Wolftron Announces Debut LP on Eyeball!

Annnounces Debut Full Length, Flesh & Fears, out May 6th on Eyeball!



Take what you love about Sufjan Stevens, The Postal Service and Stars, then mash that shit up like Silly Putty, make an imprint with it of the Home & Garden section of a newspaper from 1975 and you have yourself Wolftron. - AirandSeaBattle.com

Write songs. Record songs. Release album. It seems simple enough, but for anyone who has spent anytime within the convoluted and cracked walls of the record industry, it's never this easy. And yet there is a new project which has cut ties from the current paradigms of making and releasing recorded music. A heart-felt solo project from an already successful songwriter, Wolftron is a pure attempt at creating art and getting it to the ears of music lovers.

It may seem a bit melodramatic for a 23 year old kid from the Pacific Northwest to be challenging the status quo, but for Kenny Choi, the heart and voice behind Wolftron's ambient pop songs and current lead singer/songwriter for Daphne Loves Derby, a project responsible for close to 50,000 records sold in the US, it's the truth. Wolftron is your bedroom pop favorite of 2008. The debut LP Flesh & Fears, out on Eyeball Records, is a sweet melancholy narrative complete with haunting vocals and breathtaking composition which recalls a more ambient One AM Radio or a more techno savy Iron & Wine; perhaps a less nordic Sigur Ros. With sparse electronics and songwriting chops that seem to come frighteningly easy to this young veteran, a new generation of music fans may have found their Nick Drake.

On Flesh & Fears, we find that true brilliance in the creative process isn't marked by over thought spastic attempts at dissidence which we often associate with critically acclaimed music. The record's first single, "Sugar Skulls" is a lament for growth in the face of self awareness, where reverb drenched melodies are off set by hook after hook and seemingly endless wave of lush arrangements. "Ugly Bird" finds an addictive alt. country guitar line chugging alongside chamber pop vocals, all the while our melody is never forgotten through beautiful layering of keys, synths and strings.

On this debut record from Wolftron, the Harry Nilson-esque moments on the records are few and far between, but one gets a sense that the eclectic American songwriter is alive and well.

Players:
Kenny Choi (vocals, piano, guitar)



Tracklisting for Flesh & Fears:
01. Crystal Skulls
02. Ms. Luna Grim
03. Blueberry Waves
04. Beautybird
05. Stones
06. Happiness
07. Sugar Skulls
08. Uglybird
09. Defeat of Starman
10. Provocations of Starman Jr.
11. Simple Sunshine

Catch Choi performing Wolftron material on tour w/ Daphne Loves Derby!
Mar 30 2008 El Corazon Seattle, Washington
Apr 3 2008 Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo, California
Apr 3 2008 Bear’s Lair - UC Berkeley Berkeley, California
Apr 5 2008 Bamboozle Left - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Laguna Hills, California
Apr 6 2008 Jillian’s Las Vegas, Nevada w/ The Starting Line, Bayside
Apr 8 2008 Underground Cafe Roseville, California w/ The Starting Line, Bayside
Apr 9 2008 San Jose Skate San Jose, California w/ Secondhand Serenade
Apr 11 2008 Weber State Ogden, Utah



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

SMN News Talks to Torche's Steve Brooks!

huge thanks to Carlos Ramirez and the entire SMN staff!



Torche - Steve Brooks, Vocals/Guitars



My first reaction to Meanderthal is that’s its much hookier than the EP and debut album material. Was this a conscious move when you went into writing mode for the album?

In a way, yeah, I think so. Thank you for the compliment. Hooks are good.

Were you afraid of the possibility of a backlash from some of your fans for the melodic feel of some of the songs?

We don’t think about a backlash while we’re writing. If all the members of the band are feeling the song, then we’re going to play it. I mean, we’re the ones that have to hear it every night. If someone else isn’t diggin’ it, so what? There’s always going to be a backlash from people if you write the same type of material over again or if you write something a little different. The more we do, the more we¹ll either be loved or hated. There’s a million other bands people can listen to other than us and if you like what you hear, support it.

I think a song like “Grenades” should be all over rock radio. Would you be acceptant to something like that and the stuff it would open the band up to?

I’m not too accepting of it. Do we really want to hear ourselves on the radio? I think each of us would be a little weirded out by it. But, if people want it on the radio, it’s up to them. I’m sure it’ll help us financially in some ways. Metallica and Kiss never got played on the radio until there was a demand for it. Bands like Nickelback had some major financial push from their labels to put them on the radio. I mean, that shit is so awful. I stick to the classic rock stations that don’t play anything post 1980. We’re about 30 years too late.

You and Juan (Montoya) have really interesting guitar tones on this recording. On one hand, it’s as sludgy as St. Vitus or The Melvins but there is a brighter sheen underneath some of the parts or sections. How much do you tweak your settings from song to song?

We used a Fender Telecaster for a twangier guitar tone on some songs. It’s not “sludgy” at all, but we’ve always loved the way it sounds. Why not? I think it gives us room to do more.

There are some tasty twin-guitar melodies on “Across the Shields” that reminded me of Thin Lizzy! Where you influenced by any of the classic guitar tams from years back?

Of course.

You’ve played gigs with all sorts of bands from many different genres. Which crowds have been the most resistant? Do you think the metal kids get you?

The Mogwai audience was definitely the most resistant. They took us too seriously. Seeing Mogwai every night was great, but having to play to their fans wasn’t fun. I think it’s the same for metal kids. We’re stuck somewhere in the middle somewhere. We’re still trying to figure where we’d fit in.

What do you have more fun playing, the slower, Cavity-like material or the more straight-forward rock stuff?

The slower stuff bores the hell out of all of us. We want energy and madness!

I know you are an old-school metal kid, what would the 14 year old Steve Brooks think of Torche?

I would’ve probably liked some of the brutal heavy stuff, but hated the singer.

What’s been on your stereo lately? Anything that would throw Torche fans for a loop?

Probably not. I listen to my old stuff, but what’s new is Parts & Labor and Monotonix albums. Damn good bands!

By Carlos Ramirez

www.myspace.com/torche

The Phenomenauts Announce US Tour w/ The AKA's!

Announce US Tour w/ The AKA's in Support of New Album, For All Mankind, out April 8th on Silver Sprocket / Springman!



These guys aren't like anything you've seen or heard before. to be honest, when someone first told me about them i thought it was a gimmick. Devo meets Elvis? I would say "rocket roll" is the more apt label. But just that alone under-emphasizes the Phenomenauts' dedications. - Thrasher Magazine

A band that lives, loves and rocks on the grand scale of the cosmos - SF Weekly

The east bay's craftiest and bravest band - East Bay Express

This is a band that NEEDS to be experienced live, by everyone. - Punknews.org

THE PHENOMENAUTS are back with their third full length, For All Mankind.

Inspired by new wave and 70's punk, this is the third full-length from the world's bravest space band. A call to arms to defenders of science and honor across the galaxy, For All Mankind deals with the serious implications of science fiction, science fact, and offers new perspectives on Earth life as we know it.

The Phenomenauts' intergalactic pummeling punk rock assault, and over the top, interstellar live shows, have helped create a massive cult following and buzz around the universe and appearances on the likes of the G4 TV, the Sci-Fi Channel, the Discovery Channel, Myspace.com artist profiles, and much more.

To date, The Phenomenauts have toured the world w/ the likes of The Slackers, Aquabats, Demented Are Go, The Epoxies, the mighty Vans Warped Tour, and have trekked the states on numerous headlining tours.

This year will also prove to be most exciting for The Phenomanauts, as they slowly start to leak news of the exciting things they have in store for humanity, including upcoming music videos by the AstroBase (aka the Venture Brothers), crazy album packaging that folds out into a rocket ship and includes a custom Phenomenauts pin, massive US tourdates w/ The AKA's, and upcoming local San Francisco Record Release dates that will undoubtedly blow the roof off.

Be prepared as The Phenomenauts help keep us focused and guide us through the turbulent waters of what the future might become. If we follow their lead, things might turn out alright.

More fun facts about The Phenomenauts!

Packaging!
*The Phenomenauts invented their own DigiPack that folds out into a rocket-ship for the new album.
*Each CD comes with a custom shaped metal Phenomenauts pin and 24 page booklet

Lifestyle!
*The band lives in and has parties at The Command Center -- part Star Wars canteen, part 50's theater house. Four stories built inside a warehouse space, all science and outer-space Phenomenaut themed. Stage folds out to reveal a hot-tub. Filmed by The Discovery Channel and featured in Punk Rock Confidential.

*PhenomaBomber - more space-ship than Dodge Van, has computer parts and other things glued all over the outside and spray-painted silver. Featured in many art-car parades, quite a spectacle at gas stations and on the road. "We never have to wash it," said Professor Greg Arius, the band's keyboard player. "Anytime it gets dirty, we just spray on another layer of silver paint."

*The band is from Oakland, CA, lovingly referred to as Earth's Capital

Science!
*The band really believes in their slogan of "Science And Honor" and are Phenomenauts always (not just on stage)

*The band made a video for CNN's "YouTube Presidential Debate" asking what candidates would do to bring America back to the forefront of science:


On-stage gadgets!
*The Streamorator is a tricked out leaf-blower that shoots toilette paper all over the crowd, with advance rotating nozzles for quick TP replacements . CONTEST: The Phenomenauts along with FUZZ.com are also giving away Professor Greg's one and only highly coveted SHOW USED Streamarator 2000x. This is the real thing not a cheap reproduction. You know you want it! Click HERE for more details!

*Kitty Cannon: Launches confetti (or anything the band wants) out of a cannon using compressed air. The first one exploded during testing and now Atom (of The Teenage Harlets) has permanent hearing damage. Woops!

*Levatron : Tricked out leaf blower that creates a vertical vortex, making inflatable "earth" globes float in space, even 20 or 30 feet up like at The Fillmore. Angel Nova got the idea from something he saw at The Smithsonian, we don't think this has ever been done before.

Music video for "Mission" went viral, over 500,000 plays between MySpace and YouTube.com

Tours!
9 prior national tours include Warped Tour (twice), Aquabats (twice), Epoxies, Demented Are Go!, Slackers, Toasters, Big D And The Kids Table. This will be their 3rd national headlining tour, The A.K.A.'s are supporting. Crashed the Warped Tour un-invited, then invited to stay after making breakfast for the bands and crew each morning (read this GREAT article about it which was the East Bay Express cover-story). It went so well, the band was invited to play the next year with their own stage, "The Space Station"

For Fans of
*Devo
*The Stray Cats
*Tiger Army
*Rock N Roll!



For All Mankind Tracklist
1. All Go For Launch
2. Man Alone
3. Cyborg
4. Make A Circuit With Me
5. Navitron
6. Tale of Europa
7. Heroes
8. She'll Launch
9. Infinite Frontier
10. Compensation
11. Don't Overheat on Me
12. Into a Time Warop
13. Science and Honor
14. The Colvin Moon

The Phenomenauts Live!
Mar 29 2008 Slims CD/RELEASE PARTY San Francisco, California

w/ The AKA's!
Apr 17 2008 HELLS KITCHEN *early show Tacoma, Washington
Apr 18 2008 SATYRICON Portland, Oregon
Apr 21 2008 BURT’S TIKI LOUNGE Salt Lake City, Utah
Apr 22 2008 MARQUIS THEATER Denver, Colorado
Apr 23 2008 KNICKERBOCKERS Lincoln, Nebraska
Apr 24 2008 TRIPLE ROCK SOCIAL * early show Minneapolis, Minnesota
Apr 25 2008 REGGIES * early show Chicago, Illinois
Apr 26 2008 MACS* early show Lansing, Michigan
Apr 27 2008 POISON ROOM Cincinnati, Ohio
Apr 30 2008 THE MIDDLE EAST Cambridge, Massachusetts
May 1 2008 THE KNITTING FACTORY* early show New York, New York
May 2 2008 ASBURY LANES Asbury Park, New Jersey
May 4 2008 OTTOBAR Baltimore, Maryland
May 6 2008 STEPPIN OUT Virginia Beach, Virginia
May 8 2008 JACK RABBITS Jacksonville, Florida
May 9 2008 BACKBOOTH Orlando, Florida

May 10 2008 CITY LIMITS Delray Beach, Florida
May 16 2008 RED 7 Austin, Texas
May 17 2008 THE ROCK BOTTOM BAR San Antonio, Texas
May 20 2008 THE BRICKHOUSE Phoenix, Arizona
May 23 2008 THE KNITTING FACTORY Hollywood, California
+ more tba!



For more information, visit:
www.silversprocketlabs.com
www.myspace.com/thephenomenauts

Paint It Black Announces US Tour! Dates w/ Leatherface, Blacklisted, Cold World and more!

Paint it Black Live!

Apr 10 2008 Sailor Jerry in-store Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Free Show!
Apr 11 2008 Kathedral Toronto, Ontario w/ Cold World
Apr 12 2008 Black Dot Montreal, Quebec w/ Cold World
Apr 13 2008 Mavericks Ottawa, Ontario w/ Cold World
Apr 25 2008 Siren Records Doylestown, Pennsylvania w/ Cloak/Dagger
Apr 26 2008 Mohawk Place Buffalo, New York w/ Cloak/Dagger
Apr 27 2008 Mr. Roboto Project Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania w/ Cloak/Dagger
May 9 2008 Club Hell Providence, Rhode Island w/ Blacklisted and Soul Control
May 10 2008 Manville Elks Lodge Manville, New Jersey w/ Blacklisted and The Mongoloids
May 11 2008 The Champion Ship Lemoyne, Pennsylvania w/ Blacklisted
May 19 2008 Knitting Factory Los Angeles, California w/ LEATHERFACE!!!!!!!!
May 20 2008 Chain Reaction Anaheim, California w/ LEATHERFACE!!!!!!!!
May 21 2008 418 Project Santa Cruz, California w/ Ceremony, Life Long Tragedy and Sabertooth Zombie
May 22 2008 Blazo Gallery San Francisco, California w/ Ceremony, Life Long Tragedy and Sabertooth Zombie
May 23 2008 Satyricon Portland, Oregon w/ Ceremony, Life Long Tragedy and Sabertooth Zombie
May 24 and 25 2008 Rain Fest Tacoma, Washington w/ Ceremony, Life Long Tragedy and Sabertooth Zombie and a ton of others
May 30 2008 Fuel Jacksonville, Florida w/ Blacklisted and New Mexican Disaster Squad
May 30 2008 Atlantic Gainesville, Florida w/ Blacklisted and New Mexican Disaster Squad
May 31 2008 Klein Dance Studio Lake Worth, Florida w/ Blacklisted and New Mexican Disaster Squad
Jun 1 2008 Back Booth Orlando, Florida w/ Blacklisted and New Mexican Disaster Squad
Jul 10 2008 WFMU Morristown, New Jersey Live on The Pat Duncan Show!

For more information, visit:
www.paintitblack.org
www.myspace.com/paintitblack
www.jadetree.com

Paper Thin Walls <3's Hydra Head!

huge thanks to Chris Weingarten and the entire PTW staff.



Today our dudes covered three new releases featuring the artists on Hydra Head Records, click the links below to be taken to PTW's interview w/ Torche, a review of 5ive's new Hesperus album, and some ink on Justin Broadrick's colab w/ Jarboe! sweeeet...

TORCHE Interview

5IVE Hesperus Review

JUSTIN BROADRICK w/ Jarboe Review

Pitchfork Talks VSS Reissue on Hydra Head!

huge thanks to Amy Phillips and the entire Pitchfork staff!



Hydra Head Reissues the VSS' Nervous Circuits



Hydra Head -- home of nontraditionally extreme bands like Jesu, Pelican, Oxbow, and Xasthur -- will reissue San Francisco noise punk band the VSS' Nervous Circuits as a CD/DVD set on May 20.

The 1997 album, originally released on Honey Bear Records, was the VSS' only full-length release; members of the band went on to form Pleasure Forever and Year Future as well as found the Gold Standard Laboratories label.

For the Hydra Head reissue of Nervous Circuits, the first 1000 copies will come with a bonus CD of studio and live recordings from a set at Santa Cruz radio station KZSC. The DVD features a slideshow of photos and fliers, a compilation of performances from the 1997 Nervous Circuits Tour, and footage of full live sets at the DUMBO Warehouse in Brooklyn, the Depot in Boulder, CO, and the Co-op in Berkeley, CA.



Nervous Circuits:

01 Death Scene
02 In Miniature
03 Sibling Ascending
04 Effigy
05 Lunar Weight
06 Conscious
07 What Kind of Ticks?
08 Chemical in Chemistry
09 Swift Kicks
10 Nervous Circuits

The Skin of Tiny Teeth [bonus disc]:

01 No Hands
02 Rats
03 Accessory
04 Silt, Etc.
05 Tone Dialer
06 Trajectory [Live on KZSC; Santa Cruz, CA]
07 Death Scene [Live on KZSC; Santa Cruz, CA]
08 Swift Kicks [Live on KZSC; Santa Cruz, CA]
09 In Miniature [Live on KZSC; Santa Cruz, CA]
10 Sibling Ascending [Live on KZSC; Santa Cruz, CA]
11 Solid Gold Follower [Live on KZSC; Santa Cruz, CA]
12 What Kind of Ticks? [Live on KZSC; Santa Cruz, CA]
13 Lunar Weight [Live on KZSC; Santa Cruz, CA]
14 Nervous Circuits [Live on KZSC; Santa Cruz, CA]

DVD:

Nervous Circuits Tour 1997:

01 Death Scene (Fireside Bowl - Chicago)
02 What Kind of Ticks? (Fireside Bowl - Chicago)
03 I'll Wait Right Here (previously unrecorded) (DUMBO Warehouse - Brooklyn)
04 Swift Kicks (DUMBO Warehouse - Brooklyn)
05 Chemical In Chemistry (Black Cat - DC)
06 Lunar Weight (First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia)
07 Sibling Ascending (The Depot - Boulder)
08 I Cut My Teeth (The Depot - Boulder)
09 Nervous Circuits (The Depot - Boulder)

Live in Brooklyn, NY - DUMBO Warehouse

01 What Kind of Ticks?
02 Sibling Ascending
03 Death Scene
04 I'll Wait Right Here
05 Swift Kicks
06 I Cut My Teeth

Live in Boulder, CO - The Depot

01 Intro
02 What Kind of Ticks?
03 Death Scene
04 Sibling Ascending
05 I Cut My Teeth
06 Swift Kicks
07 Nervous Circuits

Live in Berkeley, CA - Co-op

01 Swift Kicks
02 What Kind of Ticks?
03 Lunar Weight
04 Evolution

WATCH:


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

Chris Mills Announces New Album on Ernest Jenning!

Chris Mills
Announces New Album, Living in the Aftermath, April 22nd on Ernest Jenning!



Mills skillfully juggles homage, humor, and heartfelt emotion - The Washington Post

An artist finally, fully realizing his remarkable talents as a singer, songwriter, and performer - No Depression

Brilliant! - Cleveland Scene

Chris Mills' Living in the Aftermath is the latest collection from one of America's most wandering-est of wandering troubadours. After almost a decade of rave reviews and countless shows in stadiums and shoeboxes (the past 2 years alone have seen him alongside Ben Folds, Bishop Allen, Lucero, Limbeck, and many more), Mills, once again, threatens to break free from seemingly perpetual obscurity, by providing some of the most unaffected, and yet emotionally affecting work of his career.

Harvesting music and lyrics from headlines, horror movies, four-color ash-can adventures, and the black and white reflections of late night re-runs, Mills returns from the recent orchestral majesty of his critically lauded The Wall to Wall Sessions with a raw and ready collection of true rock n' roll numbers, each one peppered with knowing asides, and unencumbered poignancy.

Songs like Untitled No. 1 and Calling All Comrades spin epic tales of lovers on the run from aliens, a-bombs, and vampire insects, while more personal moments unfold in the dream-like imagery and subtlety of Such a Beautiful Thing, Blackbirds, and the "Twilight Zone" inspired Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.

But its not just the songs that make this Mills' strongest record to date, it's the art and immediacy of their execution. Recorded and mixed in eight days, Aftermath benefits from the visceral performances of Mills and a crack cabal of New York City co-conspirators: bassist Drew Glackin (The Silos, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Graham Parker, The Hold Steady), drummer Konrad Meissner (Teddy Thompson, The Silos, Matt Nathanson), keyboardist/arranger David Nagler (Nova Social, Camphor, Chris Lee), and engineer/co-producer Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu, They Might Be Giants).

* Additional players include trumpeter Dave Max Crawford (Sea and Cake, Poi Dog Pondering), violinist Jean Cook (Jon Langford's Ship and Pilot, Beauty Pill, Ida), and steel guitar/banjo virtuoso Jon Rauhouse (Nico Case, Calexico, Giant Sand).

Company aside, it is the ever-impressive evolution of his craft that firmly places Chris Mills alongside peers like Okkervil River's Will Sheff and Wilco's Jeff Tweedy as one of the foremost authors of the 21st Century American songbook.



Tracklisting for Living In The Aftermath
1. Calling All Comrades
2. Living In The Aftermath
3. Nightmare At 20,000 Feet
4. Untitled No. 1
5. Such A Beautiful Thing
6. Blackbirds
7. Atom Smashers
8. I Guess This Is Why (They Invented Goodbye)
9. All's Well That Ends
10. Can't Believe

Chris Mills Live!
Apr 26 2008 Schubas (CD release show) Chicago, Illinois
Apr 25 2008 Regent Street Retreat w/ Anders Parker Madison, Wisconsin
May 10 2008 Union Pool (NYC CD RELEASE SHOW) Brooklyn, New York
May 3 2008 The Pour House (TRIBUTE TO DREW GLACKIN) Raleigh, North Carolina



For more information, visit:
www.myspace.com/chrismillsmusic
www.ernestjenning.com