Monday, December 20, 2010

Lifeguards (feat Robert Pollard and Doug Gillard) Announce New Album, "Waving At The Astronauts," Out February 2011




* artwork by Robert Pollard

Robert Pollard and Doug Gillard of Guided By Voices are LIFEGUARDS. The two first worked together outside of the GBV realm on the 1999 fan-classic Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Dept, which included "Do Something Real" the anthemic theme to Steven Soderbergh's film Full Frontal. Their debut release as Lifeguards, Mist King Urth, emerged in 2002 on Pollard's own Fading Captain Series label to fervent fan approval. In 2010 Pollard and Gillard reconvened for the first time since the end of GBV in 2004 to create the astounding follow up: Waving at the Astronauts. Gillard wrote and recorded 10 complex and beautiful instrumentals at home then sent the finished compositions off to Pollard who graced the tracks with some of the most unforgettable melodies and strangely poetic lyrics of his career. In May 2010, Pollard recorded his vocals with Gillard and Travis Harrison at Serious Business Music in NYC where drums and overdubs were added and the record was mixed.

From the ragged and triumphant rock masterpiece "Paradise Is Not So Bad," to the chugging "Sexless Auto" and the off-kilter ramble of "What Am I," this is the latest gem from a songwriting team whose limits are larger than any arena you might try and squeeze them into.

While there are no Lifeguards shows announced at this point, you can catch both Bob and Doug in one night when Gillard opens for GBV on New Year's Eve at New York's Irving Plaza!

Nearly sold out, the final copies of the album's first 7" single "Product Head b/w Naught Windsor" are available right now.

WAVING AT THE ASTRONAUTS TRACK LIST
PARADISE IS NOT SO BAD
NOBODY’S MILK
(DOING) THE MATH
PRODUCT HEAD
YOU’RE GONNA NEED A MOUNTAIN
SEXLESS AUTO
TRIP THE WEB
THEY CALLED HIM SO MUCH
KEEP IT IN ORBIT
WHAT AM I?




For more information, visit:
www.ernestjenning.com

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The Wall Street Journal Talks To Kayo Dot Frontman Toby Driver




Superfund Site Morphs Into Cultural Hot Spot



On a recent Sunday night, the seven-piece band Kayo Dot entertained about 100 fans inside the airy, industrial-chic music room, filling the space with complex, flowing instrumental rock music. "They really respect the music here," said Toby Driver, the band's leader, who was more accustomed to playing at "small DIY rooms with bad sound." He was impressed that such a professional setting would eschew more commercial choices in favor of creative bookings.

(((Read more here!)))

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Jambase Calls Clutch Best Rock Band in Past 20 Years!




Clutch: Unstoppable Watts



The past 20 years have produced no better rock band than Clutch. A bold, blunt statement but 'bold' and 'blunt' are two things Clutch excels at. Yes, there are a handful of great bands that reside in the same line, but in terms of rock's key fundamentals – real craftsmanship, a rebellious undertow, a boogie addled soul, an unabashed willingness to speak truth to power, a love of volume and electricity – Clutch has it locked down and has continued to evolve in fascinating ways with every album and tour. The force and quality of what they do is a sound to crush the lazy and distracted with profound focus & broad dynamics. Heavy and subtle, complex and brute force, Clutch is simply mighty rock 'n' roll kung-fu.

(((Read more here!)))

Crave Online Calls New Harvey Milk and Masters of Reality Best Metal Albums of 2010




Top 10 Metal Albums of 2010



So much music crosses our ears throughout the year it becomes hard to focus on what really is the best. Finding the worst music is easy, it’s an instant reaction that shoots through you and signals to the brain you’re listening to absolute crap. With great music, even good music, it hits on multiple levels that you need time to really work out. Sometimes the music hits you in the head, making you think, sometimes it hits you in the soul, creating an emotional reaction. Neither of these are mutually exclusive, but with some albums they need to even out.

(((Read more here!)))

Friday, December 10, 2010

About.com Top 40 Blog Spotlights Stay Ahead of The Weather




Artist In the Wings - Stay Ahead of the Weather



The act called Stay Ahead of the Weather have only been together approximately a year. That is because they are a sort of indie punk pop supergroup encompassing members of the bands Into It. Over It., Castevet, and Native. They all have played music as part of the Midwestern music scene and decided to embark on this project for fun. If you have a taste for solid, uptempo, guitar-based punk pop, listen to Stay Ahead of the Weather.

(((Read more here!)))