Nothing's on Telly: Teen Men have a party, tour with CYHSY, who are apparently still A Thing.

Oh, the mid-to-late-2000s. Listen, I sort of wax nostalgic for this golden period, when I was discovering new music right and left and actually dedicating time to writing about it. The age of Blog Rock. And speaking of Blog Rock, apparently Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are still a thing? I listened to their debut in 2005 or 2006 sometime and tried really, really hard to like it, but despite that perfect-for-Pitchfork 9.0 rating they got, I just couldn't get past the vocals. Sorry. Apparently they're still popular enough today that they booked two shows in Philly and two in New York for their 10th anniversary tour. Huh.

This post isn't about CYHSY. Although I went to Philly show one of two, my boyfriend and I didn't stay for the main act. (Not trying again 10 years later, not sorry.) We were there to see opener Teen Men, who released this video for "Adventure Kids" less than two weeks ago, and who are releasing their s/t record next week.



Rachel called it one of the weirdest videos she's ever seen. I don't really agree with her, but then again, she didn't see the visuals they show during their set, either.

Upcoming shows w/ Clap Your Hands Say Yeah:
02 JUN - Radio Radio, Indianapolis, IN
03 JUN - Exit / In, Nashville, TN
05 JUN - Club Dada, Dallas, TX
06 JUN - The Mohawk, Austin, TX
08 JUN - Lowbrow, El Paso, TX
09 JUN - The Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix, AZ
11 JUN - Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA
12 JUN - Casbah, San Diego, CA
13 JUN - Constellation Room, Santa Ana, CA
14 JUN - The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA
17 JUN - The Independent, San Francisco, CA
19 JUN - Mississipi Studios, Portland, OR
26 JUN - Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE *

17 JUL - The Crocodile, Seattle, WA
18 JUL - Electric Owl, Vancouver, BC
19 JUL - The Bartlett, Spokane, WA
22 JUL - The Aquarium, Fargo, ND
23 JUL - Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis, MN
24 JUL - Majestic Theater, Madison, WI
25 JUL - Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL
26 JUL - Thompson House, Newport, KY
28 JUL - Pyramid Scheme, Grand Rapids, MI
29 JUL - Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON
31 JUL - Brighton Music Hall, Allston, MA

01 AUG - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
02 AUG - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
* w/ Sin City Band

Nothing's On Telly : Deer Tick at SXSW '09, new track and new record soon.

UMass, Amherst, MA

So Deer Tick is this band (project? songwriter? I'm not sure what label to slap on this guy) that I sometimes really like and sometimes forget I really like. I remember having heard "Art Isn't Real (City of Sin)" over the summer of 2006 and liking it well enough, but not necessarily falling in love with it.

And then I saw him / them play at UMass in May of 2008 and was blown away at how lovely and fun the performance was and made a mental note to "listen to this band more."

Then recently, the track "Easy" off upcoming Born On Flag Day, due out on 23rd June, was released and I thought, "Okay, I like it but I don't think I'm in love with it," yet again. (Although now that I'm listening again, I'm immediately rethinking my initial opinion.)

Deer Tick - "Easy"

And then, I came across this acoustic performance of "Cake And Eggs" from this year's SXSW, courtesy of KEXP, and I'm enchanted again.



So I guess maybe what I'm trying to say is that this is a band that really needs to be witnessed live, the sort of thing that is lovely to listen to but makes me clutch my heart and smile like a fool in person.

Luckily, John & co. will be on the road all summer, affording you every opportunity to do the same. Dates include 24th July at Bowery Ballroom and 3rd October at Austin City Limits. All of their dates are listed here.

Nothing's On Telly : Bishop Allen acoustic at Art in the Age

Discovered hot on the heels of their Bowery performance last Sunday is a three-song, in-store set by Bishop Allen at Philly's Art in the Age, wherein they (acoustically) rocked some of the songs they've been rocking (not acoustically) live on their tour. Included is "Penitentiary Bound," a cut from their debut Charm School which has been pretty stuck in my head since I heard it live:


Art In The Age Presents...Bishop Allen "Penitentiary Bound" Live. from Art In The Age on Vimeo

Also included is "Shanghaied", a track I really don't care for on the record but which I thoroughly enjoyed live, so I highly recommend the video for comparison.

(via You Ain't No Picasso, thanksss.)

Interesting but unrelated : Art in the Age's video log also includes this amusing, short interview with No Age in which they discuss "veganaise."

Nothing's On Telly : Except Stuck and Pony Pony Run Run ARE on Telly.

Stuck In The Sound were featured on the French-German station Arté's "One Shot Not" on the 28th. It's a nearly 15-minute long video, well done, featuring interviews with the band and two live cuts from their latest release Shoegazing Kids, "Ouais" and my personal favourite "Teen Tale." Sorry if you don't understand French, though; I can't possibly sit here and transcribe the whole thing. Watch it for the live performances if for nothing else.

One Shot Not - Stuck in the Sound - 28/03/09 sur Arte
by lianee

Stuck In The Sound - "Ouais"
Stuck In The Sound - "Teen Tale"

.....

I've been writing about Pony Pony Run Run's latest effort (entitled You need Pony Pony Run Run and due out 15th June on 3ème bureau, according to Play Five) over the past few weeks. The first cut from the album, "Hey You," has since been picked up by French station Canal+ for their "Coming Up Next" spots this season.

Unfortch, it doesn't look like Canal+ allows embedding soooooo you'll have to go here to watch random French people dancing around to PPRR's beats.

Pony Pony Run Run - "Hey You"

Nothing's On Telly : Hello Saferide, "Anna"

This song made me bawl. I keep trying to write about it, but there's really not much I can say beyond that.

Maybe I'm just feeling extra-weepy. Or because a friend's going through a break-up and I'm feeling vicariously sad. Or, maybe, it's just plain poignant and sad.

Whatever the case, it's a pretty song and a beautifully-done video.

Nothing's On Telly : Passion Pit + small children = pretty adorable.

From Fader:



When I read the blurb about Michael Angelakos wanting to bring the sound of a children's choir to Passion Pit's forthcoming debut LP, I actually thought, "Oh, well, yeah, I mean, the refrains already sound sort of like a bunch of kids singing along, anyway." Voila.

Passion Pit's currently on tour in the US, and then they're going to the UK, Paris, and Canada. (Man, I just listed Paris like it's a separate country.) The 4th Feb. Bowery Ballroom date is sold out; the Mid East down and Iron Horse ones aren't. (So, basically, go take a trip to NoHo, 'cause it's like, a quarter of the size of Bowery.) All the dates are listed at their 'Space; I'm too lazy to repost them here, sorry.

Nothing's On Telly : And now "Fade to Black" is on YouTube.

That's pretty fucking adorable, if I do say so myself. It's also currently in YouTube's New Music Tuesday spotlight.

You can download the song here. You can pre-order it here and here.

Nothing's On Telly : The Submarines' "You, Me & The Bourgeoisie" video.

So I've been away for the past week on what was supposed to be a sit-around-and-relax-in-the-sun sort of vacation that turned into hide-in-your-condo-from-the-tropical-storm-all-week sort of vacation. Needless to say, I'm less than chuffed about it and demand another vacation from Mother Nature.

Until I get back on my feet, as it were, here's the video for The Subs' "You, Me & The Bourgeoisie," which was released right before I left. It is super-cute.

Nothing's On Telly : New vid from WAS, plus they're playing the east coast this week.

It's amusing. I think I enjoy the live version of "Impatience" more than the recorded one. Not that they differ very much. Luckily, We Are Scientists are playing my neck of the woods this week. Expect to me in attendance of at least two shows.

29th July - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA
30th July - Middle East down - Cambridge, MA
31st July - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY
1st August - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
2nd August - Black Cat- Washington, DC

They'll be playing all over the rest of the US after that, and then some of Europe after that, and then they're opening for R.E.M. in September, and then they've got a handful of Australian dates in October. All dates are listed over here.

Oh, they're on Letterman tonight, too, if you're into that sort of thing.

We Are Scientists - "Impatience"

Nothing's On Telly : Music's gone to the dogs.

Two new music videos from two of my favourites. First, The Long Blondes' "Guilt."



"Couples" was released today in the US. It's not Someone To Drive You Home but still rather brilliant.

Secondly, We Are Scientists' "Chick Lit."



Brain Thrust Mastery is released in the US on the 13th. I haven't taken to it too much, but this song has grown on me now.

In other news, I've heard rumours that one Micheal Tapper will be touring with one Bishop Allen this spring. Yippee!

Nothing's On Telly : Some more WAS love.

'Cause there's never too much!

Here's a vid from their 18 December performance with the Upright Citizen's Brigade at the Canal Room for the New York Holiday Office Party.

And, um, some really belated Christmas greetings that I meant to post ages ago, but about which I totally forgot, oops.



Oh, and Keith hitting on you. Just for good measure.

Nothing's On Telly : Another reason to be upset about Tapper leaving WAS.

I've been hanging onto this one for a bit now.