Showing posts with label serious business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label serious business. Show all posts

26 January 2010

Some Business for you.

As your local former Ser Biz intern, it is my duty to inform you that disbanded as of I-don't-remember-when SBR band Man In Gray are back with a one-show reunion at Union Hall on 20 Feb. :



Man in Gray
With not-on-Ser-Biz-but-much-beloved-by-them-nonetheless El Jezel and Coyote Eyes (who, if you'll remember, I saw at Northside back in June)
8 pm
8 dollars
21+


There's some other Business going on (upcoming shows and records) that I haven't quite caught up on, so you'll have to wait for that. In the meantime, feel free to download SBR's annual free compilation of last year's releases and hits, The Year In Business : 2009.



Tracklisting :

1) SAADI - "Bad City (Serious Business Remix)"
2) The Two Man Gentlemen Band - "Me, I Get High on Reefer" (live)
3) The Paparazzi - "The Rococo Tape"
4) The Octagon - "Suicide Kings"
5) Higgins - "What Don't You Want?"
6) Jack and the Pulpits - "Francypants"
7) Rocketship Park - "Spinning Globes"
8) Benji Cossa - "Annie Delia"
9) The Unsacred Hearts - "Fake Kisses"
10) The Two Man Gentlemen Band - "Drip Dryin'(Reprise!)"

You can download the whole thing in a .zip here.

In case you missed out, The Year in Business : 2008 is here and 2007 over here.

08 April 2009

Grab your FREE Homosexuals mp3s.



Clicking on the above link will give you the opportunity to grab SIX totally FREE Homosexuals mp3s ("Fanfare," "Slow Guns," "3AM (Pink Pony)" from the Love Guns? EP, "Pentecost 2016," "Fay Gash," and "In Search of the Perfect Baby" from the upcoming Important if True EP), courtesy of Serious Business.

The Homosexuals played SXSW and then embarked on a follow-up tour that garnered a whole lot of incredible press. Seriously. That's just three links of like, a million. I can't even list it all here. Which is why all the pictures, press, videos, and more have been culled together by Ser Biz for your viewing pleasure over here.

Missed the Homos on tour? If you live in Boston, they'll be playing at the 'Dise on 7th May.

18 March 2009

Looker was NPR's song of the day. Eight days ago. Oops.



I'm a bit late on the uptake here (sorry, I was in New Haven sans internet when this happened), but y'all know how much I love Looker, so when they get the attention they deserve, it's sorta' exciting. The title track to their 2008 release Born In The Desert was NPR's song of the day on the 18th, to glowing review:

Just because Looker's "Born In The Desert" doesn't have roaring power chords, a simple 4/4 backbeat or explicit aggression doesn't mean that there weren't plenty of songs like it that were categorized as punk during the late '70s. The do-it-yourself aesthetic of the time resulted in many different musical approaches, even if the quick codification of the canonical sound forced everything else underground to either die or eke out an existence long enough for "post-punk" music to arrive and make sense of it.

And so on and so forth. Hooray!

Looker - "Born In The Desert" [ysi] [zshare]

05 January 2009

Download "The Year In Business: 2008"



You may have needed a $700 billion bailout, Wall Street, but Serious Business Records is having the Best Year Ever!

Okay, yeah, that's a lame joke. Sorry.

But up for free download from now until forever is Ser Biz's annual year-end compilation record, The Year In Business: 2008, packed with 2008's biggest tracks from the NY-based label.

Tracklist:

1. Rocketship Park - "Because (Two Candles)" from Off and Away
2. The Two Man Gentlemen Band - "Dippin' Sauce" from Heavy Petting
3. Benji Cossa - Volcano from the Benji Cossa and the Tightens LP
4. Looker - "Gates of the Old City" from Born in the Desert
5. Higgins - "Charly" from Zs
6. Secret Dakota Ring - "The Fade to Black" from Cantarell
7. Jack and the Pulpits - "Dance Area" from Jack and the Pulpits EP
8. The Homosexuals - "Slow Guns" from Love Guns? 10" EP
9. The Unsacred Hearts - "Where Are You" from forthcoming second Hearts album, The Honor Bar
10. The Two Man Gentlemen Band - "The Rabbit Foot Stomp" from the forthcoming fourth full-length Gents record, Drip Dryin' with the Two Man Gentlemen Band (out on 14th January)
11. Benji Cossa - "April" from Benji Cossa's Vault Vol. 2: Jewels and Gems
12. Higgins - "Make a Mistake" from Trust in Higgins Vol. 1
13. Jack and the Pulpits - "Show Off" from forthcoming 2nd JatP EP, a prequel to their first
14. Boshra al Saadi - "Daddy You Been On My Mind" unreleased Bob Dylan cover recorded in the men's room at Serious Business, 1st December 2008
15. Rocketship Park - "Seasons" from Off and Away

The whole compilation is FREE and up for download as a .Zip here. If you feel like donating a few dollars to Ser Biz, they'll send you a CD copy, too.

.....


I'ma probably do some sort of 2008-in-pictures-I-took-concerts post sometime soon, too. I know you're all just dying to read that...evs.

19 December 2008

Serious Business Holiday Party + a new song from Benji Cossa.



SERIOUS BUSINESS Holiday Party and Revue!
starring…
The Homosexuals
Benji Cossa
Secret Dakota Ring
The Unsacred Hearts
Higgins
Rocketship Park
Jack and the Pulpits
The Octagon
Boshra al Saadi of Looker
but not the Two Man Gentlemen Band!

SATURDAY DECEMBER 20 2008
7PM-10:30PM don’t be late!!! * REVUE BEGINS AT 7:30 SHARP!
@ THE STUDIO @ WEBSTER HALL
125 E. 11th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues
NEW YORK, NY
A three hour tour of non-stop music from your favorite Serious Business super-friends.

There is no better time than the Holidays to celebrate togetherness! Community! Feeling good! Serious Business dares to get happy on Saturday, December 20 with its now-annual Holiday Party and Revue. We’re cramming everyone we know into the new Studio at Webster Hall, we’re cramming nine acts into three hours, we’re cramming multitudinous musical gifts into your tender ear-holes, we’re cramming love in your hearts!

Its an old school 60s styled REVUE with the Serious Business super-family sharing the following: equipment, points of view, an evening of revelry and celebration! Your best Christmas party! No egg nog! Your first New Year’s Party! Yes!! SERIOUS BUSINESS!!! Bring it on!

Some fun facts—
–Gift giving!! We’ll be giving away lovingly crafted CD copies of The Year In Business: 2008, the second annual installment of our all-free year-end hits compilation series.
-The show starts EARLY! 7PM SHARP! COME EARLY!! Make a night of it! Dress nicely! Don’t roll in late like a jerk! You’ll miss everything! People will leer at you! Its Christmas! Be nice! Make it nice around the TREE!
-Benji Cossa will be performing all Christmas numbers!
-Jack and the Pulpits make their first ever official public appearance! Hopefully they’ll play “Dance Area”
-Sadly The Two Man Gentlemen Band will be absent. In their place they send new recorded music, their 4th album Drip Drying with the Two Man Gentlemen Band, which we’ll listen to some of!
-In the absence of Andy Bean (see previous fun fact), the Unsacred Hearts will reunite with original bass-man Andy Ross who will also be fronting his band Secret Dakota Ring (which features members of the Unsacred Hearts, Rocketship Park and Higgins…and the Homosexuals…and Jack and the Pulpits…and more.)
-The Homosexuals play their last show until spring 2009!


Was it mentioned that this shindig is free? That The Homsexuals are headlining and that Secret Dakota Ring will be playing their second show like, ever? Yes? Well, I just mentioned it again.

In other news, Benji Cossa, who put out a free Christmas record last year, recorded a new, original Christmas song, "Christmas (It's The End of the Year)," for TimeOutNY. You can listen to it and a few others over here.

24 September 2008

New Song / SHOW TONIGHT! : Secret Dakota Ring, "The Fade to Black"

I love Andy Ross' solo project, Secret Dakota Ring. Love love love. His debut LP, Do Not Leave Baggage All The Way is one of those records for me. One that I've been listening to, on and off, for what feels like ages, and yet I still find new layers and intricacies that I've never heard before each time I go back to it, and find that I appreciate it more and more as time goes on.

Mr. Ross has been working on a follow-up to Baggage for a while now, the nine-track Cantarell, and it'll be out sometime in October or November. Meanwhile, lead single "The Fade To Black," has finally been unveiled. I heard this song for the first time several months ago and it blew my mind. Really. It did. And now it's gone and lodged itself in my head and will not give up. It's a brilliant powerpop song that's peppy but not overly-so, joyful and joyous and loaded with tambourine and handclaps, but is never twee or saccharine. Pop songs like that, that make you want to dance but don't make you scrunch your nose at the silly lyrics that just don't work, can be a little hard to come by.

Oh, and Secret Dakota Ring (being Andy backed up by pals Josh, Travis, Kevin, and Eytan) is playing its first (and possibly last and only) show tomorrow night at Rehab. Details as follows (or you can just check out the poster):



September 24, 2008 @ Rehab
25 Ave. B New York, New York 10009
21+
$3

If you can make it, I strongly recommend you go. This may never, ever happen again.

I was going to write about this sometime last week, when "The Fade To Black" was first posted, in hopes that I'd get a downloadable mp3 version for y'all, but that hasn't happened yet. There are all sorts of shenanigans going down with this release (a contest, a video...okay, maybe that's it), so I'll be sure to post about this again. Whether you want to hear about it or not.

In the mean time, check out "The Fade To Black" via this little imeem thinger below:

The Fade to Black - Secret Dakota Ring



PS: Sorry for the lack of updates that aren't like, "Go check out something from the same ten bands I always mention!" My computer, which has most of my music and my list of stuff I need to post about, has decided to wig out on me and I've been working off my mom's desktop for the past few weeks. Plus life is crazy right now. Hopefully I'll post some other stuff in the near future. (I always say that, don't I? sigh.)

12 September 2008

Tonight in NYC and Boston, in case you haven't got plans.

Hello, my lovelies in both cities. Bored tonight? Here's what you should check out:



Higgins just dropped their second record, Zs, on Tuesday and they're playing their second of two CD release parties tonight (the first was yesterday at Maxwell's; details for tonight are below. (Ignore the fact that the above poster is actually for a couple of shows they did in August. Sorry.)

Higgins @ SoundFix Records
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
8 pm
w/ Benji Cossa

You can listen to "Write It Down" from Zs over here.


As for you other kids...



There's this Tom Petty tribute show going on at the Middle East up tonight. Nobody's really sure why there's a Tom Petty tribute show going on. I think they all just really like Tom Petty. Anyway, a bunch of really good Boston bands are playing, so you'll probably want to go. Deets are on the poster, except for the fact that the music starts at 9:15.

Um. 'Tis all for now.

21 August 2008

This is tomorrow night.



$10, 21+

This is pretty big. You should go.

17 July 2008

Also this weekend:



This is the first in a series of "Serious Business presents..." shows, which is fantastic, because we could all use a little more Business in our lives.

Other upcoming Ser Biz Presents shows:

22 August - The Unsacred Hearts, The Homosexuals, Looker - Union Hall
27 August - Caithlin DeMarrais, Balthrop Alabama, Rocketship Park, Benji Cossa - Mercury Lounge (w/ End Up Records)

.....


Oh, Looker's playing a couple of shows on their own as well, including one tomorrow night:

17 July - Maxwell's - Hoboken, NJ w/ The Orion Experience
25 July - Mercury Lounge - NYC w/ The Damnwells

And Rocketship Park will be at Mercury Lounge this Sunday, the 20th, with Taxi Taxi.

Looker - "Spit For Your Shine" [link]

16 May 2008

The Unsacred Hearts are playing the Delancey TONIGHT.



From the Hearts:

The Unsacred Hearts, who haven't played a show since the Serious Business Christmas party in December, will return to the NYC stage this Friday night at the Delancey.

It's a late one. The Hearts' set is at MIDNIGHT right in the middle of the Delancey's 2-for-1 drink special hour (12-1). Show details below.

The Unsacred Hearts
Live at the The Delancey
Friday, May 16
Hearts @ midnight
with Superfortress, Blip Blip Bleep, The Picture, The Diggs.


168 Delancey St (btwn Clinton and Attorney)


Also, free songs:

The Unsacred Hearts - "Stuck Inside a Mobile Home With the Mansion Blues Again" [link]
The Unsacred Hearts - "Point of Pride" [link]
The Unsacred Hearts - "I Am Joe" [link]

Be sure to catch this show, because they probably won't play another one for a good while.

21 April 2008

Munday Morning Mux 2 : C'mon, Get Happy!


Stolen from Muxtape, blah blah.


So all of my posts lately have been my silly attempts at making mixtapes and playlists and my whining and moaning in commentary. How boring. I'm sorry.

But I'd like to post new muxtapes on a regular basis, and this week you were going to get my Please Please Please mix (which isn't so great, akshually, hence why it's not getting posted), but the weather has been SO DAMN NICE and it smells like sunshine and barbecues and I'm envious of the daffodils and dammit, I need some happy music!

Thing is, not a lot of my favourite music makes me happy. Okay, I must find some sort of pleasure in all of it, in some way, otherwise I wouldn't be listening to it. But it's quite different for me to think of a song that, say, makes me really happy and one that makes me want to dance, which then makes me happy, or one that is really splendidly written and that makes me happy but the song itself isn't so happy.

So here I'm presenting a mix between my pitiful Happy Mix! (which is all of like, eight songs) and the stuff I've been listening to as of late, which will be Spring '08 mix material.

C'mon, Get Happy!

Mux available here.

Tracklisting/Commentary/Incoherent babbling:

1) "Thomas Window Paine" - DZUSA
Did I have this on my last mux, too? Oops. But it makes me so happy! I just want to dance around a lot.

2) "Pop Song" - The Lashes
Also, more Lashes. The drum-heavy opening always gets me.

3) "Eyes" - Apollo Sunshine
It's so preeeeeeetttyyyy!

4) "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" - The Beatles
God, I love this song. Love love love it. It's very reassuring, as well.

5) "Here Comes The Sun" - The Beatles
More Beatles! Everyone needs more Beatles! And more sun. Yes.

6) "Elevate Myself" - Grandaddy
I'm not so taken with the rest of Just Like The Fambly Cat, but this shit's good.

7) "Young Love" - Mystery Jets
I've just recently written about this song and the adorable video that goes with it. I can't get it out of my head! I listen to it everywhere, on the way to class, at the gym, downtown, everywhere.

8) "Look Me Up" - Georgie James
I wrote about Georgie James relatively recently as well. Still love them.

9) "You're So Damn Hot" - OK Go
Yeah yeah, another OK Go song. This song pretty much started it all. And after four and a half years, I still love hearing it, which is a good thing, I suppose.

10) "A-Punk" - Vampire Weekend
Carefree and summery. Perfect!

11) "Shut Your Eyes" - Shout Out Louds
First SOL song I came across, probably still my favourite.

12) "Sophie" - Scamper
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH I LOVE THIS SONG it makes me so happy!!! All of my friends are always like, "This reminds me of 'Stacy's Mom'!" which is DOES, but it really just makes me want to DANCE around all SILLY-LIKE, which I often DO.

(PLEASE NOTE: I wrote the above at like, 2:30 a.m., when I was way too super-tired. Hence the excessive capitalisation and punctuation. Sorry.)

All right, enjoy, loves.

03 April 2008

Muxtape 1 : Coupling, v. 1.0


Yeah, I stole that image from Muxtape, you all know it.


So I've gone and joined up with this Muxtape business. Just because I like mixtapes/lists and such. Haven't actually listened to anybody else's mix, but. Whatevs.

I posted my first mux*, which isn't anything hugely special - I just wanted to get something on there. Feel free to go and enjoy while I scramble to get that Fall '06, etc. playlist together.

Coupling, version 1.0

Mux to be found here.


The whole point of this list is to put together songs that, for whatever reason, go together: because of a common theme or story, because one is a “remake” (and not merely a cover), because they remind me of each other, etc.

You can tell I started this a while ago (two years, I think), as there are three OK Go songs (and an SDR song, to boot). This is still a work-in-progress. There are a few more songs on this list on my iTunes (I cut it down to the more important ones, as Mux doesn’t allow you to post more than 12 at a time), and I continually add more as I go along and find more musical “couples,” so to speak.

1) “Maybe This Time” – OK Go
2) “Down For the Count” – OK Go

“MTT” is on OK Go’s second major label effort, Oh No, and has long been one of my favourites due to its simplicity and…well, snarkiness isn’t really the right word, but you get what I mean. I’ve always wanted to strip it down even more, and get a version that relies purely on the glockenspiel (or “rockenspiel,” as Tim Nordwind would put it) and vocal harmonies done in a round. Maybe a tiny bit of percussion. Maybe. “DFTC” came out as a b-side on the UK single for one of the songs from Oh No (though which song that was escapes me at the moment), and instantly became one of my favourites from the entire OK Go catalogue.

I’ve long wondered if these songs had anything to do with each other. They’re like bookend s: “MTT” ends with “Maybe, this time, you were wrong” and “DFTC” opens with “Maybe I’m wrong.”

3) “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” – The Smiths
4) “Please Please Please” – The Lashes

The Smiths one is a classic that I originally discovered because, surprise! OK Go once did a cover of it. (I told you, I started this thing aaaaaaages ago!) The Lashes version is in no way like the original, other than the refrain repeats “please please please let me get what I want” a few times. Think of it as a remake. Whether or not you consider remakes to be bastardizations of originals, that’s up to you, but I like it.

5) “My Window” – Secret Dakota Ring
6) “Thomas Window Paine” – DraculaZombieUSA

Witness the beginnings of my love for Serious Business. “My Window” is one of my favourite and one of the most infectious SDR songs. “TWP” is the DZUSA take on that same song, which means that you’ll probably hit the dancefloor in no time.

7) “Timourous Me” – Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
8) “T’s Song” – OK Go

Two very lovely songs, in their own ways, that share one very sad story. Go look it up to make sense of it all.

9) “Lust a Prima Vista” – The Spill Canvas
10) “Lust In The Movies” – The Long Blondes

Fall versus spring. “Prima Vista” is his take; “Movies” is my response. I just want to be a sweetheart.

11) “Jessie’s Girl” – Rick Springfield
12) “Coughing Up Roses” – Scamper

Sorry, loves- had to do it. If you haven’t heard “Roses,” the relation will become immediately obvious once you have. A friend of mine once started singing “I wish that I had Jessie’s girl” in the middle of the song. (Apparently, it’s really supposed to be “Jessie’s Girl” crossed with “Heat of the Moment,” but I’m only allowed 12 songs. And I don’t have “Heat of the Moment.”)

That doesn’t change the fact that I think it’s pretty brilliant, whether or not it needs a third verse.


*I initially typed "furst mux." Srsly.

25 February 2008

Download free stuff this week: Unsacred Hearts, The Lashes

(I mean, not that you don't download free stuff EVERY week, right? Right.)

All right kids, this week ONLY, the Unsacred Hearts are giving away their self-titled, out-of-print debut EP for FREE. That's right, free. The entire thing, too, not just the one preview song or whatevs.

The Hearts write good ol' rock 'n roll songs about, well, just that: rock 'n roll. Known also as SBR01, this was the first release ever to come out of Serious Business Records, way back when in...2004. (Okay, maybe that doesn't qualify as "way back when.")



The year was 2003. It was getting cold outside. We never forgot that because the tiny one room rehearsal shack we'd rented from a friend in Long Island City didn't really have heat. We had it all set up to record in there and we'd get together a couple times a week, never without warm coats or cold Bud tall boys, to make music. Thankfully Joe Willie was on the mic for the first time and we loved it. Since mid '95 he'd been writing lyrics for our several underachieving backyard rock partnerships, all of which Dave and I loudly and proudly rocked for. His words, always honest and poetic, had taken on a new urgency, especially since what it seemed like he was writing about, in some way, was our lives as underachieving rock-band-dudes. Somehow he endowed our continuing musical pursuits with dignity and purpose, and we were genuinely fired up about it. We'd been dosing ourselves with very inspiring sounds, specifically Richard Hell's Blank Generation, lots of Mitch Ryder, Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, all the bands in Michael Azzerrad's Our Band Could Be Your Life. During this period we all lived in Joe's house in Hoboken at the same time and we played our first shows at CBGBs, Maxwell's, Luxx. -Travis

Check out the tracklist and download it here, or save yourself the clicking and download the .ZIP file here, you lazy bums. Get it before this Friday, 29 February, at which point you'll have to shell out for it again.

.....


And while you're at it, download Higgins' new single, "Yes I Know", too, 'cause it's super-good and all Beatlesyish.

....


Oh, and remember how the Lashes released side of their new record Thank You on 1 January? Well, they're giving that away for free, too. You can snatch that up at their 'Space.

31 January 2008

New songs/MySpace It: The Red Romance and Looker



Both Looker and The Red Romance have posted brand-spanking new songs on their respective 'Spaces today.

Looker's "Gates of the Old City" and "Help Me Roada" come from their upcoming "Gates of the Old City" single, out on Serious Business on 4 March. "Roada" feels like the sort of summery pop song that belongs floating through your car speakers as you drive nowhere on the interstate, while I really adore the harmonies on the second and third refrains in "Gates". They don't incite the same emotional attachment for me as the "After My Divorce" single did, but then again, that's a very particular case, and these are two very lovely tracks. (Also, a live version of "Spit For Your Shine" live from BBC Radio 1 is up as well.)

Meanwhile, the Red Romance is offering up three cuts from their upcoming self-titled debut LP, due out this year sometime. You know me, I'm a sucker for that '80s throwback feel, and while I don't particularly care for the "oh-whoa-whoa" bit in "Kinda Feels Right," I'm really taken by "Hesitate."

Both bands are playing the Mercury Lounge (with The Orion Experience) tomorrow, 31 January, and again at TCNJ on 1 February and Luna Lounge on 7 March. I would be heading out to see them this weekend, but I've got some other business to which I must attend*, so I'll have to hold out for this bill at a more convenient point.


(*Speaking of which, Nate has been writing some really nice things about his soon-to-be former fellow bandmates, so any of you who are actually reading** this are totally encouraged to go read said posts. Also, I know I said I'd do some updates last week, but, ya' know, life, so don't hold out for anything until I get back from Boston this weekend, 'kay? 'Kay.)

(**I like how I pretend I have readership. :P)

24 January 2008

Myspace it: Nada Surf's Lucky, and other stuff.

As previously mentioned, Nada Surf's new record Lucky drops 5 February, but as of tomorrow, 25 January, you can stream the whole thing on the 'Space. Good times.

.....


Also, We Are Scientists have announced some tour dates- in the UK. Rawr.

.....


Don't forget to vote for Rocketshp Park! Because more money for Josh means more SDR for us.

18 January 2008

Lend a helping hand.

Bulletin from Ser Biz band Rocketship Park:

Hey sorry for the blast, but we need your help! Rocketship Park is participating in an online music contest of sorts. Basically, the more votes we get, the better our chances of winning!

There is live video of us playing the music, a song called "Seasons", posted at the site. Use the following link:

http://lg.eprize.net/makethemusic/?video_id=86e4c0b66b3bfd1ba3cee8a80169ef14449f8a4b

All you have to do is click on the above link (or copy and paste it into your browser if the link doesn't appear) and then click "VOTE FOR THIS VIDEO". You will then be instructed to sign-up, which only involves entering your email address. You don't even need to watch the video! You can vote up to 3 times per day with the same email address, and you can do it back to back to back (so it takes less than 30 seconds to vote for us 3 times.) If you have more than one email address (or if you have a fake email address...wink-wink....), you can vote 3 times per day from each address.

Thanks all!

EJ


This is pretty important- the band or artist who receives the most votes will "win $10,000 to launch their music dreams." And I'm pretty sure RP could use that $10,000. (Also, if you vote, you apparently have a shot at winning an LG music phone, in case you're selfish and all.)

What are you waiting for? Why are you still reading this?? Go vote now! And then tell your friends to vote! And then come back and download some RP for yourself.

Rocketship Park - "Run Away" [link]

09 January 2008

New Tour Dates: Looker, The Octagon, and then some.

The lads of The Octagon are on the move again, and heading up north with two Boston-area dates (amongst others) scheduled for the end of January before a homecoming at Union Hall on the 30th.

23 January Café Nine New Haven, CT
24 January TT the Bear's Cambridge, MA
25 January Radio Bean Burlington, VT
27 January The Space Portland, ME
28 January Great Scott Allston, MA
30 January Union Hall Brooklyn, NY


Meanwhile, the ladies (and gent) of Looker are finally a couple of New York-area shows- right as I move back up to the frozen wastes of western Mass. Figures.

13 January has them performing at the Living Room in the LES at the ungodly hour of 1 pm for Kidrockers, which is apparently "a concert series that began in January 2007 that brings some of the most engaging and vital artists in indie music and comedy to perform for kids and their parents. These all ages shows are designed to bring families together to enjoy new music. Artists perform original (not specifically made for children) songs in a manner that is both authentic and kid-friendly." Err. I'm not quite sure if I find that great or...not, but I suppose it's never too early to introduce your children to Looker, so have at it, kids! (Also, bugger your parents into buying some 7-inches while you're at it. Please?)

On 31 January, they'll be joining The Red Romance at the Mercury Lounge.


Oh, and the Gents are traveling pretty much anywhere and everywhere their banjos and kazoos will take them, so I'm sure they'll be playing by you soon. Catch them if/when you can. Shows are listed on their 'Space.

(In other news, I promise to write about some new stuff soon. Soon-ish. Promise.)

19 December 2007

Just a friendly reminder! Plus some more Business.

Serious Business Record's Holiday Party is TOMORROW, 20 December at, Piano's in NYC.

Starring:
Rocketship Park
Benji Cossa's Christmas Spectacular (or something like that)
The Unsacred Hearts (with a guest appearance by a certain Mr. aross)

$8, 21+

I'll be there, getting my indie shakes on.


While I'm at it, I should mention that Ser Biz just released the cheekily-titled The Year In Business, another FREE record. This one is a compilation to celebrate all the crazy goodness to come out of the label this year, including previously unreleased tracks from Higgins, the Unsacred Hearts, Rocketship Park, and Secret Dakota Ring. (Cue the fangirls.)

That's two free releases in the span of a month, kids. Get 'em while they're hot!




/business

10 December 2007

SerBiz Holiday Party

Mark your 2007 calendars, kids (the year ain't over yet)- Serious Business Record's Holiday Party is going down on 20 December at Piano's in NYC.

A certain inside source has told me that he wants it to be "a total fire hazard" (or words to that effect), so come out to the LES next Thursday to see Rocketship Park, Benji Cossa, Higgins, and The 'Hearts. Guaranteed good times. I'll be there, if that's any incentive.

It'll set you back $8 and as always, it's 21+.

And while you're at it, don't forget to download Benji Cossa's Christmas record, Merry Christmas to Friends and Family. Love, Benji Cossa, for FREE. Yes, free.

23 November 2007

Happy Belated Turkey Day!

And Happy Belated Birthday to myself.

I guess now that it's post-Thanksgiving and that the Christmas season has officially started (HAHA LOOK AT ALL OF YOU SUCKERS DRIVING AROUND THE MALL PARKING LOT, TRYING TO GET A SPOT HAHAHA....sorry....), I can't yell about people putting up Christmas decorations or playing Christmas music anymore.

So if you're going to get your season started, musically at least, then do it the right way: Benji Cossa, indie recording genius and the guy who brought you "What's That Sound?" for Hallowe'en, has released a Christmas record entitled Merry Christmas to Friends and Family. Love, Benji Cossa. Mostly long-standing Christmas carols and classics, offered up Cossa-style (think lo-fi, think banjos, acoustic guitars, harmonicas, and steel drums), plus a new song, "Friends and Family," by Mr. Cossa himself. (Check out this pretty awesome rendition of "Silver Bells".)

Best part of it all is that the entire record is available for free. Think of it as an early Christmas gift from Benji and SBR.

Click here to see track listing, commentary, etc.
Click here if you're in a total rush to download a .Zip file of the entire record.




Okay, I've got some leftovers to eat and some partying to do, so if you'll excuse me...


ETA: So it's a day late, but mixlist master EarFarm whipped together a Thanksgiving Day mix, so maybe you should listen to that one before you run out of turkey and stuffing.