The Budos Band share a label (Gabriel Roth's Daptone Records) and a musical philosophy with the breakout Dap-Kings, but they play much smaller venues and evince a hairier, warmer vibe.
Like Dirty Projectors and Fiery Furnaces, Marnie Stern isn't afraid to lurch through several meters and melodies in a single song, and reach for whatever screech and warble seems handy at the moment. But she also embraces a full-on guitar-shredding rock sound and puts her heart on her sleeve, lyrically and musically.
post-punk progenitors and OGs of a certain spare, squawky sound that has been bitten by countless alternative bands over the decades (looking at you, Bloc Party and The Futureheads), Wire is still going strong and releasing good records. The latest, Red Barked Tree can be streamed at the Guardian website (sounds pretty good!)
Dawes' formal debut, "North Hills," echoes the Laurel Canyon sound of yore. Think Neil Young, CSNY, The Band and yup, we're going for it, "early" Eagles. Gorgeous harmonies, gorgeous guitar lines and they bring it live.
Founder, in 1972, of the breakout Cuban ensemble Irakere (check them on Puerto Rican TV in 1980), Chucho Valdes is considered one of the greats of Cuban jazz piano.
Of the most interesting bands ever from the label that gave us such great bands The Magnetic Fields, Neutral Milk Hotel and Arcade Fire. Now just releasing their first album in 9 years, Superchunk came from the late 80s, back in a time when there really was no such thing as Indie music in the US. There was just a bubbling cauldron called "Underground" that contained everything from local college radio, various stuff from UK (Rough Trade) and whatever 7-inches showed up in xeroxed catalogues. It was more of a wild-west, and ironically for the heavily-distorted Superchunk, they had a big handing in curating/shaping the more mannerly, melodic face that the indie label has ended up with.
The Black Angels borrow their name from a Velvet Underground song ("The Black Angel's Death Song") and their echoey, tambourine-fringed dirges owe a lot to John Cale & Co. as well. This tour is all about their third disc, Phosphene Dream, set to be released on 9.14.
Sea Wolf's indie-folk songs stand out for their combination of catchiness and poignancy. But this fall, Alex Brown Church, the singer-songwriter behind the band, turns down the volume and turns up the intimacy with a solo tour--just Church and an acoustic guitar--letting his voice, the song, and the narrative lyrics shine through.
Come was THE '90's Boston band for Tourfilter. Smashed up against the amps at the front of the crowd Middle East Downstairs, halfway through the one beer we could afford, Thalia Zedek was a goddess and the raging, swirling rocknroll completely took us over.
Since the breakup, Thalia and bandmate Chris Brokaw have played together here and there, but this is the first reunion featuring the original lineup. Tourfilter will be there and we can't fucking wait.
From the other side of the world comes Boris. Indeed they are the answer to the question: “What happens when you filter western traditions of punk, metal, and industrial through 6,000 miles of airspace and crank it out in a free jazz mode?” Genreless and boundless, this Japanese group is known as much for their dedication to live performance as they are for their masterful analog recordings.
Touring nationally after last year's Vinyl/CD release "The Flaming Lips And Stardeath And White Dwarfs With Henry Rollins And Peaches Doing Dark Side Of The Moon”!
Solid downtempo detroit r&b singer touring in front of a new album ("W.W.W. (W.ants. W.orld. W.omen) "), dropping June 29.
She & him frontwoman Zooey Deschanel has soulful, clever lyrics (ex: "running away from you is like running a business") and a voice like freshly-baked pie. Cooling on a windowsill. In Venice Beach. In 1945.
Hearts-on-their-sleeves Canadian popsters almost made Tourfilter cry once. Or twice. We think it somewhere between the eighth and ninetieth listen of Set Yourself on Fire. There's a new record coming June 22, The Five Ghosts, and a 2-part making-of vid up on their official site.
UK DJ/Producer signed to Ninja Tune. Often tours with a live band, playing gorgeous lounge-y downtempo techno with echos of Burial and Album Leaf.
Underground rapper from Providence, RI spits angrily and articulately in front of big, idiosyncratic productions.
Cincinnati/Brooklyn croon-rockers The National are touring in front of their follow-up to 2007's acclaimed Boxer, coming in May of this year.
Young duo from Vancouver manages a very complete sound from just a guitar and a drum-kit. Their loud, slightly detuned and anarchic songs echo My Bloody Valentine and Lush.
like tortoise, new yorker marco benevento mixes rock with experimental music and jazz. downtempo, airy compositions filled with strange electronic sounds and flaming-lips-like crescendos. check out this awesome video.
