Suicide Note Announce Dates w/ Young Widows and Pelican!

Stream all of "Empty Rooms" here!

What the press is saying:

Suicide Note sound an awful lot like a Cave In/Pissed Jeans lovechild raised on Black Flag and Fugazi records along with tequila body shots from the Amphetamine Reptile discography. One listen to “Black Snow” reminded me why I maintain such a throbbing veiny chubby for this kind of music. - MetalSucks.net

Old Suicide Note fans will love hearing these four dudes push their trademark sound deep into the realm of innovative, Fugazi-influenced experimental rock. Empty Rooms is simply another stellar record in the career of what should now be everyone's favorite rock 'n roll hardcore band. - Lambgoat

A rollicking, pissed-off disc brimming with dark atmospheres and all manner of weird angles. Tempo and mood changes shred the metallic-hardcore rule-book, while Gagovski's crashing drums and Jason Golday's layers of detailed guitar work reveal the band's gift for artistry. – Alternative Press

Jesus Lizard-meets-Fugazi on this striking post-hardcore punk record. - BrooklynVegan

Tracklist for Empty Rooms:
1. Truly Historic
2. Analog Future
3. Merci, Mercy
4. Social Leper
5. Simple Math
6. No Waves
7. New Eyes
8. Division Of Me
9. Ride Out West
10. Black Snow

Suicide Note Live!

w/ Young Widows
11/1/08 Gainesville, FL @ THE FEST 7
11/13/08 Louisville, KY @ Cahoots
11/14/08 Indianapolis, IN @ Zanies Too
11/15/08 Milwaukee, WI @ Borg Ward
11/16/08 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen

w/ Pelican
11/21/08 Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
11/22/08 Dekalb, IL @ House Cafe



For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/suicidenote
www.suicidenote.net
www.hawthornestreetrecords.com

NPR's World Cafe Features Human Highway!

Human Highway: Pop For Day's End



World Cafe, September 29, 2008 - Years in the making, Human Highway is the awaited collaboration between Nick Thorburn, the Unicorns-turned-Islands frontman, and Jim Guthrie of Royal City and the Juno-nominated solo release Now, More than Ever.

Named for an '80s comedy featuring the icon Neil Young, Human Highway came about from an early Islands tour. Thorburn had written a song and asked Guthrie record a song in a hotel room. Some years later, Moody Motorcycle is the final result, with harmonies that evoke the Everly Brothers and Simon and Garfunkel. It's a tad more poppier and spacier than either musician's main projects, and comes off like music perfect the conclusion of the day.

Team Robespierre on Fuel TV's "The Daily Habit" Tonight * NYC This Thursday w/ Shy Child!

On Fuel TV's "The Daily Habit" Tonight * New York Show w/ Shy Child This Thursday!



Thrashing electric riffs and shouty vocals chase buzzing synths beats for a riotous dance-punk hybrid. - Spin.com

These primarily punk-rock tunes are laden with heavy synths and dance beats that encourage shaking your rump as much as bangin’ your head, and with 4/5 of the band contributing vocals, the scope of each composition expands exponentially and often instantaneously. - KEXP

Our friends in Team Robespierre wanted to let you know they'll be performing the tracks “Bad Habit” and “Multiple Choice” off their recently released Bad Habit EP, tonight on FUEL TV's "The Daily Habit!" Just off their West Coast tour with Does It Offend You, Yeah?, the band also recently made a pit-stop to play an in-studio at KEXP.

More information below, and if you live in the band's hometown of New York, be sure to catch them this Thursday, October 2nd, as Team Robespierre takes the stage @ Public Assembly w/ Shy Child!

The Daily Habit is FUEL TV’s first original daily series, telecast weeknights at 9:00 pm ET (6:00 pm PT) while re-airing later in the evening at 12:00 am ET (9:00 pm PT), and the following weekday at 2:30pm ET (11:30am PT) and 5:30pm ET (2:30 pm PT). The Daily Habit encompasses the world of the action sports enthusiast, mixing the best in pop culture with today’s top action sports personalities, cutting-edge music, product reviews, and comedy.

Team Robespierre Live!

Sept 29 2008 FUEL TV "THE DAILY HABIT" 6pm and 9pm Pacific, 9pm Eastern www.fuel.tv for more info.

Oct 2 2008 PUBLIC ASSEMBLY NEW YORK, New York w/SHY CHILD

For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/teamrobespierre

An Albatross Kickoff US Tour * Ready Release of "The An Albatross Family Album!"

Tracklist for The An Albatross Family Album (October 28th on Eyeball Records):
1.) Neon Guru
2.) ...And Now Emerges The Silver Pilgrim (* final version)
3.) The Hymn of the Angel People
4.) The Psychonaut & The Rustbelt
5.) Starving on Rabbit Meat
6.) A Convivial Feast of the Peace Beast
7.) Floodgates Released
8.) The Electric Proletariat Rides A Velvet Chariot
9.) 3,000 Light Years By Way of the Spacehawk

An Albatross Live!

USA
09.29.08 Mon Northampton, Massachusetts. Elevens
09.30.08 Tue Medford, Massachusetts. Oxfam Midnight Cafe - Tufts University
10.01.08 Wed Burlington, Vermont. The 5th Element
10.02.08 Thu Quebec City, Quebec. L'Agitée
10.03.08 Fri Montreal, Quebec. Divan Orange POP Weird Punk Series! w/ BRUTAL KNIGHTS, CAREER SUICIDE, JAPANTHER (POP MONTREAL)
10.04.08 Sat Toronto, Ontario. Sneaky Dee's w/ Chinese Stars
10.09.08 Thu Grand Rapids, Michigan. DAAC
10.10.08 Fri Bloomington, Indiana. Cinemat
10.11.08 Sat Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Borg Ward
10.15.08 Wed Cincinnati, Ohio. Gypsy Hut
10.16.08 Thu Bowling Green, Ohio. Howard's w/ DMBQ
10.17.08 Fri Chicago, Illinois. Abbey Pub w/ DMBQ, Pit er Pat, Plastic Crimewave
10.18.08 Sat Lansing, Michigan. Mac's Bar w/ DMBQ
10.20.08 Mon Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mister Roboto Project
10.22.08 Wed Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. Cafe Metropolis w/ DMBQ
10.23.08 Thu Baltimore, Maryland. Sonar w/ YIP YIP
10.24.08 Fri New York City, New York. Knitting Factory (Panache Booking CMJ Showcase) w/ MONOTONIX, AIDS WOLF, YIP YIP, THE MAE SHI, THE APES, AKIMBO, PANTHER, FIASCO, Aa, CATCALL, Shellshag DMBQ, SOLE AND THE SKYRIDER BAND
10.25.08 Sat Brooklyn, New York. Market Hotel (Todd P/Panache Party) w/ PRE, MONOTONIX, AIDS WOLF, YIP YIP, THE MAE SHI, THE APES, AKIMBO, PANTHER, GENGHIS TRON, DMBQ, SOLE AND THE SKYRIDER BAND

EUROPE
Oct 31 : Folkestone, UK @ Leas Cliff Hall w/Enter Shikari
Nov 01 : London, UK @ Old Blue Last w/Trencher
Nov 02 : London, UK @ Mean Fiddler w/Enter Shikari
Nov 03 : London, UK @ Mean Fiddler w/Enter Shikari
Nov 04 : London, UK @ Mean Fiddler w/Enter Shikari
Nov 6 : St Ouen-Paris, France @ Mains d'Oeuvres w/Yip Yip
Nov 8 : Poligny, France @ Moulin de Brainans w/Yip Yip
Nov 9 : Wiesbaden, Germany @ Schlachthof w/ Yip Yip
Nov 10 : Vienna, Austria @ Arena w/ Yip Yip

Nov 11 : Dresden, Germany @ AZ Conni w/ Yip Yip
Nov 12 : Nurnberg, Germany@ K4 w/ Yip Yip
Nov 13 : Esslingen, Germany @ Koma w/ Yip Yip
Nov 15 : Neuchatel, Switzerland @ Case à Chocs w/ Yip Yip
Nov 19 : Prague, Czech Republic @ 007 w/ Yip Yip
Nov 20 : Munster, Germany @ Gleiss 22 w/ Yip Yip
Nov 21 : Dortmund, Germany @ FZW w/ Yip Yip
Nov 22 : Antwerp, Belgium @ Scheldapen w/ Yip Yip



For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/analbatross23
www.eyeballrecords.com

Kayo Dot Kickoff US Tour * Meet Up w/ Pelican, Steve Brodsky, and Zozobra!

Stream "Blue Lambency Downward" here!

Kayo Dot Live!
Sep 29 2008 The Picador Iowa City, Iowa
Sep 30 2008 Jackpot Music Hall Lawrence, Kansas
Oct 1 2008 Slowdown Omaha, Nebraska
Oct 2 2008 Meadow Lark Denver, Colorado
Oct 5 2008 Rendezvous Seattle, Washington
Oct 6 2008 Satyricon Portland, Oregon
Oct 7 2008 Crux Artist Collective Chico, California
Oct 8 2008 Hemlock Tavern San Francisco, California
Oct 9 2008 Knitting Factory Los Angeles, California
Oct 10 2008 Radio Room San Diego, California
Oct 11 2008 Kayo Dot @ The Phix Gallery Phoenix, Arizona
Oct 13 2008 Red 7 Austin, Texas
Oct 14 2008 Rubber Gloves Denton, Texas
Oct 16 2008 Rocket Club Asheville, North Carolina
Oct 18 2008 Orion Studios Baltimore, Maryland
Oct 22 2008 Toby Driver Dave Bodie Matt Welch and Peter Evans @ The Stone New York, New York
Oct 25 2008 Toby Driver Wu Fei and Stevan Tickmayer @ The Stone New York, New York

Champions of Sound w/ Pelican and Stove Bredsky
Oct 28 2008 Hayloft Mt. Clemens, Michigan
Oct 29 2008 Ravari Room Columbus, Ohio
Oct 30 2008 Tralf Music Hall Buffalo, New York
Nov 1 2008 Harper’s Ferry Boston, Massachusetts w/ Zozobra
Nov 2 2008 Bowery Ballroom New York, New York w/ Zozobra
Nov 3 2008 Daniel Street Milford, Connecticut w/ Zozobra
Nov 4 2008 North Star Bar Philadelphia, Pennsylvania w/ Zozobra
Nov 5 2008 Black Cat Washington DC, Washington DC
Nov 7 2008 Outback Lodge Charlottesville, Virginia
Nov 8 2008 The Brewery Raleigh, North Carolina
Nov 9 2008 The Drunken Unicorn Atlanta, Georgia
Nov 10 2008 Jack Rabbit’s Jacksonville, Florida
Nov 11 2008 Common Grounds Gainesville, Florida
Nov 13 2008 The Orpheum Tampa, Florida
Nov 14 2008 The Social Orlando, Florida
Nov 16 2008 Hi Tone Cafe Memphis, Tennessee
Nov 18 2008 Uncle Pleasant’s Louisville, Kentucky




For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/kayodot
www.hydrahead.com

Torche's Montoya Interviews Harvey Milk's Tanner For Revolver!

huge thanks to Brandon Geist, Kory Grow, and the entire Revolver staff for their support!



WEB EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TORCHE’S JUAN MONTOYA QUESTIONS HARVEY MILK’S STEVEN TANNER



In a matter of hours, Juan Montoya will be soaring over the Atlantic with the other members of his band, Miami sludge-pop destroyers Torche, to pillage Europe (slowly and prettily). Still, time restrictions be damned, the guitarist (below, second from right) is so eager to speak with one of his musical inspirations, Harvey Milk bassist Steven Tanner, he has reserved an hour, pre-tarmac, to chat. As it happens, long-running stoner rockers Harvey Milk, who rarely toured during their first stint as a band in the mid ’90s, have just returned from their first-ever European tour. “We’re going to pick up the pieces of what you guys left behind,” Montoya says with a laugh. “You guys must be tired, Jesus!” rejoins Tanner. “I can rest when I’m dead,” says Montoya.

(((Read the full interview here!)))

Poison The Well To Record w/ J Robbins!

Set To Record New Album w/ J Robbins!



Miami's POISON THE WELL are excited and honored to announce they will be stepping into the studio w/ famed producer, J Robbins, beginning this November. Spending an entire month w/ Robbins (whose steady hands have helped create amazing albums from Against Me!, Clutch, Paint it Black, Modern Life is War, Murder By Death and more), the band will be recording their fifth full-length album, and the follow-up to 2007's critically acclaimed "Versions" LP (praised by the likes of Alternative Press, Revolver, Kerrang! and more). The new album is set for release in May 2009 on Ferret Music.

POISON THE WELL has had an illustrious career to date, with releases dubbed as some of the greatest hardcore albums of all time (Guitar World Magazine), touring w/ bands like The Deftones, Thrice, Cursive, The International Noise Conspiracy, Killswitch Engage, Cult Of Luna, Thursday, Hatebreed, Glassjaw as well as featured slots on The Warped Tour and The Take Action Tour, and now set their sights on even more exciting news in the coming months.

* Stay tuned for more POISON THE WELL news including limited edition releases, reports from the studio, tourdates and more!



For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/poisonthewell
www.ferretstyle.com

LateNightWallflower Talks to Suicide Note for 7" Corner!

huge thanks to Matt Pullman and the entire LateNightWallflower staff for their support!



Guest 7-Inch Corner: Jason From Suicide Note/Hawthorne Street Records



For this installment of The 7-Inch Corner, we’ve got a guest column from Jason Gagovski, drummer for Suicide Note, Sweet Cobra, Stabbed By Words and co-owner of Hawthorne Street Records. Jason’s spotlight is on Unbroken’s highly revered swansong Circa ‘77. The 7-inch was released by New Age Records back in 1996. I think we’ve all experienced that incredible feeling that Jason writes about in his column. Read on and enjoy.

Artist: Unbroken
Title: Circa ‘77
By Jason Gagovski

I can remember seeing this 7-inch listed in the Revelation Records distro catalog as “coming soon” and I couldn’t wait. It was 1996, I did a distro, played in bands, published a zine, and had just been accepted into a college for the upcoming fall semester. I had been lucky enough to see the band twice, once on their “Ritual” tour and once on the “Life.Love.Regret.” tour and they blew me away, as well as everyone else in the room. They were changing the face of hardcore by playing honest, emotional music that was redefining the genre. They looked like greasers and were serious about their music and lyrics. Their songs and meaning cut deep and they transcended their peers by leaps and bounds­ in subject matter and the way they approached it.

Read more of Jason’s column after the jump.

Fans and friends were very dedicated to the band­; if you liked them, you loved them. So when they announced that they were breaking up after four short years of being a band, and playing some final shows,­ people were bummed, to say the least. I had listened to Life.Love.Regret. and the And/Fall On Proverb 7-inch one million times­ and couldn’t wait to hear something new. Since they were disbanding, I realized that there would be no more new Unbroken music to look forward to. When I saw that ad for the final 7-inch, I couldn’t wait to hear it.

Unbroken was the type of band that only got better with each release so I knew the final 7-inch would be a gift to us all. So I placed my order for ten copies (five on color, five on black) for my small distro. I knew at least ten people that loved the band that would be more than happy to get the 7-inch.

Fast forward a few months. Summer was ending and I was loading up to move three hours south to the hills of Brown County in Bloomington, Indiana to attend Indiana University to study design (this is also where Suicide Note was eventually born). I had lived in the house I grew up in my whole life so any kind of move was a big deal to me.­ I was out of the nest for the first time. I was excited, scared, and everything else in between. As I loaded up the last few things and got in my car to leave, I see the mail truck pull up. I get out of my car to greet her and she hands me a package addressed to me. I could tell it was records and my excitement started to build. I got inside the house and opened the box and there was a stack of Unbroken Circa ‘77 records. I immediately put it on the turntable, pulled out a tape, and dubbed it to a cassette and I heard it for the first time on my journey to my new home.

From the first fluttering sounds of feedback on “Absentee Debate,” to the last sounds of screaming on “Crushed On You,” it was everything I hoped it would be and more. The vocals sounded more angry, emotional, and urgent than ever­ but you could understand every word he was screaming, which made it have even more impact. The music was totally to the point with absolutely no filler. Each song is broken down to it’s most essential parts and each instrument has equal amount of sonic real estate in the mix. They sounded like they were losing their minds.

The small insert has the lyrics carved in handwriting with old photobooth style photos of each member of the band, a clever design element often copied. Side A ends with the words “I don’t care” screamed over and over again, while the music is a total pummel-fest of one of the catchiest guitar parts ever. Side B starts with a swirling guitar part that begins to show new direction for the band. The song is laced with melody mixed with grit, and layering not heard in the band’s sound prior to this. It ebbs and flows back and forth between the parts as the lyrics and vocals somehow sound more desperate than Side A. Then there is a dark bass and drum break before the song explodes into the final part of vocal interplay and the culmination of the song, with the vocals screaming “It doesn’t matter.” I was floored. I felt like the band really had touched on something innovative and truly emotional­ in less than six minutes of music.

I grabbed the tape and ran out to my car to pull away from the house I grew up in, realizing that my life would be forever changed from that moment on. I was out in the “real world” with that Unbroken tape playing on repeat as I pulled away.

I knew that after the demise of the band that all of the members would go on to do other great bands. Steve and Todd started Kill Holiday; Eric played in the amazing Swing Kids; Rob played in Some Girls among others; Dave played in Johnny Angel and in 1999, he and I started Stabbed By Words.

Russian Circles Announce US Dates w/ Clutch!

Russian Circles
Announce US Dates w/ Clutch * European Tour w/ These Arms Are Snakes!



Chicago's Russian Circles had one hell of a busy 2008, which included the release of their critically acclaimed new album, "Station" (Suicide Squeeze), touring non-stop w/ the likes of Daughters and Coheed and Cambria, and currently, embarking on a massive European tour w/ friends and label-mates, These Arms Are Snakes.

Rounding out a fantastic year, Russian Circles have announced they plan to spend their holiday and New Year's festivities on the road with alternative rock legends, CLUTCH!

That's right, one of the genre's heaviest and most respected bands, Clutch, have hand-picked Russian Circles to join them on their brief romp around the East Coast and Mid-West. This is sure to make some heads explode.

Complete list of dates below!



Tracklisting for Station
1. Campaign
2. Harper Lewis
3. Station
4. Verses
5. Youngblood
6. Xavii

Russian Circles Live!

Europe w/ These Arms Are Snakes!
October 14 Rotterdamn, Holland - Waterfront
October 15 Tilburg, Holland 013 Popcentrum
October 17 Braunschweig, Germany Nexus
October 18 Frankfurt, Germany Elfer
October 19 St. Petersburg, Russia Art Galley Loft Project * no TAAS
October 22 Moscow, Russia Aktoviy Zal
October 24 Berlin, Germany Magnet
October 25 Leipzig, Germany Zoro
October 26 Prague, Czech Club 007
October 27 Budapest, Hungary Kaplung
October 28 Vienna, Austria Arena Vienna
October 29 Zurich, Switzerland Abart
October 30 Bologna, Italy Sotto Tetto
October 31 Montpellier, France Mojomatic
November 1 Barcelona, Spain Apollo 2
November 3 Madrid, Spain Wurlitzer Ballroom
November 4 Lisbon, Portugal Galeria Ze Des Bois
November 5 Porto, Portugal Porto Rio
November 6 Barakaldo, SPA Edaska Rock Club
November 8 Lyon, France Grrrnd Zero
November 9 Lausanne, Switzerland Le Romandie
November 10 Paris, France Mains D‚oeuvre
November 11 Esch-Alzette, Luxemborg Rokhal
November 12 Gent, Belgium Charlatan
November 13 Leuven, Belgium Stuk
November 14 Brighton, UK Engine Room
November 15 Exeter, UK Cavern Club
November 16 Leeds, UK Brudenell Social Club
November 17 Glasgow, UK Stereo
November 18 Belfast, Ireland Black Box
November 19 Dublin, Ireland Whelans
November 20 Manchester, UK Star And Garter
November 21 Nottingham, UK Rock City
November 22 London, UK Islington Academy

USA w/ Clutch!
Dec 27 Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, New Jersey
Dec 28 Webster Theater - Hartford, Connecticut
Dec 29 930 Club - Washington DC
Dec 30 Newport Music Hall - Columbus, Ohio
Dec 31 Orbit Room - Grand Rapids, Michigan



For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/russiancircles
www.suicidesqueeze.net

Ten Kens Release Debut Album on Fat Cat * TheTripwire Leaks Exclusive mp3!

Ten Kens
Release Debut Self-Titled Album Today on FatCat Records * Announce Headlining Shows at PopMontreal and Cake-Shop in New York!




Just in time to shake things up a bit for the coming autumn, eclectic Toronto rockers Ten Kens have announced a September 23 release date for their self-titled debut album on FatCat. Recorded in Montreal with producer Colin Stewart (Black Mountain, Destroyer, Pretty Girls Make Graves), Ten Kens is the result of more than a year of laborious, near-hermetic songwriting toil by founding duo Dean Tzenos (guitar) and Dan Workman (vocals), before adding current members Lee Stringle (drums) and Ryan Rountree (bass). The track's droney verse structure and chaotic, tribal chorus create an unsettling juxtaposition that should enrapture fans of similarly minded bands No Age and Liars. - Spin.com

Ten Kens combine raw vocal delivery, driving rhythms, and heavy, reverb-laden guitars with idiosyncratic song structures, creating a fresh, immediate sound. The Toronto quartet’s volatile mix of bittersweet melody and spiky, lysergic rock is alternately introspective and belligerent, pensive and swaggering, with a unique perspective that earns them a place at the outer limits of darkly melodic rock.

Like avant-indie contemporaries Liars and Black Heart Procession, or predecessors like Sonic Youth or Mudhoney, Ten Kens’ sonic ambition never comes at the expense of songcraft; layers of noise bolster, rather than undermine, their memorable melodies.

Comprising Dean Tzenos (guitar), Dan Workman (vocals), Lee Stringle (bass), and Ryan Roantree (drums), the origins of the band are rooted in 2003, when friends Tzenos and Workman began collaborating together. Building on their musical affinity, they played as a trio with various drummers for about a year before deciding to rent a townhouse to write and record an album entirely by themselves. From start to finish, that process took over a year, with the pair seeing very little sunlight or fresh air.

Once recorded, the fruit of their labours was burnt to disc and circulated, and following a spate of label interest culminating in their FatCat signing, the duo fleshed out the band to its current lineup, began playing shows, and set about recording their debut album proper. Though informed by their previous recordings, Ten Kens sounds fresh and revitalized, a product of the new lineup’s collective drive and ambition.

Recorded at Breakglass Studios in Montreal with Colin Stewart (Black Mountain, Pretty Girls Make Graves), Ten Kens’ brooding, West Coast psych-tinged oeuvre and the space’s history seemed naturally aligned, but the recording process itself did the most to shape the album’s sound: they recorded nearly all day and all night for two weeks straight. The band’s goal was to capture the spirit unique to each song with this hard-driven schedule, and this underlying forward motion carries from song to song, creating a well-realized whole despite the tracks’ eclecticism.

Currently playing shows non-stop in and around their native Toronto, Ten Kens plan to widen their scope and tour the USA this fall in support of their self-titled debut album.



Ten Kens' Tracklisting
1. Bear Fight
2. Downcome Home
3. Refined
4. Y’all Come Back Now
5. Spanish Fly * exclusive download @ TheTripwire.com!
6. The Alternate Biker
7. Prodigal Sum
8. Worthless & Oversimplified Ideas
9. The Whore Of Revelation
10. Your Kids Will Know
11. I Really Hope You Get To Retire

Watch the videos for "Bear Fight" and "Y'all Come Back Now"

Ten Kens Live!
October 4th @ PopMontreal / The Barfly
November 12th @ The Cake-Shop in New York

* More East Coast Date To Be Announced Soon!



For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/tenkens
www.fatcat-usa.com

Absolutepunk Talks to Brian Cook (Russian Circles / These Arms Are Snakes)!

huge thanks to Julia Conny and the entire Absolutepunk staff!



AP.net Interview: Brian Cook (Russian Circles / These Arms Are Snakes)



Oh Russian Circles. There are bands that are living in set lines, and then there are bands that stroll beyond them. And then there are bands that just don't give a fuck. But it's not that Russian Circles don't care, it's that when their new album Station plays in full, the heavy, dissonant tones breathe life into current standards of creativity. So it's just hard to see lines to begin with. Circles, maybe. But no lines.

I was given the opportunity to chat it up with new-ish Russian Circles bassist Brian Cook (also in These Arms Are Snakes), and we talked about a few things, like him coming into the band, how he got into music, and how gas prices and Internet are playing the same downhill team.

(((Full interview here!)))

These Arms Are Snakes w/ sBACH!
FRI SEPT 19 – Pomona CA, Elks Pomona Lodge
SAT SEPT 20 – San Diego CA, Che Café Collective
SUN SEPT 21 – Santa Barbara CA, Muddy Waters
TUE SEPT 23 – Reno NV, Tonic Lounge

Europe w/ These Arms Are Snakes and Russian Circles!
Oct 14 2008 Waterfront Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland
Oct 15 2008 O13 Popcentrum Tilburg, Zuid-Holland
Oct 17 2008 Nexus Braunschweig
Oct 18 2008 Elfer Frankfurt
Oct 20 2008 Mod Club - Russia St. Petersburg
Oct 22 2008 Aktoviy Zal - Russia Moscow
Oct 24 2008 Magnet Berlin, Berlin
Oct 25 2008 Zoro Leipzig
Oct 26 2008 club 007 Prague
Oct 27 2008 Kaplung Budapest
Oct 28 2008 Arena Vienna Vienna
Oct 29 2008 Abart Zurich
Oct 30 2008 Sotto Tetto Bologna
Oct 31 2008 Mojomatic Montpellier
Nov 1 2008 Apollo 2 Barcelona
Nov 3 2008 Wurlitzer Ballroom Madrid
Nov 4 2008 Galeria Ze Des Bois Lisbon
Nov 5 2008 Porto Rio Porto
Nov 6 2008 Edaska Rock Club Barakaldo
Nov 8 2008 Grrrnd Zero Lyon
Nov 9 2008 Le Romandie Lausanne
Nov 10 2008 Mains D’oeuvre Paris
Nov 11 2008 Rockhal Esch-Alzette
Nov 12 2008 Charlatan Gent
Nov 13 2008 Stuk Leuven
Nov 14 2008 Engine Room Brighton
Nov 15 2008 Cavern Club Exeter
Nov 16 2008 Brudenell Social Club Leeds
Nov 17 2008 Stereo Glasgow, Scotland
Nov 18 2008 Black Box Belfast, Northern Ireland
Nov 19 2008 Whelans Dublin, Northern Ireland
Nov 20 2008 Star And Garter Manchester
Nov 21 2008 Rock City Nottingham
Nov 22 2008 Islington Academy London

Stereogum Documents Human Highway's Debut Performance!

huge thanks to Johnny Leather, Brandon Stosuy, and the entire Stereogum staff!



Human Highway Just Played Their First Shows



Human Highway, the duo of Islands' Nick Thorburn and jingle master Jim Guthrie, played their first shows ever at Cake Shop on Monday and a show at Joe's Pub last night. Both were co-headliners with Paul Simon's son Harper Simon (sorry to name drop your dad, Harper) with Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark opening. If you haven't taken a listen to Human Highway's debut album, Moody Motorcycle, it's streaming at their MySpace. Or you can cut to the chase and check out how they looked on stage at the Cake Shop (as a quintet) by following this link.

You can also watch "My Beach" at thedailycrosshatch's YouTube profile. By the by, Human Highway's currently at work on a video for Moody Motorcyle opener (and the first clip above) "The Sound." It's being made with animator Olivier Groulx, who also did Arcade Fire's "Black Mirror." If all goes well, it'll be done by the end of the month.

Trash Talk Announce US Tour * Dates w/ Every Time I Die and more!

Trash Talk
Announce US Tour w/ Alpha & Omega * Dates w/ Every Time I Die, Ruiner, and More!



Sounds like hardcore refrigerator magnet poetry, right? That shit goes down like rancid butter as screamed by Trash Talk’s two vocalists, who themselves ride atop a brakeless garbage truck compacting grimy old-school hardcore, breakneck grindcore assaults and some dangerous sludge breakdowns. - Prefixmag.com

You'll find a lifetime's worth of intensity, noise, and pent up anger on Trash Talk's self-titled new album... Easily the bleakest, most confrontational set of Trash Talk jams yet. - Revolver Magazine

When Trash Talk ask you to claw your way up to the front and scream along to the lyrics, it's hard to say no. - Decibel Magazine

2008 has been a triumphant year for Trash Talk: A debut full-length on their own Trash Talk Collective (produced by the mighty Steve Albini), US tours w/ Cold World and Iron Age, performances at Sound and Fury and F Yeah Fest, w/ a set at Fun Fun Fun Fest to follow (performing w/ Bad Brains, Young Widows, Bouncing Souls, Flipper, Dead Milkmen, Integrity, DOA, Cro-Mags and more), not to mention the band's current European tour w/ hard-core super heroes Paint it Black.

Now, as we head towards the last part of what just seemed like a brand new year, the good dudes in Trash Talk grace us w/ their presence to make sure we have our dose of unparalleled rage and conviction before all is said and done.

Trash Talk are, to many, the best thing happening in the punk and hardcore community today. Their mix of equal parts skate-thrash, speed metal, crust and 80's hardcore, combined w/ their completely pissed-off lyrics and highest-energy live show, make for one of the greatest bands to both see live and listen to, as in today's crumbling America, it's easy to relate to their animosity and bleak outlook. That said, much like punching a pillow (or more precisely, a wall), Trash Talk is also the cure to any fits of rage.

* Trash Talk tour the US w/ Alpha & Omega, and meet up w/ friends Every Time I Die, Bracewar, Ruiner, New Lows and more. Full tourdates below:



Stream entire album here!

Trash Talk Tracklist:
The Hand That Feeds
Well of Souls
Birth Plague Die
Incarnate
I Block
Dig ( * download from TheTripwire.com!)
Onward and Upward
Shame
Immaculate Infection
All the Kings Men
The Mistake
Revelation

Trash Talk Live!

Europe w/ Paint it Black!
Sep 17 2008 Arena Vienna
Sep 18 2008 Exhaus Trier
Sep 19 2008 Juha West Stuttgart
Sep 20 2008 Light In The Dark Fest @ Parkhaus Meiderich Duisburg
Sep 20 2008 ZXZW Festival Tilburg
Sep 21 2008 Le Klub Paris
Sep 22 2008 The Fighting Cocks London
Sep 23 2008 Le Pub Newport
Sep 24 2008 Star & Garter Manchester
Sep 25 2008 Trash Leeds
Sep 26 2008 The Engine Room Brighton
Sep 27 2008 Ill Blood Fest @ JOC De Schuur Izegem

USA w/ Alpha & Omega
October 12th - San Diego, CA @ Soma w/ Every Time I Die
October 13th - Fresno, CA @ The Exit w/ Every Time I Die
October 14th - Sacramento, CA @ The Boardwalk w/ Every Time I Die
October 15th - Denver, CO @ Rock And Roll Grill
October 16th - Lincoln, NE @ Box Awesome
October 17th - Columbia, MO @ TBA
October 18th - Peoria, IL @ The Meeting House w/ Weekend Nachos and Harms Way
October 19th - Bloomington, IN @ Matts House
October 20th - Cleveland, OH @ Now That's Class
October 22nd - Latham, NY @ The Landing Zone
October 23rd - Boston, MA @ TBA w/ New Lows
October 24th - Dix Hills, NY @ The Doghouse w/ New Lows
October 25th - Edison, NJ @ Stelton Baptist Church w/ New Lows and War Hungry
October 26th - Baltimore, MD @ Charm City Artspace w/ Bracewar, War Hungry and Brick
October 27th - Richmond, VA @ Alley Katz w/ Bracewar and War Hungry
October 28th - Johnson City, TN @ The Hideaway w/ Bracewar, Ruiner and FC5
October 29th - Raleigh, NC @ The Brewery w/ Bracewar
October 30th - Atlanta, GA @ The Shop w/ Bracewar, Ruiner and FC5
October 31st - Jacksonville, FL @ The Pit
November 1st - Miami, FL @ The Dogpound
November 2nd - Tampa, FL @ Transistions
November 3rd - Mobile, AL @ American Legion Post 33
November 4th - Tupelo, MS @ Lifes Blood Skateshop
November 5th - Memphis, TN @ TBA
November 6th - Tulsa, OK @ The Pinkeye
November 7th - Dallas, TX @ TBA w/ Power Trip
November 8th - Austin, TX @ FUN FUN FUN FEST (no A&O on this date)
November 9th - Austin, TX @ FUN FUN FUN FEST (no A&O on this date)
November 10th - Phoenix, AZ @ The Phix
November 11th - San Diego, CA @ Che Cafe w/ Rotting Out and Down Again
November 12th - Riverside, CA @ The Paroahs Den w/ Violation and Rotting Out
November 13th - Santa Barbara, CA @ Casa De Raza w/ Violation and Rotting Out
November 14th - Berkeley, CA @ 924 Gilman w/ Never Healed and Violation



For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/trashtalkfu
www.trashtalkhc.com

Thursday Announce Exclusive Pre-order * Leak New Music to Myspace!

Announce Exclusive Pre-Order of Split LP+CD * Leak Audio From Both Bands on Myspace!



From Thursday:

Hello Friends-

We are very pleased to announce the nicest pre-order package that we've ever offered. Our split with Tokyo's Envy is one of the proudest moments of our career. There are four songs from us on here and three from Envy. If we weren't half of this split we'd be ordering this for the Envy tracks alone (seriously, for all our friends and fans that aren't acquainted with them, they are incredible). It's also a great feeling to work with the fine people at Temporary Residence on this record. They're one of the most innovative and caring groups of people that put out music today.

This deluxe limited edition release, found only on Thursday.net, features the following:

- limited to 1000 copies
- 180 gram vinyl
- Silk-screened artwork by Dan Grzeca
- Free copy on CD included
- Exclusive band version with metallic bronze (“Autumn Leaves” color!) cover and matching vinyl. - ONLY AVAILABLE IN OUR WEBSTORE



1. $20 for VINYL / CD only
2. $30 VINYL / CD / Limited edition standard T-SHIRT with soft water-based metallic ink
3. $32 VINYL / CD / Limited edition super soft Slim-Fit Fine Jersey T-SHIRT with soft water-based metallic ink. This shirt is a step up from the standard band shirt!

* Thursday are also streaming clips from select tracks on their Myspace page now, you can check them out by clicking the song titles below:

Track Listing:
(Thursday)
1. As He Climbed The Dark Mountain
2. In Silence
3. An Absurd And Unrealistic Dream Of Peace
4. Appeared And Was Gone
(Envy)
5. An Umbrella Fallen Into Fiction
6. Isolation Of A Light Source
7. Pure Birth And Loneliness

-Thursday



For more information, visit:
www.thursday.net
www.myspace.com/officialenvy
www.temporaryresidence.com

Akimbo Announce New October Release Date for "Jersey Shores!"

AKIMBO
Announce New Release Date of October 28th for "Jersey Shores" (Neurot Recordings) * Ready Ten Year Anniversary Show and US Tour!



Combining the massive bottom-end of the mid-90's stoner rock movement (see: Kyuss, High On Fire) with the raw, unbridled force of the current crop of Louisville hardcore bands like Breather Resist and Lords, the quirky edge of classic DC post-punk, and bringing it together with a loose, bluesy attack reminiscent of early Zeppelin, Akimbo is a force to be reckoned with. - Scene Point Blank

A heavy and challenging record that never loses track of the punk rock aesthetic. - Delusions of Adequacy

Spit and venom flies from the speakers when you listen to their whiplash combo of Sick of it All–style fury and obscenely heavy riffage inspired by three decades of thrash, stoner sludge, and classic Brit-metal. And that's nothing compared to Akimbo's legendary live show, where you might consider yourself lucky to escape with all limbs and internal organs intact. Forget about your hearing, though. - Seattle Weekly

I was wrong. I said things I shouldn’t have. I was presumptuous; I was hasty. I retract previous comments. None before and none after can be this good. - Punknews.org

Akimbo are back with another hearty ass-kicking that will remain a paramount moment of their recording careers.

Inspired by an infamous and bizarre legacy left from a string of shark attacks which occurred in the Garden State some 92 years ago, Jersey Shores isn’t just metal, hardcore, punk rock, or whatever genre you can boil a band down to. Instead, it is a pure reminder as to why rock and roll was so hated when it first arrived (loud, riotous, rebellious, and defiant are just a few words that come to mind).

Recorded over a three week period at Headbanging Kill Your Mama Music in Louisville, KY with Chris Owens (Coliseum, Breather Resist) while the band subsided on a diet of ramen, frozen pizzas and, of course, beer, Jersey Shores isn’t the heavy/loud music that you would steal from the tape deck of your older brother's ’87 Ford Escort.

Not only is it an abrasive assortment of gliding guitar riffs on steroids with guttural growls but it's also a hideous hybrid of doom and noise core that takes no prisoners while its big hairy balls hang out. Make no mistake, history will see Jersey Shores as the moment where Akimbo joined the elder statesmen of all that is loud and untamable in music.

There can be no more suitable home for a band like Akimbo and a record like Jersey Shores than Neurot Recordings, a label representing all that is loud and untamable in music.



Tracklisting for Jersey Shores
1. Matawan
2. Bruder Vansant
3. Lester Stillwell
4. Rogue
5. Great White Bull
6. Jersey Shores



Akimbo Live!

Sep 13 2008 LIVE on KEXP 90.3 FM - SONIC REDUCER SEATTLE, Washington
Sep 23 2008 LIVE ON 104.9 FM THE FUNKY MONKEY SEATTLE, Washington
Sep 27 2008 KING COBRA - 10 YEAR ANNVERSARY + RECORD RELEASE SHOW! SEATTLE, Washington w/ HARVESTMAN + HELMS ALEE
Oct 6 2008 BOUQUET BOISE, Idaho
Oct 7 2008 KILBY COURT SALT LAKE CITY, Utah
Oct 8 2008 HI DIVE DENVER, Colorado
Oct 9 2008 RECORD BAR KANSAS CITY, Missouri
Oct 10 2008 LOUNGE ON ELM ST. DALLAS, Texas
Oct 11 2008 EMO’S AUSTIN, Texas
Oct 12 2008 THE MINK BACKROOM HOUSTON, Texas
Oct 13 2008 THE GRAVEL PIT MOUNTAIN HOME, Arkansas
Oct 14 2008 BOTTLETREE BIRMINGHAM, Alabama
Oct 15 2008 JJ’S BOHEMIA CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee
Oct 16 2008 MILESTONE CHARLOTTE, North Carolina
Oct 17 2008 TALKING HEAD BALTIMORE, Maryland
Oct 18 2008 RED AND BLACK DC, Washington DC
Oct 19 2008 DANIEL ST. MILFORD, Connecticut w/ MONOTONIX
Oct 20 2008 SPACE 538 PORTLAND, Maine w/ EARTH + CONIFER
Oct 22 2008 WESLEYAN MIDDLETON, Connecticut
Oct 23 2008 MIDDLE EAST BOSTON, Massachusetts
Oct 24 2008 KNITTING FACTORY - CMJ PANACHE SHOWCASE NEW YORK CITY, New York w/ AN ALBATROSS, MONOTONIX, AIDS WOLF and more
Oct 25 2008 TODD P/PANACHE WAREHOUSE PARTY BROOKLYN, New York
Oct 26 2008 BOURBON ST COLUMBUS, Ohio
Oct 28 2008 MELODY INN INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana
Oct 29 2008 EMPTY BOTTLE CHICAGO, Illinois
Oct 30 2008 THE BORG WARD MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin
Oct 31 2008 THE UPTOWN MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota
Nov 3 2008 EMPYREAN SPOKANE, Washington



For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/akimbo
www.neurotrecordings.com

Revolver Magazine Talks to Suicide Note!

huge thanks to Aaron Burgess and the entire Revolver Magazine staff!

Team Robespierre Kickoff West Coast Tour w/ Does It Offend You, Yeah?!

Team Robespierre Live!

Sep 12 2008 HOUSE SHOW A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE ECHO LOS ANGELES, California w/THE STRANGE BOYS

Sep 13 2008 FERN GULLY (1233 E ST. @ 13 AND E) SACRAMENTO, California w/ RELIGIOUS GIRLS BABS JOHNSON GANG AND NOVEL HEROS

Sep 16 2008 DOUG FIR PORTLAND, Oregon w/DOES IT OFFEND YOU YEAH?

Sep 17 2008 CHOP SUEY SEATTLE, Washington w/DOES IT OFFEND YOU YEAH?

Sep 18 2008 GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL SAN FRANCISCO, California w/DOES IT OFFEND YOU YEAH?

Sep 19 2008 SEATTLE, Washington LIVE ON KEXP! 12PM noon!!!!

Sep 19 2008 THE YOUR HOUSE WAREHOUSE (EX HAZ-MAT) OAKLAND, California

Sep 20 2008 ACROBATICS EVERYDAY SHOW @ UC IRVINE IRVINE, California

Sep 20 2008 (LATE) THE ECHO @ HANG THE DJS PARTY

Sep 21 2008 CHE CAFE SAN DIEGO, California w/DOCTOR BIRD AND DRUG WARS

Sep 22 2008 TROUBADOUR WEST HOLLYWOOD, California w/DOES IT OFFEND YOU YEAH?

Oct 2 2008 PUBLIC ASSEMBLY NEW YORK, New York w/SHY CHILD

For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/teamrobespierre

Human Highway Are Coming to New York!

Stream all of "Moody Motorcycle" here!

On the duo's best songs, they harmonize like Simon & Garfunkel shutting their eyes against approaching shades of winter. - Spin Magazine

"The Sound," whose shuffling beat and tight guitar strums are the perfect accompaniment to the waning days of summer. - Rolling Stone

A nice midpoint between the easygoing harmonies of the Everly Brothers and the big open spaces of the mid-70s west coast songwriter boom. - Pitchfork

Championed by the likes of Rolling Stone, Spin, KEXP and countless others, Moody Motorcycle has climbed to the #11 (# 1 most added) position on CMJ’s Radio Charts, entrancing listeners since day-one of the album's release on August 19th, courtesy of the Suicide Squeeze imprint.

To celebrate the new album, Human Highway has announced their first ever live performances, all for the lucky few in the New York Metropolitan area. Appearing as co-headliners w/ Harper Simon, and new to the bill, Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark, Thorburn and Guthrie will bring Moody Motorcycle, to their audience for the first time ever. Taking place at New York's Cake-Shop on Monday, September 15th, and the lovely Joe's Pub on Tuesday, September 16th, the shows are sure to be intimate, yet very well attended, so be sure to reserve your place on the guest-list quickly! We look forward to seeing you there!

Human Highway Live!

w/ Harper Simon and Becky Stark!
Monday, September 15th @ The Cake-Shop in NYC
Tuesday, September 16th @ Joe's Pub in NYC

* Human Highway is currently working with animator / director Olivier Groulx for work on the debut video for their single, "The Sound." Groulx is best known for his work on Arcade Fire's video for "Black Mirror," and expects to have the video ready by the end of the month.

Lambgoat Reviews Suicide Note's "Empty Rooms!"

huge thanks to the Lambgoat staff for their support!



Suicide Note
Empty Rooms
(Hawthorne Street Records)



Suicide Note might just be hardcore's best kept secret. Despite their often sporadic levels of activity, the four piece has been churning out rock 'n roll inspired metallic hardcore for close to a decade now, beginning with their potent punch of noisy, raw anthems on 2000's Come On Save Me. But after the success of Suicide Note's debut full-length, You're Not Looking So Good, the band refused to stay content with their already sharp musical style and instead pushed their sound into the more uncharted territory of experimental rock, becoming a hidden gem amongst Ferret's offerings of teenage metalcore with the release of Too Sick to Dance (Forever Fucked). And after a long four years, they've reemerged for the release of yet another spectacular album in Empty Rooms, this time completely blurring the lines between their metallic hardcore origins, experimental rock, and noisy post-punk.

Amazingly enough, all of this rock experimentalism and genre blending is done in an extremely concise manner, with most tracks hovering around the two and a half minute mark. Some of the meandering direction of Too Sick to Dance is nowhere to be found on Empty Rooms, a point solidified by the instantaneous attack of hard-hitting drums, melodic yells, and noisy guitar lines in the opener, "Truly Historic." While the thick bass tones and urgent songwriting of "Division of Me" and "Black Snow" offer the best look into Suicide Note's past, the majority of Empty Rooms emits a much spacier overall sound reminiscent of highly influential 90s acts like Drive Like Jehu and Fugazi. In fact, "Merci, Mercy" would feel right at home on Fugazi's Red Medicine as its warm but rigid guitar lines, driving bass, and Guy Picciotto-like vocal style can't help but nod to the DC greats. And "Social Leper" continues the groove-laden rock approach of past tracks like Too Sick to Dance's "Let's Get Hit." Suicide Note's knack for blending all of these styles into a concise, cohesive rock record should not go understated. Any listener with the slightest bit of interest in an intelligent, hardcore influenced rock record should not hesitate in picking this up.

So although Suicide Note may have managed to fly under the radar of many hardcore fans for a few years, now is as good of a time as any to lend an ear. Bands this innovative, clever, and downright awesome deserve every ounce of support possible. And like all major Suicide Note releases, Empty Rooms was recorded by none other than Kurt Ballou.

Bottom Line: Old Suicide Note fans will love hearing these four dudes push their trademark sound deep into the realm of innovative, Fugazi-influenced experimental rock. Empty Rooms is simply another stellar record in the career of what should now be everyone's favorite rock 'n roll hardcore band.

Oddateee Announces "Halfway Homeless" out November 4th on Deadverse Recordings!

Announces New Album, "Halfway Homeless," out November 4th on Deadverse Recordings



Oddateee does everything correctly giving his contemporaries a run for their fucking money. - Ghetto Blaster Magazine

One of the area's most mysterious rappers. - Mike Lupica, WFMU

Hailed by Blow Up Magazine as "one of the most dynamic live hip-hop performers we have seen in years," Bronx, NYC born-and-raised ODDATEEE made his solo debut in 2001 with "Steely Darkglasses" on esteemed indie Gern Blandsten Records. Now, he is back with his new full length entitled, "HALFWAY HOMELESS," set for release this Fall, and serving as the debut release, for dälek's Deadverse Recordings.

Packing 12 hard-hitting tracks from the underbelly of hip hop and coming straight from the edge of insanity, ODDATEEE's stream of conscience flow on "HALFWAY HOMELESS" taps into his most primortal fears, angers, and frustrations. Backed with production by dälek (Ipecac), Komplx, Digital Unicorn, and cuts by dj Motiv, ODDATEEE bounces from the dark gritty streets to the old school vibe of abandoned building party joints. The album's first single, "RICANS," is a new anthem for Puerto Ricans and old school Hip Hop / Electro fans alike. HALFWAY HOMELESS is a paranoid ride through the mind of this Hip Hop Maestro/Madman. If you love your Boom Bap skewed towards the deranged, you will love ODDATEEE

ODDATEEE's musical journey started after hooking up with Komplx (R. Vega), a gifted producer from Union City, NJ., ODDATEEE became a founding member and ten year veteran of THE LABTEKS, a 30 member crew responsible for one of the most innovative hip hop albums you’ve probably never heard. Taking Komplx’s lead, and drawing influence from the rest of the crew, ODDATEEE grew more comfortable creating tracks that painted outside of the lines rather than rehashing the usual tried-and-true conventions. Since the release of Steely Darkglasses in late 2001, ODDATEEE has collaborated in the studio and on stage with DR. ISRAEL, dalek, ISIS, CHERRY VALENCE, THE SOFA SURFERS, MIKE LADD, ANTI-POP CONSORTIUM, SMUT PEDDLERS, DJ SPOOKY and PRINCE PAUL just to name a few. Since the release of "Steely" ODDATEEE could also be found collaborating with Markus Kienzl of the Sofa Surfers, Karuan's Chocolate Distance track, "Reflexions of a Poem" , as well a part of the deadverse massive split 12" with dälek and Destructo Swarmbots (Public Guilt).

HALFWAY HOMELESS features production by dälek (Ipecac Records) and Dave Leto from Rye Coalition, was mixed by Alap Momin (Dillinger Escape Plan, Ted Leo, Paint It Black, and Miss TK & the Revenge) and plans to extensively tour both the US and Europe starting soon. His back catalog can be found on esteemed indie Gern Blandsten, and is known for crazy, intriguing live show antic and is called a must have for fans of Kool Keith or Ol' Dirty Bastard.



Tracklist for "Halfway Homeless"
01. Crackrock
02. Ricans
03. Not Even One
04. Pagan Baby
05. Godbody
06. Devil Runs Nation
07. My Ex
08. Hello
09. The Hood
10. Odd verse Skalla
11. Minority @ 130 MPH
12. The O.D.D

* US and World Tourdates coming soon!



For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/1oddateee
www.deadverserecordings.com

The Village Voice Talks To TK Webb & The Visions!

huge thanks to Justin Farrar and the entire Village Voice staff!



TK Webb Stumbles Out of the Woods
Ancestor kicks the crap out of all this freak-folk and hippie retro-rock
By Justin F. Farrar



Over the last decade, hard rock has flushed itself straight down the shitter. Turn on the radio, and your choices are either K-Rock hell or some Foreigner/Foghat/Boston triple-shot that's been knocking around since '77. Indie brats offer nothing better; in fact, they're worse. Check out any webzine with an American Apparel banner: Either it's obsessing over Stoner-Rock Clone #64,832 or the likes of Howlin' Rain and MV & EE, retro hacks who drop more bell-bottomed clichés than That '70s Show and Chris Robinson combined.

Exceptions do exist. The Black Keys and the Drive-By Truckers are both solid, if a bit samey-same. Neil Michael Hagerty is an icon, of course, even if his latest project, the Howling Hex, is a bucket of cold noodles. Grunge daddy Mark Lanegan is another keeper: At his best, the former Screaming Trees frontman is the modern-day equivalent of early Humble Pie or vintage Rod Stewart—a folkie in love with pummeling riffage as much as he is confessional lyrics and acoustic blues.

My current fave, though, is TK Webb, who just released Ancestor, his first disc for Kemado Records (also home to Dungen and the Sword). All the stuff I said about Lanegan applies here as well: The Kansas City–bred guitarist/singer/songwriter cranks out loud jams while reaching across entire universes and somehow finding the common link between country blues, classic rock, and early-'90s grunge. Amazingly enough, Ancestor is the dude's first attempt at straight-up hard rock. Before putting together the Visions, his current backing band, Webb did the loner-bluesman shtick, and did it better than anybody outside the Fat Possum stable. Track down 2006's Phantom Parade—in my humble opinion, it's the only album in the last 20 years to really flesh out the ragged sway sweeping across side two of Exile on Main St.

Webb ditched the rustic stuff because, like a lot of us, he grew tired of all the trust-fund assholes in Brooklyn (and L.A. and San Francisco) who dress up like the Manson Family. "I found myself lumped in with that whole freak-folk thing," he says. "It's an avenue for a lot of people who don't have any talent. That's pompous, but true. Anything folkie, especially country blues, is such a formative thing for me that it's kind of sacred. People jumping on it is a bummer."

I knew Ancestor was a product of self-distancing even before Webb gave me the quote of the month. Right from the opening groove, the album shuns all obvious affiliations. It's damn near archetypal in that the music feels neither vintage nor modern, underground nor mainstream. As with Royal Trux during its Thank You/Sweet Sixteen phase, or even Fleetwood Mac near the end of Peter Green's reign, the Visions operate on two planes by design. On the surface, Ancestor is so artless, so unadorned, so inward-looking that the first few spins make you think they're just another pack of six-string Neanderthals on barbiturates, slowly humping the obsidian ripple of a tar pit. Make it past that, however, and you realize that their sly rhythmic power, which never leaves second gear, derives not from volume and force, but subtle arrangements woven from gnarled blues-rock grooves and shards of rusted fuzz. As Webb points out: "A lot of the best art is based on that—something totally fucked meets something totally beautiful."

That aesthetic is the cat's meow, if you ask me, a guy who believes that Peter Green and the Trux, not Zeppelin and the White Stripes, represent hard rock's apex. Of course, I'm in the minority. Most fans of this kind of music don't want to work to get it; they just want bong-a-rific freedom rock with big, dumb riffs and sweaty mugging. That's the age-old stereotype, and there's always a new generation of meatheads willing to perpetuate it. But hey, I guess Webb understands all this, or else he wouldn't croak a line like: "I need you to tell me no/Until I think it's yes." Right?