville, NC at Echo Mountain Studio recording the follow-up to Everything All The Time. We've got plenty of songs to record with our buddy Phil Ek behind the knobs. We're all pretty excited of course. Let's all hope it's not dissapointing, ok? Love you, xoxoboh

Kingblind Downloads

PJ Harvey - Live @ the Forum London 1993

Kyuss - Live @ Slim's - San Francisco 1994

The La's - Live @ Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, UK 1989

The Police - Live in Barcelona 01-10-1983

The Shins - Live @ Gigantic Studios 03-11-06

R.E.M. - Live @ Kolner Dom, Roncalliplatz, Cologne, Germany 12-05-01

Spoon announces 6th album out July 10th on Merge Records

Spoon has confirmed the release date and track listing of its as yet untitled sixth full-length studio album. The record will be released July 10 on Merge and will consist of the following tracks:

1. Don't Make Me A Target
2. The Ghost Of You Lingers
3. You Got Yr Cherry Bomb
4. Don't You Evah
5. Rhthm And Soul
6. Eddie's Ragga
7. The Underdog
8. My Little Japanese Cigarette Case
9. Finer Feelings
10. Black Like Me

The new record will be preceded by a series of east coast shows in April and appearances at the Sasquatch and Bonnaroo festivals. A full U.S. tour will follow in the fall.

Amy Winehouse:: Back to Black (Album Review)

Watching Amy Winehouse live is a confusing experience. There's this skinny, slightly gawky teenager (well, she still looks like a teenager) on stage and yet, via an amazing feat of lip-synching, the voice of a 40-year-old black woman from Brooklyn is coming over the PA.

It is nothing short of mesmerizing, as you might expect of an artist whose quirky, eccentric and fearless lyrics explore avenues alien to most songwriters. Witness 2003's debut album Frank, which, thanks to risque tracks like 'Fuck Me Pumps', 'Stronger Than Me' and 'In My Bed', was shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize and earned Winehouse nominations for two Brit awards.

What was particularly intriguing about the 22-year-old was how she managed to sound like a Fifties jazz club singer while singing outre lyrics about life in contemporary London. This compelling duality is continued with a deft change of backdrop on Back to Black, wherein she assumes the role of an Aretha Franklin-style soul singer complete with doo-wop backing groups while again singing of her contemporary urban experiences. It should keep popular culture students busy for the next 20 years in the way that Mick Jagger in the mid-Sixties prompted countless theses on the subliminal black person within. None the less it works - even though this area of pop culture has been mined remorselessly for the past 50 years - by dint of its clever melody lines and smart lyrics.

As if to emphasise just how wise she is, Winehouse has kept each track to around the length of a 45 (remember those?), enabling her to make her point and move on without running the risk of outstaying her welcome. So whether it's the rousing, churchy 'Rehab', in which Winehouse describes how her father tries to wean her off alcohol ('Try to make me go to rehab/ I say no, no, no'), or the serious soul of 'Love is a Losing Game', Back to Black isn't shy of betraying its debt to pop.

What the American market will make of it, though, is anybody's guess. Indeed during 'Me and Mr Jones (Fuckery)' I had this crazy fantasy in which I pictured the effect of this song being pushed on the American FM pop stations. Given the uproar in middle America a couple of years ago when Justin Timberlake exposed Janet Jackson's left nipple at the SuperBowl, trying to imagine what our Stateside friends would make of Amy Winehouse and the word 'fuckery' was worth the price of the record alone. The medium may be American but the message is very British, which is why if Amy Winehouse continues in this fashion she could end up being a national treasure in the UK.. and maybe even the world.
(Stuart Nicholson)

Kingblind news that you can use

Music sales on the downward spiral

Sirius, XM to offer tiered pricing after deal

Smart kids turn to metal

Elvis Costello albums to be reissued again

Tapes 'N Tapes pacts with 2K Sports

Study: Playing music makes you smarter

The Hold Steady:: Stuck between stations (Music Video)


The end of this video is the real payoff here.. enjoy.

Kingblind Downloads

The Stooges - 2007.03.16 KLRU Studios (SXSW) - Austin, TX

Kate Havnevik: Unlike Me

B R M C

Okkervil River - 2007.03.16 KLRU Studios (SXSW) - Austin, TX

Monotract: "There Are Days That I Can't Forget"

Kid Sister:: Girlie Rock

Flaming Lips announces new grand plans

Lead Lip Wayne Coyne tells Entertainment Weekly (E-Dub in my house, yo) that plans are underway to adapt their 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots into a Broadway musical.

(Paragraph break to allow time for a hearty laugh.)

Yeah, I’ll be looking for that right around the time Christmas on Mars finally hits theaters.

But wait, it gets better. Guess who’s writing the book for the musical? None other than West Wing/Studio 60 scribe Aaron Sorkin. Damn, they must have found a really good batch of ’shrooms when they hatched this plan. Des McAnuff, an actually established Broadway producer and director, is also involved with the project. Coyne readily admits that the musical is years away from coming to fruition, saying, “I tell people all the time [the album is] not really a story. There’s a Japanese girl; she fights some robots; that’s five minutes. After that I don’t know.” At least he’s learned to cop to the fact that there’s often not substance behind his big plans. The only thing that could possibly make this venture a bit interesting to me is if they actually convince Yoshimi to play herself, and bring the Boredoms in to do the music.

Remember when the most embarrassing thing the Lips had done was playing the Peach Pit on Bev 9ers? Ahhh, the good ol’ days.
(via prefix)

The Police Cruising To Wrigley, Churchill Downs

The Police have added two more high-profile stadium gigs to their itinerary this summer: July 5 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, and July 14 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The band previously announced stadium shows at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta (June 2), Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles (June 23), McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. (June 13), Dolphin Stadium in Miami (June 23), Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia (July 19), Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pa. (July 20), Fenway Park in Boston (July 28-29), Rentschler Field in Hartford, Conn. (July 31) and Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (Aug. 5).

Additionally, the band will play Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on June 21, joining Southern California dates at Staples Center (June 20) and Dodger Stadium. Tickets for the Wrigley, Churchill Downs and Honda Center shows go on sale March 26. The tour begins May 28 at GM Place in Vancouver.

Fiction Plane will support throughout, but a handful of shows will feature additional sets from Sloan, the Fratellis, Maroon 5 and the Foo Fighters.

Approximately 800,000 tickets have been sold so far, with the Wrigley, Louisville and Anaheim dates to virtually complete the first North American leg. The 37 shows of the first leg (not counting June 16 at Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn.) should reach a combined gross of about $100 million.

"We are all ecstatic with the sales, and look forward to the tour kick off May 28," says tour producer Arthur Fogel, president of TNA International and chairman of global music for Live Nation.

The Police begin the European leg of the tour on Aug. 29 in Stockholm, playing a mix of stadiums and arenas until Oct. 19 at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. They are then scheduled to return to North America.
(via billboard)

Modest Mouse:: We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank (Album Review)

Their last album may have given them a certifiable radio hit, airtime on VH1, and a Kidz Bop tribute, but listening to the follow-up to 2004's Good News for People Who Love Bad News, you might get the sense that the members of Modest Mouse are flinching at the spotlight. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, the group's fifth full-length release, is denser than its predecessor with tunes that seem willfully harder to penetrate. Even the addition of former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr to the line-up seems incidental, as Modest Mouse's off-kilter sound stays largely intact. But keep listening and it becomes obvious that the band hasn't lost any of his pop bite, especially midway through with a sweep of terrific songs like "Missed the Boat," "Education" and "Little Motel." It's hard to tell if there's another "Float On" in the bunch. In fact, the first single, "Dashboard," is one of the weakest Isaac Brock has ever penned. With Shins James Mercer adding lovely vocals to "Florida," however, it hardly matters.
(Aidin Vaziri)

Kingblind Downloads

My Morning Jacket: 2007-03-10: ANYTIME

The Young Knives: "She's Attracted To"

The Ponys - "Double Vision"

The Electric Soft Parade - "If That's The Case, Then I Don't Know"

Blonde Redhead - "23"

Beirut - "Elephant Gun"

Dean & Britta - "Singer Sing"

Kingblind Downloads

All Smiles:: Moth In A Cloud Of Smoke

Elvis Perkins:: While you were sleeping

Tom Waits - Return Of Jackie and Judy (Ramones)

Dinosaur Jr - BBC Sessions

Arcade Fire:: White Sessions

The Good, The Bad & The Queen - NPR Session

Kingblind news that you can use

JOE STRUMMER'S SOUNDTRACK TO THE FUTURE IS READY

Save the Music celebrates 10 years

Van Halen in the (Dr. Phil) House

Variety reviews the 21st SXSW

Jury selection begins in Spector trial

Black Sabbath veterans on tour in new guise

The White Stripes annnounce summer tour

The White Stripes have unveiled a summer tour in support of their upcoming Warner Bros. debut, "Icky Thump," which is due sometime in June. Jack and Meg White will hit the road in North America beginning with a July 29 appearance at the San Diego Street Scene festival. Dates are on tap through Oct. 2 in Detroit.

Here are the White Stripes' tour dates:

July 29: San Diego (Street Scene)
Aug. 6: George, Wash. (the Gorge)
Aug. 7-8: Vancouver (Orpheum)
Aug. 10: Portland, Ore. (Keller Auditorium)
Aug. 12: Berkeley, Calif. (Greek Theatre)
Aug. 15-18: Los Angeles (Greek Theatre)
Aug. 19: Phoenix (Dodge Theatre)
Aug. 22: Morrison, Colo. (Red Rocks)
Aug. 23: Kansas City, Mo. (Starlight Theatre)
Aug. 24: St. Louis (Fox Theatre)
Aug. 26-27: Minneapolis (Orpheum Theatre)
Aug. 29-31: Chicago (Auditorium Theatre)
Sept. 8: Milwaukee (Eagles Ballroom)
Sept. 9: Indianapolis (Murat Theatre)
Sept. 10: Columbus, Ohio (Ohio Theatre)
Sept. 12: Cincinnati (Music Hall)
Sept. 13: Louisville (Palace Theatre)
Sept. 14: Cleveland (Playhouse Square)
Sept. 16: Toronto (Molson Amphitheatre)
Sept. 19: Providence, R.I. (Performing Arts Center)
Sept. 20-21: Boston (Opera House)
Sept. 24: New York (Keyspan Park)
Sept. 27: Columbia, Md. (Merriweather Post Pavilion)
Sept. 28: Atlantic City, N.J. (House of Blues)
Oct. 2: Detroit (Masonic Temple)

Kingblind Downloads

The Polyphonic Spree:: Sonic Bloom (Tripping Daisy Cover)

Black Lips:: Not a problem

The Postal Service: Live On Morning Becomes Eclectic KCRW

Band of Horses: 2007-03-15, Knoxville [flac]

Mastodon: 2007-03-14, Portsmouth [flac]

Grinderman, "No Pussy Blues"

Sonic Youth Celebrating 'Daydream Nation' On Stage

Sonic Youth will perform its landmark 1988 album, "Daydream Nation," in its entirety at several worldwide shows this summer. The first will be July 13 in Chicago as part of the Pitchfork Music Festival, in collaboration with ATP's Don't Look Back Series.

The band will also play Berkeley, Calif., Los Angeles and three shows in London; more dates will be added, according to a spokesperson. Previously announced was a June 2 "Daydream Nation" set at Spain's Primavera festival.

In addition, a long-awaited 20th anniversary edition of "Daydream Nation" is due in June. The set will feature a host of rarities associated with the period in which "Daydream" was recorded.

Sonic Youth begins a world tour April 17 in Osaka, Japan.
(via billboard)

Kingblind news that you can use

QOTSA Rocks Hard, Fast On 'Era Vulgaris'

Byrne Asks Labels For Help During SXSW Speech

DJ Shadow heads out on US live tour

Interpol reveal live comeback details

Ben Gibbard misses The Rock*A*Teens

Arctic Monkeys release info on sophomore LP

The Arctic Monkeys have finally announced some details regarding their highly-anticipated sophomore album entitled "Favorite Worst Nightmare". The album will drop on April 23rd, and will have twelve tracks, the titles of which are listed below.

01. Brianstorm (Albums first single due out 4/16/07)
02. Teddy Picker
03. D Is For Dangerous
04. Balaclava
05. Fluorescent Adolescent
06. Only Ones Who Know
07. Do Me A Favour
08. This House Is A Circus
09. If You Were There, Beware
10. The Bad Thing
11. Old Yellow Bricks
12. 505

Kingblind Downloads

Arctic Monkeys:: Brainstorm

The Shins - Paramount Theatre, Seattle 2007

LCD Soundsystem:: Time To Get Away (ATOM Remix)

LCD Soundsystem:: Sound Of Silver (McSleazy Remix)

Oasis - Brit Awards 2007

MOJO:: Stooges

Artic Monkeys:: Brainstorm (Music Video)

RJD2:: Third Hand (Album Review)

From its opening instrumental lullaby, The Third Hand crafts a double-edged case for Rjd2's departure as the Definitive Jux label's reigning hip-hop producer-of-record. On the one hand, there's nary a straightforward hip-hop cut to be found; Rjd2 plays every syrupy lick of these 15 tracks himself, mostly eschewing his much-used sampler in favor of live instruments and the voice he began testing with 2004's Since We Last Spoke. On the other hand, hip-shakers like "Reality," "Get It," and "Sweet Piece" offer evidentiary beat-workouts that suggest Rjd2's Jux-taposing his past with a newly insular approach to pop composition that bears almost no resemblance to the rhythmic spine that anchored 2002's Dead Ringer and recent outings, with emcee Blueprint, as Soul Position. On The Third Hand, this strange, new alchemy melds a seasoned confidence on the boards with a boldly accruing taste for tempered textures and shifting chord progressions ("You Never Had It So Good," "Laws of the Gods," "Paper Bubble"). The result is a watershed. Long-time fans with elastic adoration will turn a thrilling corner, and for those less ready to follow Rjd2s explorations, there's "Rules for Normal Living," which proves that the man can still modulate a bass like nobody's business.
(Jason Kirk)

Kingblind Downloads

Kid Koala - Skanky Panky

The Blakes - Don't Bother Me

ENO:: Before and after science

Summer Hymns - Pity and Envy

BloodHag - Ann McCaffrey

Amon Tobin - Chronic Tronic

Detroit Cobras - I Wanna Holler (But The Town's Too Small)

Waco Brothers - How Fast The Time

Honky - Undertaker

Yolz in the Sky - I READY NEADY

Kingblind news that you can use

Shane MacGowan interviewed as Pogues tour US

Starbucks forms label with McCartney rumored to be first artist

Music's new gatekeeper

Guitars for girls a growing trend

Malcom McLaren predicts death of record labels

The Resurgence of Heavy Metal

Band to perform Beatles album that never was

iFilm has over 500 videos from bands playing at SXSW this year.

Menomena:: Wet and Rusting (Music Video)

Kingblind Downloads

The Mars Volta - Summer Demo Sessions

Kraftwerk- the paradoxical nature of modern urban life

Cocorosie:: Rainbowarriors

The Rosebuds:: Get up get out

Andy Partridge:: I Lovely Cosmonaut

Radical Face:: Glory

Do Make Say Think:: You, You're A History In Rust (Album Review)

Do Make Say Think have generally been described as an atmospheric instrumental post-rock band, but on this their fifth full-length, they've flipped the script a bit. For the first time, some songs are led by vocals, and the vibe is more campfire song than art gallery experimentation. Have no fear - these are good things. DMST are at their best when you feel like you're in the room watching them write, and this disc captures that intimacy beautifully. It's still epic – and a bit grandiose at times - but in a charmingly human and believable way.
(Benjamin Boles)

Complete Morrissey Tour dates for US Spring Tour

Morrissey will tour North America this spring in support of his 2006 album, "Ringleader of the Tormentors." The outing begins April 28 in Stockton, Calif., and has dates on the books through a June 30 show at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Support will come from Kristeen Young, whose debut album is being produced by Tony Visconti. The latter was also behind the boards for "Ringleader of the Tormentors" and recently told he had been asked to work on Morrissey's next album, a date for which has not been announced.

Here are Morrissey's tour dates:

April 27: Stockton, Calif. (Bob Hope Theatre)
April 28-29: Sparks, Nev. (John Ascuaga's Celebrity Showroom)
May 1: Oakland, Calif. (Paramount Theatre)
May 2: Santa Rosa, Calif. (Wells Fargo Center)
May 5: Spokane, Wash. (INB Performing Arts Center)
May 6: Seattle (Paramount Theatre) (Seattle tix on sale Sat, 3/24 at 9:00 am PDT)
May 8: Salt Lake City (E Center)
May 9: Denver (Fillmore)
May 11: Omaha, Neb. (Orpheum Theatre)
May 12: Milwaukee (Riverside Theatre)
May 14: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Theatre)
May 15: Chicago (Auditorium Theatre)
May 17: Cleveland (Playhouse Square)
May 18: Columbus, Ohio (Palace Theatre)
May 20: Indianapolis (Murat Center)
May 22: St. Louis (Pageant
May 23: Kansas City, Mo. (Uptown Theatre)
May 25: Dallas (Palladium)
May 26: Austin, Texas (Backyard)
May 28: Houston (Verizon Wireless Theatre)
May 30: El Paso, Texas (County Coliseum)
May 31: Tucson, Ariz. (Music Hall)
June 2: Phoenix (Maricopa County Events Center)
June 3: San Diego (Bayside Concerts)
June 5: Ventura, Calif. (Ventura Theatre)
June 6: Riverside, Calif. (Municipal Auditorium)
June 8: Los Angeles (Hollywood Bowl)
June 9: Las Vegas (Pearl)
June 30: New York (Madison Square Garden)
(via multiple confirmed sources)

Air:: Pocket Symphony (Album Review)

We’ve been on this soundtrip with Air for a while now: rolling at a lulling clip, a landscape full of movie score songs of the future. The French duo’s latest, Pocket Symphony, delivers more of the same but manages to keep it moving. Gone is the front-to-back retro-galactic pop of 1998’s Moon Safari; the cosmos cool of 2004’s Talkie Walkie has been dialed way down. With Pocket Symphony we hear more pianos, strings, Zen garden effects, and actual… space in the songs. But despair not, fans and laser light show lovers! Pocket Symphony still retains that Air signature sound. Opening track “Space Maker” will be the most familiar to those who left off with Safari’s “La Femme D’Argent;” “Left Bank” a sweeter and smaller version of previous offerings’ slower tracks. These songs are still Air, to be sure. They’re just more melodic and quiet than those that came before them.

In terms of pace, Pocket Symphony is, as a whole, one slow ride. It picks up speed only with “Mer Du Japon,” a truly great Air song that combines the old and the new, a lovely little thing gliding right along. It’s a welcome tempo change before things settle back down, making it all the better that it’s the only one.

And as with past efforts, instrumental tracks on Pocket Symphony rule. The lyrics, though delivered in that breathy-sexy must-be-French way, don’t move past lines from a sad-sack love note or ad slogan on the metro. If you haven’t fallen for it before, you won’t now. Still, the overall effort on Pocket Symphony is a fine one- a pretty new take on the familiar. The album doesn’t break any ground, but as long the ride stays scenic, who says it needs to?
(-Rebecca Pellman- Seattle, WA)

Kingblind news that you can use

Patti Smith on rock hall induction

Beatles download rumour quashed

Hall of Fame rocked by Van Halen, Patti Smith

Original R.E.M. Quartet Covers Lennon For Charity

Lou Reed To Revisit 'Berlin' In Europe

Arctic Monkeys, Be Your Own Pet to tour

Kings of Leon announce tour dates

Announcing the Sub Pop "Loser Scholarship"!

Kingblind Downloads

Kaiser Chiefs - Belfast (04.04.05)

Sex Pistols - San Francisco (14.01.78)

Arctic Monkeys - 22 Bootlegs...

Slowdive - Rare & B-sides

John Bonham - "In Through the Out Door" session Outtakes

TURBONEGRO!!!!

My First Time (Demo)-Spoon.

The Way We Get By (acoustic version)-Spoon

Kingblind's quick bites (Album Reviews)

Quick overviews of some of the latest and greatest new releases hitting the stores now. We will give you a YES or NO to whether you should buy it or not.

Les Brestfeeders:: Les Matins De Grands Soirs
It's the french Hives!! Well, The french canadian Hives.. Super fast catchy garage rock madness.. And yes, They are singing in French as well. This is SOOOO good. Makes ya wanna drive fast, pick up chicks and and start a fight! Viva Les Brestfeeders.
LISTEN TO LES BRESTFEEDERS
(Kingblind says YES)

Future Clouds and Radars:: S/T
A Double Album debut record.. Jesus that's a bit ambitious isn't it?! This LP is full of Psychedelic pop gems. ala GBV or any sort of Elephant Six Collective, stuff. Good Stuff.. Just a bit too long.. But no need to a double album on your first go..

(Kingblind says.. YES)

All Smiles:: Ten reading of a warning
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.. Wha.. Oh sorry I fell asleep.. God what a drag.. Sort of a much less interesting Daniel Johnson, John Lennon etc.
(Kindblind says NO)

Willy Mason:: If the ocean gets rough
Despite some good moments the albums ultimately disappointing. Which is too bad considering it leaves you thinking of what could have been.
(Kingblind says NO)

Mando Diao:: Long Before Rock and Roll EP..
Great stuff.. Garage-ish Kinks.. Except they are from Sweden.. Hard to believe that this is an album from 2007. And I mean that in a good way. I would buy this right now. If I just didn't get it for free from the label.. HA. I do however wish it was more than 5 songs.
(Kingblind say YES)

Midnight Movies:: Lion The Girl
Jesus H. Christ.. Isn't the whole 80's comeback thing over yet. Gena Olivier's pallid vocals sound frozen stiff rather than disaffectedly cool by song one.. and it never get's any better.
(Kingblind Says NO)

Sterling:: Cursed
Chicago's answer to Mogwai.. (Or if you prefer a Milemarker side project) At three songs and over 35 minutes of guitar ambiance Cursed is a truly rewarding experience to anyone ready to give it the time.
(Kingblind says YES)

Kingblind.com news that you can use

SXSW: Get ready to rock

Iggy chats about Stooges, among other things

Squeeze jumps on reunion tour bandwagon

Hendrix family sues over vodka marketing

Big Bopper's exhumed body shows no sign of foul play

Eddie Van Halen Enters Rehab Facility, Skipping Rock Hall

R.E.M. Hitting The Studio With Jacknife Lee

James Brown's body moved to tomb

Kingblind Downloads

Pulp - Glastonbury (24.06.95)

The Raconteurs - World Cafe 2006

Kaiser Chiefs - XFM Shepherds Bush Empire 2007

The Libertines - Legs XI Demos

The Fratellis : Live at the ABC, Glasgow

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Where The Wild Roses Grow (Live)

DJ Shadow - Organ Donor

The Horrors:: Count in Fives- Music Video:

French electronic goodness hits the road (Tour Dates for Daft Punk & AIR)

Air have added a North American leg to their previously reported European tour and one-off show with Phoenix at Versailles. The tour is in support of the duo's new album, Pocket Symphony.

AIR TOUR DATES
03-14 Glasgow, Scotland - ABC
03-15 Manchester, England - Academy
03-16 London, England - Forum
03-17 London, England - Forum
03-19 Berlin, Germany - Gleishalle
03-20 Hamburg, Germany - Docks
03-21 Cologne, Germany - E-Werk
03-22 Munich, Germany - George Elser Halle
03-24 Fribourg, Germany - Fri-Son
03-25 Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
03-27 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg Max
03-28 Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique
03-29 Paris, France - La Cigale
04-21 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards *
04-22 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom *
04-23 Tacoma, WA - Pantages Theatre *
04-25 San Francisco, CA - Nob Hill Masonic Center *
04-26 Las Vegas, NV - The Joint *
04-27 Phoenix, AZ - The Marquee *
04-29 Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field (Coachella)
05-02 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue *
05-04 Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre *
05-05 Toronto, Ontario - Kool Haus *
05-06 Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis *
05-08 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts *
05-09 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club *
05-10 New York, NY - Theatre at Madison Square Garden *
06-29 Versailles, France - Château de Versailles #
* with Kate Havnevik
# with Phoenix, Alex Gopher, Etienne de Crecy

Daft Punk have revealed details of a summertime North American tour, and while they won't be playing at your house, they might be playing your arena, theatre, center, hall, or park, which suits us just fine. New York dance-punks the Rapture will be the tours openers.

Daft Punk (w/ The Rapture):
06-10 Inverness, Scotland - Loch Ness (RockNess Festival)
06-14 Paris, France - Bercy
07-21 Los Angeles, CA - Sport Arena
07-27 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre
07-29 Seattle, WA - WAMU Center
07-31 Denver, CO - Red Rocks
08-05 Toronto, Ontario - Arrow Hall
08-07 Montreal, Quebec - Bell Center
08-09 New York, NY - Keyspan Park

Kingblind Recommmends Filthy Beasts- Rock & Art Show (Featuring:: The DT's & Jim Blanchard)

Georgetown Records
1201 S. Vale St.
Seattle, WA 98108
Saturday, March 10th, 2007
6-8 PM all ages, free admission.

The DT's "FILTHY HABITS" record release and performance AND Jim Blanchard's "BEASTS AND PRIESTS" Book signing and exhibition in one and the same place at nearly exactly similar times!

The DT's are a kick ass band from B'Ham Washington (Featuring: Dave Crider -- best known as co-founder of Washington State garage rock icons the Mono Men and head of the influential independent label Estrus Records) (The DT's Remind us of:: The Bellrays, The Paybacks, The Reigning Sound, The Immortal Lee County Killers, Blacktop, The Compulsive Gamblers, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Boss Hog) and Jim Blanchard is an amazing artist (Check out his link below for the lowdown).. Free Rock, Art & Beer.. What a Saturday!

MORE ABOUT JIM BLANCHARD
MORE ABOUT THE DT'S

Sub Pop founder starts new label, Hardly Art

Sub Pop founder Jonathan Poneman is set to start a new label, and I’ll give you one guess what it’s called. According to the press release that landed in our inbox, the label’s mission statement is that “Hardly Art will indeed be focused on offering quality records for people to enjoy.” What a concept!

In all seriousness, the freshly minted label is set to get down to business in the coming weeks and start promoting its first signing , Arthur & Yu. The Seattle-based duo’s album In Camera is set for release June 19. There’s no mp3 to pass your way as yet, but you can check out the band’s MySpace page to get an idea what they’re about.
(via prefix)

BRMC to tour North America in May/June

Black Rebel Motorcycle will return to these shores in May. Fitting, since on the first day of that month their new album, Baby 81, will be out on RCA.

5/5 Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
5/6 San Diego, CA – House of Blues
5/8 Los Angeles, CA – Wiltern
5/9 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
5/11 Portland, OR – Roseland Theatre
5/12 Vancouver, BC – Richard’s on Richards
5/13 Seattle, WA – The Showbox
5/15 Boise, ID – The Big Easy
5/16 Salt Lake City, UT – In the Venue
5/17 Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
5/18 Omaha, NE – Sokol Underground
5/19 Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
5/20 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
5/22 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
5/23 Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
5/24 Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
5/25 Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall
5/26 Toronto, ON – Koolhaus
5/28 Montreal, QC – LaTulipe
5/29 Boston, MA – Avalon
5/31 New York, NY – Webster Hall
6/1 Philadelphia, PA – Theater of the Living Arts
6/2 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
6/4 Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
6/5 Indianapolis, IN – The Music Mill
6/6 Nashville, TN – City Hall
6/7 Atlanta, GA – Roxy Theatre
6/9 Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room
6/10 Orlando, FL – The Social
6/11 Birmingham, AL – Zydeco
6/13 New Orleans, LA – The Republic
6/14 Houston, TX – Meridian
6/15 Austin, TX – La Zona Rosa
6/16 Dallas, TX – House of Blues

The Stooges:: The Weirdness (Album Review)

It's one thing for Iggy Pop to reunite with Ron and Scott Asheton to play some of the old Stooges tunes for nostalgia's sake, but it's quite another to go into a recording studio with the idea of recapturing the elusive essence of what the band was. Recently, the members of Radio Birdman tried to turn that trick and wound up sounding like a slightly better than average tribute act. That's about the best the Stooges can muster with the Steve Albini-recorded The Weirdness. As it turns out, Albini's inability to get a decent drum sound works to the Stooges advantage in recreating the signature all-mid-range concept of the group's early albums. The Weirdness does have many of the recognizable sonic and structural traits, but the essential threat of impending doom is missing. Part of what made the first couple of Stooges albums great was that they felt like they were made by a bunch of dope-addled suburban thugs who couldn't give a fuck about anything, not some toothless geezers hoping to top up their retirement fund or at least cover some greens fees. The Weirdness is in fact, The sadness.
(Tim Perlich- Toronto)

Thank You.. From Kingblind

Thanks to everyone who entered our 4 year anniversary contest(s).. Kingblind.com had record numbers all week long.. Also thank you for the hundreds of nice emails that we received as well. Year 5 is going to be our best yet.. There are many great things in store.. Stay tuned..

Kingblind Downloads

The Smiths Peel Sessions

The Who - Quadrophenia Demos

Belle And Sebastian in Concert

Mogwai in Concert

The Fall - Live at Hallam Uni Sheffield (1993)

Stereolab - Lots of Bootlegs

Kingblind.com 4 year anniversary mega giveaway (Day 4 of 4)

Welcome to Day 4!! The final day of our 4 year anniversary mega giveaway.. Today's items are a grab bag of the greatest new releases out there right now. So get all caught up on all the good stuff in our big ol' grand finale. This prize pack will be shipped to the winner on 3/21/07

How to win::
Just send and email to kingblind(at)gmail.com with DAY 4 in the subject line and your name and address in the body of the message and we will randomly pick a winner today. This contest will end Thursday at 11pm PST. So enter right now..

The grab bag::
Albert Hammond Jr. T-shirt and a Signed CD
Modest Mouse:: We were dead before the ship even sank
The Shins:: Wincing the night away
Dean & Britta:: Back Numbers CD
Kings of Leon: Because of the times
Bloc Party:: A Weekend in the city
LCD Soundsystem:: Sound of Silver

From Wind-Up Records- New CD's from
Stars of Track and Field
People in Planes
Pilot Speed

From Daemon Records
AMY RAY AND THE VOLUNTEERS: LIVE IN KNOXVILLE
Limited Edition - hand stamped and autographed

Kingblind Downloads

Amy Ray:: Put it out for good

Albert Hammond, Jr.- Well . . . All Right (Buddy Holly cover)

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - "Bomb Repeat Bomb (1954)"

Lavender Diamond - "Open Your Heart" (QT)

Stream: Son Volt / The Search

Dean & Britta - "Singer Sing"

Kingblind.com 4 year anniversary mega giveaway (Day 3 of 4)

Welcome to Day 3 of our 4 year anniversary mega giveaway.. I bet you think we can't make things any better can you? Well, Day 3 it's our best day yet! Again with a little help from our friends. Kingblind teams up with Filter Music, Barsuk Records, Matador Records and The Beggars Group bring you today's super giveaway.


From our friends at Filter Music
5 rock t-shirts from: Sonic Youth, MSTRKRFT, The SLIP, Muse and Guster.

From our friends at Barsuk Records::
Craig Thompson's Blankets (Graphic Novel)
Memomena:: Friend and Foe
Memomena:: Wet & Rusting single

From our Friends at Matador Records and the Beggars Group.
The Matador and Beggars mega-pack includes albums from, Jennifer O'Connor, Love of diagrams EP, Lavender Diamond EP, Ponys, CALLA, Wolf & Cub, The Early Years, Peaches, Elvis Perkins, Ratatat cds and a bunch of stickers and posters for these artists. WOW.

How to win::
Just send and email to kingblind(at)gmail.com with DAY 3 in the subject line and your name and address in the body of the message and we will randomly pick a winner today. This contest will end Wednesday at 11pm PST. So enter right now..

Mastodon touring with Against Me! & Cursive

Mastodon will start another U.S. tour in May with support from Against Me! and Cursive. Here are the dates.. Also PRE SALE START TODAY So if you wanna check out the show(s) you better get tickets quick.

* 05/01/2007 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern LG
* 05/02/2007 San Francisco, CA - Warfield
* 05/04/2007 Roseland Ballroom - Portland, OR
* 05/05/2007 Seattle, WA - The Fenix
* 05/06/2007 Boise, ID - Big Easy
* 05/08/2007 Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium
* 05/11/2007 Minneapolis, MN - The Myth
* 05/12/2007 Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre
* 05/13/2007 Detroit MI - State Theatre
* 05/14/2007 Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
* 05/15/2007 Toronto, ONT - Kool Haus
* 05/17/2007 New York, NY - Roseland Ballroom (tix)
* 05/18/2007 Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
* 05/19/2007 Boston, MA - Avalon
* 05/21/2007 Columbus, OH - Lifestyles Pavilion
* 05/22/2007 Cincinnati, OH - Bogart's
* 05/23/2007 Baltimore, MD - Sonar
* 05/25/2007 Orlando, FL - House Of Blues
* 05/26/2007 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle

!!! - Myth Takes (Album Review)

Coming on like Hot Chip's older, sleazier brothers, US discopunk collective !!! (pronounced ChkChkChk) ditch the politics and look-at-me profanity from their third album. Its dense layers and grooves take in Krautrock, Afropop, funk, techno and disco, while vocalist Nic Offer's occasionally noxious persona is reined in. They even find room for some singable tunes - Must Be the Moon and Heart of Hearts - amid the jamming.

!!! see dance music as a form of psychedelia, so songs such as Yadnus, Sweet Life and the title track work as well on headphones as on the dancefloor. The only problem is that, like the Rapture last year, they've made their best album a good three years after the cultural capital of discopunk has been spent. Opps.
(Nick Southall= UK)

Kingblind Downloads

Mat Brooke [ Band of Horses ] has teamed up with Jeff Montano [New Mexicans] and Curtis Hall [aka DJ Curtis] to form Archives - two songs are up at www.myspace.com/archivesusa
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

Sebadoh and Jason Lowenstein demos etc.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

The Police:: Lost BBC Studio Tapes
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

Arctic Monkeys - Several Bootlegs
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

My Bloody Valentine - Several Bootlegs
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

Ringo Deathstarr:: Some Kind of Sad
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

Kingblind.com 4 year anniversary mega giveaway (Day 2)

Welcome to Day 2 of our 4 year anniversary mega giveaway.. And now let's turn up the heat... That is with a little help from our friends at Toolshed & Saddle Creek.. We offer you our humble readers the latest and greatest new releases from the artist listed below.. Yes, that's the new Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes, AIR, Rob Crow, Andrew Bird and MORE! It's going to be a great Tuesday for some lucky reader..

How to win::
Just send and email to kingblind(at)gmail.com with DAY 2 in the subject line and your name and address in the body of the message and we will randomly pick a winner today. This contest will end Tuesday at 11pm PST. So enter right now..

Here is the complete list of what you will win on Day 2
Arcade Fire:: Neon Bible
Bright Eyes:: Four Winds
Air: Pocket Symphony
Rob Crow (Pinback):: Living Well
Andrew Bird:: Armchair Apocrypha
Maria Taylor:: Lynn Teeter Flower
Future Clouds & Radar:: S/T
Willy Mason: If The Ocean Gets Rough

Day 1 Winner

Congratulations to Charlie Moats of Washington, DC for winning the signed Money Mark action figure.

Kingblind Downloads

Bright Eyes:: Four Winds

Sparklehorse:: Shade and Honey

Dean & Britta - Words You Used To Say

Tigers & Monkeys - Loose Mouth

The Rosebuds:: Get up, Get out

Arcade Fire - Ukrainian Federation, Montreal, QC - 2007-02-07

Clinic - Live on KCRW

The Police Unveil European Tour Plans

The Police have unveiled dates for late summer/early fall European tour, beginning Aug. 29 in Stockholm. So far, 13 shows are confirmed, although additional dates in Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, and Denmark are pending, according to the band's Web site.

In Europe, the Police will play a mix of indoor arenas and outdoor stadiums. Some tickets begin going on sale today (March 6) via the band's fan club.

This leg of the tour will follow the instantly sold-out North American run that begins May 28 in Vancouver. After Europe, the Police will return to North America for more shows.

In addition, fans got a taste of which songs the group has been rehearsing via a set list photo printed alongside an interview in yesterday's Sunday Times. Beyond usual suspects such as "Every Breath You Take," "Driven To Tears," "Message in a Bottle" and "Roxanne" are oddities such as "Deathwish," "Rehumanize Yourself," "Shadows in the Rain" and "One World."

The list also includes "Spirits in the Material World" and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," two giant hits that the group often ignored in a live setting.

Here are the Police's European tour dates:

Aug. 29: Stockholm (Globe)
Sept. 4: Birmingham, England (NIA)
Sept. 8: London (Twickenham Stadium)
Sept. 11: Hamburg (AOL Arena)
Sept. 13: Amsterdam (Arena)
Sept. 16: Prague (Sazka Arena)
Sept. 19: Vienna (Stadthalle)
Sept. 22: Munich (Olympiastadion)
Sept. 27: Barcelona (Olympic Stadium)
Sept. 29: Paris (Stade de France)
Oct. 13: Dusseldorf, Germany (LTU Arena)
Oct. 15: Manchester, England (MEN Arena)
Oct. 19: Cardiff, Wales (Millennium Stadium)

(Via Billboard.com) Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

Kingblind.com 4 year anniversary mega giveaway (Day 1)

Welcome to Day 1 of our 4 day giveaway (A day for every year that we have been around). So let's get right to it.. Our first giveaway item is a very rare SIGNED MONEY MARK ACTION FIGURE. Yes, from the Grand Royal / Beastie Boys era. We have a new in box SIGNED Action Figure. How freakin cool is that!

How to win::
Just send and email to kingblind(at)gmail.com with DAY 1 in the subject line and your name and address in the body of the message and we will randomly pick a winner today. This contest will end Monday at 11pm PST. So enter right now..


www.moneymark.com

Money Mark:: Pick up the pieces- Music Video

Thanks for reading Kingblind for the past four years, We are very grateful for the opportunity to share what we love with the world.

Beastie Boys Eyeing Summer For New Album

An uncharacteristically short three years after their last disc, 2004's "To the 5 Boroughs," the Beastie Boys are putting the finishing touches on a new record. "Hopefully that'll be out this summer, too," group member Adam Yauch tells Billboard.

Though he remained characteristically tight-lipped about details, Yauch says the Beasties plan to air out some of the new material in a series of dates this summer, including a headlining slot at the Sasquatch Festival, to be held May 26-27 at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Wash.

From there, the Beastie Boys head to Europe for a series of festival dates. The band also plays a headlining set in Paris on June 26.

As first reported here Friday, Yauch has also produced a new record by the original lineup of Bad Brains, "Build a Nation," due in late May or early June via Megaforce.

Here are the Beastie Boys' tour dates:

I Think I Love My Wife
May 27: George, Washington (Sasquatch Festival)
June 10: Lisbon (Alive! Festival)
June 17: Istanbul (Efes Pilsen One Love Festival)
June 22: Scheessel, Germany (Hurricane Festival)
June 24: Neuhasen, Germany (Southside Festival)
June 26: Paris (Le Zenith)
June 28: Werchter, Belgium (Rock Werchter Festival)
June 30: Gdynia, Poland (Heineken Festival)
(via billboard)

Albert Hammond Jr. / The Mooney Suzuki- Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA 3-2-07 (Live Show Review)

For an artist who didn't wish to market himself as "that guy from the Strokes", Albert Hammond, Jr. hasn't made much of a departure musically. I whisper this to my plus one as we stand in the midst of the crowd at the Crocodile on Friday night. She laughs and smiles, yet her reply is "True... but damn, it's good."

And it is. "Good". Certain songs you can't help but be drawn to. While many of us look for music to be a challenge, sometimes things can't be overintellectualized. If Hammond isn't taking the road less traveled, it's because this well worn road is also well loved. Staring at the sea of people around me, the wall of the venue dropped back to accomodate the crowd, everyone seemed in concurrence. "Good". No one is inspired into over-enthusiastic cheering, but no one is having a bad time.

Hammond is currently touring in support of his March 6th release, "Yours to Keep". After a round of shows headlining with the Mooney Suzuki [and a stop by SXSW for the New Line Records showcase], he'll be offering tour support for Bloc Party beginning the end of March. As for me, I'll be home with my copy of "Room on Fire"; all things equal, hearing one member's songs just made me want to sit and listen to the Strokes.

--
Sarah Joann Murphy (Seattle, WA)

Kingblind Downloads

Andy Partridge:: I Lovely Cosmonaut

Andy Bell (RIDE) - BBC Session (28.02.96)

Kraftwerk - Live @ Warfield theater, San Francisco 06-07-98

The Decemberists - Live from SoHo EP

The Stranglers - Live In Toronto - 1980

The Verve - Live at Hultsfred Festival 1994

Kingblind news that you can use

How to make the perfect live album
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Rock hall inductors announced
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Rap's sales decline- Is Hip Hop Dead?
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College students urged to stop illegal downloading
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Radio station: We sprang Bobby Brown from jail
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Bjork readies “Volta” for May release
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Sonic Youth to play China
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Even The Jesus & Mary Chain have reformed..
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The Kingblind.com 4 Year Anniversary

Hello all.. Wow, It's been 4 years already.. Time really does fly.. First off I want to thanks all the contributors that we have .. We have writers now in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and China. These amazing folks help us get you daily information on all things related to Music, Art and Entertainment. It makes what we do here at HQ really, really fun.

So here is what I have planned....
Starting Monday morning we are going to be doing a 4 day MEGA giveaway (1 day for every year that we have been around.) with ALOT of help from some the greatest labels in music.. We have some very big things to give our readers as a huge THANK YOU for supporting Kingblind.com for the last 4 years. We have rare toys, vinyl, CD's, clothing, concert tickets and much much more! Stay tuned.. And we will see you Monday morning...

Full Morrissey US tour confirmed

Morrissey's full US tour has been confirmed.
After teasing us with Pasadena and Chicago dates, Morrissey is finally ready to embark on a full North American tour! Details are still coming in, but what we know so far is that he will begin on April 27, with a total of forty dates. The actual dates and locations will be announced in a couple of weeks, as will the ticket prices. We also know that tickets for every stop on the tour will go on sale the same day, so expect mass hysteria as Moz fans scramble to snag theirs.

The only other bit of news we know right now is that Kristeen Young, who is signed to Mozzer's Attack Records, will be opening throughout the entire forty-date tour. Stay tuned for more!

Wolfmother Hoping To Further Rock Ambitions On New CD

After taking home a best hard rock performance Grammy for its song "Woman" two weeks ago, Wolfmother is beginning to think about its follow-up to its 2006 self-titled debut.

"We are looking forward," singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale tells Billboard.com. "We have a few songs that are getting in the pipeline to get worked on. We just recorded a song in Vancouver, so that's pretty exciting. It's called 'Love Attacker.' It's the first (new) song in the year-and-a-half since we recorded the album."

Stockdale says the riff-driven, chaotic and loud rock song, which recently entered the band's nightly set list, is slated to be on the next album, which he hopes to have out in early 2008.

In terms of sound and direction, Stockdale doesn't foresee a major departure from the debut, which drew comparisons to Led Zeppelin and the White Stripes.

"In some ways, just kind of a continuation of what we did on the first one with that sound and that approach and that style of rock'n'roll," Stockdale says. "To just go even further. I guess I just want to rediscover what I love about rock'n'roll and what I love about music."

However, Wolfmother's touring cycle for the debut includes a few more legs. The Australian power trio will soon return to its homeland for some gigs before playing European festivals later this spring and yet another Stateside run. The band isn't expected to get serious about the next album until mid-summer.

Also in the mix is a live DVD release, which Stockdale guesses will come out before the next album. It has yet to be decided if the project will be based around existing footage or an upcoming show.
(John Benson- Billboard)

The White Stripes announce new album details

The White Stripes have announced the title for their 6th studio effort- and it's "their first album to include a title track, which curiously (and not ironically) has the same words in it's [sic] name. That name being: Icky Thump. " This comes from a message on the band's site, telling us how long the album took to record ("It was the longest time the duo have ever spent in the studio, totaling almost three weeks"), and the release date ("as soon as corporately possible"). Also, they offer up these song titles:

"Catch Hell Blues"
"Little Cream Soda"
"Monkeys Have It Easy" (discarded)
"Rag and Bone"
"Clicky Bump" (retitled into something pleasant)
"Blue Orchid" (relocated to previous album)
"You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)"
(via stereogum)

The album was recorded in Nashville, TN at Blackbird Studios

Kingblind news that you can use

The Arctic Monkeys, have a new song which debuted on BBC's Zane Lowe show. Titled "Brainstorm", you can hear the song by going here to stream the show... you'll need RealPlayer.

Viacom Demands YouTube Pull 400,000 Ex-TV Viewers From Its Site.

RIAA offering college kids a "deal"

The Portland Mercury profiles the Mountain Goats.

Seattle Weekly interviews the members of Sebadoh about the band's reunion.

Mick Jagger collaborating with Martin Scorsese

Putting jazz back in New Orleans

Dean and Britta:: Back Numbers (Album Review)

I never thought I'd say this, but if Back Numbers exemplifies the cultural production in store from the former members of Luna, then I'm over the moon about that band's breakup. Their très chic collabo allows Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips to indulge their penchants for cleverly chosen covers, evocative film scores and the thick-eyeliner'd attitude of coy 60s pop. Originals like The Sun Is Still Sunny, a lyrics-accentuated version of their theme from The Squid And The Whale; Crystal Blue R.I.P., an elegy for a dead rabbit that's all swooning strings and reverbed guitar out of a Crystals song; and the cat-and-mouse duet of Words You Used To Say sound at home beside Troggs and Lee Hazlewood covers. The greatest joy on Back Numbers is hearing Phillips come into her own, moving from White Horses's gauzy Mazzy Star coos to the cracked-wide-open howl on the chorus of You Turned My Head Around. Not a dud in the entire meticulous love letter to a da-do-ron-ron era.
(Sarah Liss)

Kingblind Downloads

Talking Heads:: Jabberwocky, Syracuse
Live on January 26, 1977.
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Ramones:: Judy's In The Basement - The 914 Sessions
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Arcade Fire: "Black Mirror"
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David Bowie: "Space Oddity"
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