Nashville

The Grayces Kick Off “Westing” Tour Today

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The Grayces have recently put out a video for their song “Do It To Me”. It is pretty cool, a little trippy, and cute. The trio’s album “Westing” is set to be released October 14th, but their 18-date tour supporting it kicks off today. Heaven help the states on their route. The Grayces play freaky, heavy garage rock that you won’t want to stop listening to. Ever.  Check out our review of "Westing" here. If you haven’t listened to their music, that should do it. Songs like “Do It To Me” and “Lord and Gods of Alcohol” are worth listening. The videos are also pretty sick. Sick meaning awesome, of course. –Amanda Aydelott

NYC

Homeboy Sandman drops new LP “Hallways” on Stone’s Throw Records on 10.06

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For those familiar with his straight-forward yet multi-dimensional lyrical escapades, this is a highly anticipated release. Homeboy Sandman is one of those rappers who, by saying exactly how he feels, pulls you directly into his corner and gets you rooting for him. His style and approach breathe new life into the art of rap. Like halfway into the video for the single “Problems” he says, “I’m surrounded by Hipsters, what does that say about me? Maybe I’m not being honest with myself. Hipsters love independent movies, shit, I love independent movies, actually I just like independent movies, so I guess I’m cool there.” His honesty pushes us to be more honest with our own thoughts, styles, and self-perceptions. Whatever problems he may have, making great memorable music isn’t one of them. – BrokeMc

Philadelphia

Lewis & Clarke Record Release Show at Boot & Saddle Sept. 25

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The musical alias of Lou Rogai, Lewis & Clarke, has steadily built a devout following among indie music circle with several ambitious and rightfully acclaimed recordings. But the songwriter and record label founder of La Societe Expeditionnaire takes it up a notch with his first new album to be released in nearly half a decade, Triumvirate. The twelve-song full-length is as vibrantly beautiful as it is filled with heartbreaking melancholy. Before its official release on October 7th, the avant-folk artist is all set to celebrate it arrival this evening at Boot & Saddle tonight. He’ll be joined by weirdo-folk crew Norwegian Arms, who also have a reason to party down since Keith Birthday and the gang just wrapped up the recording of their next album. And when they play tonight in support of Rogai, they’ll be unleashing a whole set of new material. Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St, 8pm, $10, 21+ (Photo by Dan Papa) – Bill McThrill

Philadelphia

New Track: “Misprint” – Restorations

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There is something quite relatable in the lyrics of Restorations‘ Jon Loudon. The wisdom of learning from your past while finding your way through the difficult realities of the present with the uncertainty of the future looming over the horizon is something that most of us are constantly struggling with in our daily lives. Combine that with epic bursts of instrumentation, and you have music that will remain timeless in your collection. Restorations are getting ready to release their third full-length album, LP3, which is aptly named like its predecessors. It will be available next month via SideOneDummy Records, and below is the latest offering, entitled "Misprint."

L.A.

Artist to Watch: Tarot School

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Benjamin Newgard, a native New Yorker turned LA transplant, debuts his first EP under the moniker Tarot School. His new EP, Giver of Names, is an acoustically driven project backed by powerful lyrics and vocals. Title track, "Giver of Names" captures the collective milieu of the EP with soft echoing vocals and multi-genre influences. "Silly Love", written by Daniel Johnston and performed by Newgard, is perhaps the most heartbreaking excursion on this collection. But it is rivaled by the lyrical and fittingly West Coast "Ghost, Ghost", with lines like "I suspect you might be here to stay"; one can only imagine that Newgard will be. – Jennifer Mergott

Nashville

BASECAMP Release Video for “Shudder”

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As a follow-up to their August release of their single, BASECAMP put out this video for "Shudder" on September 22nd. The single was met with a great deal of enthusiasm, having been featured in not one, but four different dance remixes (including GXNXVS, Goodnight Cody, and Twinztrack.) This video puts a visual element to the low-profile trio; it maintains their sublety and starkness, and allows stillness to speak as many volumes as their quiet they deploy in their music. It is also as high-tension as their sound. There is just something unsettling about a girl in a lake looking lonely.  It doesn’t bode well. The group is preparing to put out another EP later this year. For anyone itching to see this aural black magic unfold in a live setting, BASECAMP is opening for Mikky Ekko at Acme Feed & Seed this Saturday. The show begins at 8pm, and, being a Redbull Sound Select event, there is the oppurtunity to drop the $15 cover to $3 with an RSVP. -Terra James-Jura

 

San Francisco

Beast Fiend Throws Suicide Prevention Benefit Show at SUB/Mission – 9/28

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San Francisco based punk band, Beast Fiend is putting on an event geared towards the Bay Area community. The band has organized a suicide prevention and awareness benefit show that will take place at SUB/Mission this Sunday, September 28th. This all ages show is going to feature a raffle, a speaker from SF Suicide Prevention and a line up of local bands including: Silver Shadows, Bitter Fruit and Void Boys.

We like it when bands take it upon themselves to do things that are for a great cause. Make sure you support bands who do good things for others and the local community at large, and head out to this show on Sunday!

L.A.

Video: MNDSGN, “Txt (Msgs)”

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Inspired by the Nas lyric, “my mind is seeing through your design like blind fury”, and a nod to his dad’s work in neuroscience, Ringgo Ancheta is the genius behind MNDSGN (pronounced ‘mind design’). He illustrates to his audience the importance of beats and melodies in his music, which we rarely hear in music nowadays without lyrics, so we tend to forget how vital every detail is; every bass hit and every auto tune that we hear in the background is what is used to create the songs we know and love. Ancheta’s work solidifies the backbone of the hip-hop beats; his most recent work is the bewitching sound of TXT. His newest release from his album, Yawn Zen, creates an atmosphere of psychedelic ins and outs while engaging his audience on a synesthesia journey. "I’ve allowed myself to study the absence of daily struggle and its effects, and began to subconsciously paint that vibe in the music. Yawn Zen comes from a very neutral place that we, sometimes, are too busy to realize is there." – Kayla Hay

 

New England

Boston Hassle Fest 6 Indiegogo Campaign in Full Swing

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Fall is in the air: the Red Sox have completely tanked, ugly sweaters are being taken out of musty closets, and “pumpkin spice” is being placed in every food and beverage known to human-kind. One of the few things I love more than pumpkin bread is music, and this year’s Boston Hassle Fest 6 has heaps of it to go around. The fest (slated to take place November 7 & 8 at Cuisine en Locale on Highland Ave. in Somerville, MA) boasts some mammoth headliners, including Body/Head (Kim Gordon/Bill Nance) and No Joy. Local and regional acts will be getting in on the action as well–Free Pizza, Downtown Boys, IAN and Pile will be there, along with a host of other regionally and nationally-known musicians.

Anyone interested in scoring advance tickets to one or both days of the shows can head over to the Boston Hassle Fest 6 Indiegogo campaign. Donating through Indiegogo is the only way to secure tickets in advance (as well as receive some other wicked cool perks), so be sure to grab your tickets early for these (most likely) sell-out performances.

For more info on Hassle Fest 6, check out the Boston Hassle Facebook page. For more info about Boston Hassle, check out their website. -Dan McMahon(@dmcmhn)
  

 

NYC

Lazyeyes unveil single “Islip” from upcoming EP + play Rough Trade on 09.26

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Drone-Pop Brooklynites Lazyeyes are back with a new single entitled "Islip" that introduces their upcoming EP, to be released later in 2014. The track, named after the Long Island town famous for… an ’80s garbage incident, has the melodic flair of Morrisey and the driven darkness of Interpol. The group is scheduled to play Rough Trade on 09.26 with LA’s SWIMM and The Henry Millers.