Ignore the video.  Just listen to the song.  All info comes courtesy of Enabler PR.   CHELSEA WOLFE SHARES NEW VIDEO, REMIXED BY LUST FOR YOUTH & TOURING   WATCH "FLATLANDS" NOW   Chelsea Wolfe has been making her way across the country on a mostly sold out tour, that features Andrea Calderon on violin & Ben Chisholm on synths. Today, Wolfe has teamed up Converse to share her haunting video for "Flatlands". Watch it here and go behind the scenes with Bullett here . Swedish act, Lust For Youth took Wolfe's harmonies and reinvented "Flatlands" into a dark cold dance jam, stream that here . Her tour continues for another two weeks, remaining dates below. TOUR 1/29 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 1/30 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl 1/31 - Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon 2/1- Houston, TX- Fitzgerald's 2/2 - Austin, TX - Central Presbytarian Church 2/3 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues 2/5 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom 2/6 - San ...

Though I'll admit it gets a tad overwrought toward the end, I really enjoyed listening to Junip 's "Line of Fire" this morning, finding it both gorgeous and affecting.  You can listen to it below. Junip's self-titled album will be out via Mute on April 23rd. All info, links and music were provided by Mute. New Self-Titled Album out April 23rd, 2013 Last week Junip released “ Line of Fire ”, the first single off their sophomore album Junip , out April 23rd. Featuring vocals by José González with Elias Araya on drums and Tobias Winterkorn on keys, “Line of Fire” showcases a bolder, more mature Junip – once again eager to embrace you with their infectious blend of percussion and passionate, immeasurable waves of genuine emotion. Already receiving high praise, this track is a true stunner and expressive of what's coming down the line. Within a few seconds of devouring “Line of Fire” you will take note of the ease with which Elias, José and Tob...

I've never heard a saxophone used this way before.  Maybe I'm sheltered.  Either way, "High Above the Grey Green Sky," a new piece of music from Colin Stetson , is fascinating, a turbine of saxophone exhalations layered with vocalized melody.  This piece is featured in Stetson's upcoming new album, New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light , which you can read more about below. According to Consequence of Sound , U.S. release date is April 30th. "High Above the Grey Green Sky" All info comes courtesy of Rarely Unable. Constellation new release | Colin Stetson – New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light   Released in the UK/EU 29 April 2013 Colin Stetson established himself as an intensely original solo composer and performer in 2011 with the release of the widely acclaimed New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges . Judges ended up on countless year-end lists and emphatically proved that Stetson’s approach to solo saxophone transcends nic...

Today in "sucks to be you, Philadelphia" news, it was announced today that Boris will carrying out a small tour of the U.S. featuring performances of their album, Flood , in its entirety.  Naturally, because Philadelphia isn't a music city by any stretch, the band will not be stopping here.  Adding insult to injury, a tour-only exclusive release will be sold during the tour. All info comes courtesy of Us/Them Group and I'm not at all bitter. Boris announce residency US tour performing Flood album & all-time classics Plus, Austin Psych Fest in late April Click image to watch tour video teaser Legendary Japanese trio Boris announce a series of US headlining residency shows in several major markets following their performance at Austin Psych Fest in late April. The residency tour, billed as "from the past, the present and through to the future" features Boris playing 2 consecutive nights in each city. For the first night, the band will p...

If you didn't know that you needed some 60s era psych blues to close out your Monday, Wolf People 's "All Returns" will convince you that this was the case.  "All Returns" is the first single from the band's upcoming new album, Fain .  All info below comes courtesy of Jagjaguwar. Wolf People's Fain Coming in April - Stream "All Returns" Wolf People : (L-R) Tom Watt , Jack Sharp , Joe Hollick , Dan Davies Jagjaguwar will release the second full-length studio album by England's Wolf People, Fain , on April 30th (29th in the UK). Recorded in a beautiful and isolated house in the Yorkshire Dales, Fain is the sound of a band at the peak of their creative powers. It’s an honest and natural album that allows its stories, its melodies, its themes and structures to breathe. The album draws on more traditional English and Scottish folk melodies than anything they’ve done before, but not straying from the drop-out fuzz-rock route ...

MusicFilmWeb's Music Documentary Monday feature, 1.28. Beijing Punk Directed by Shaun Jefford Released: 2012   MusicFilmWeb review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Machines Learning Success Has Many Fathers While Failure in an Orphan EP Machines Recording Records Released: 1.1.13 With crunchy chords that induce a dreamy gaze and generate heavy fields of sonic thrust, Machines Learning has taken cues from Billy Corgan and Kevin Shields and interprets these influences well.  Their new 3-song EP, Success Has Many Fathers While Failure is an Orphan , is immersed in a lush and serrated tone, texture and grace allowed to coexist. With Machines Learning, there is definitely an appeal to nostalgia for anyone pining for the days of flannel shirts and 120 Minutes , when Loveless was new and legitimate college radio won mainstream attention.  While "Strong Men Also Cry" opens the EP with an Explosions in the Sky styled post-rock instrumental that doesn't seem too out of character with the past decade or so, the following song, "The Island in the Hills," is an exercise in reminiscence: the drum sounds and stride, th...

In case you don't remember as far back as last November , I posted a video of the song "Science for a Better Life" by Diamond Version , a factorial and minimalist work of automated paranoia currently releasing a series of five EPs that will lead to a full-length release later this year. EP3 will be physically out in late February, (the digital option available on January 29th if that's how you roll), and a new video, "Turn On Tomorrow," was unleashed today. All info comes courtesy of Mute Records. DIAMOND VERSION EP3 OUT FEB 26th on 12” & JAN 29th VIA DIGITAL DOWNLOAD WATCH THE VIDEO FOR "TURN ON TOMORROW" Diamond Version will release EP3 next Tuesday January 29th via digital download and on February 26th via 12”. EP3 is the third EP release in a series of five and features the tracks Turn On Tomorrow, Sense Of Urgency and Turn On Tomorrow (Version). Diamond Version has also released a video to accompany the final track. Echoing the...

This Town Needs Guns 13.0.0.0.0 Sargent House Released: 1.22.13 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

A new single from Akron/Family surfaced today called "No-Room," which is an intensified and urgent mix of noise rock and Americana laced psychedelia.  A new album called Sub Verses will be released on  April 30th and it will feature cover art by Sunn O))) 's Stephen O'Malley .  Michael Gira , the unbridled mind behind Swans and the head of Akron/Family's former label, Young God Records, contributed a few words about the band which you can see below. All info comes courtesy of Dead Oceans. Akron/Family Returns With New Album, Sub Verses , April 30th Stream "No-Room" - Announcing Spring Tour Dates   Yesterday Akron/Family premiered the first song from their forthcoming record, Sub Verses, out on Dead Oceans on April 30th (29th in the UK). "No-Room" can be streamed via Pitchfork here alongside a first leg of 2013 live dates. "No-Room" showcases the heavier, more direct sound of Sub Verses. Influenced, in part, by mon...

About a year and a half ago, I had the opportunity to see a Philadelphia post-rock band called Cloud Minder perform as one of two openers for the band, Earth .  Cloud Minder is in the process of releasing their latest LP, Solace , and they're now promoting a Kickstarter fund so that fans can contribute to its production and distribution.  Seems simple enough, but what makes this story more poignant is that one of the band's members, Dave Sommer , is battling brain cancer. I was contacted by band member Bob Burns Stokes III , who also works at the Philadelphia venue Johnny Brenda's and creates Cloud Minder's poster art and t-shirts.  Since the band can't tour currently, he explained to me that they're limited with what they can do to raise money, not only in terms of getting their album out to the public, but also for Sommer's hospital bills. Solace Sampler by Cloud Minder You can check out their story here, or at their Kickstarter page .  It's...

Can The Lost Tapes Spoon Released: 6.12 A.K.A. Music , Philadelphia, PA: In June of 2012, Krautrock superheroes Can issued a three CD collection of unreleased material appropriately dubbed, The Lost Tapes .  I found a copy resting against the new releases wall at A.K.A. Music and figured I'd cross it off my wish list.  Plus, being that I'm not very well versed when it comes to Can, I thought the set would make a good primer.  (The only other Can release I own is their 1979 self-titled album , which I consider hit and miss). Apparently, the material herein was culled from 50 hours' worth of tapes that had been recorded from 1968 'til 1975, an arduous and likely frustrating task taken on by band member Irmin Schmidt , producer Daniel Miller and musician Jono Podmore .  With a retrospective of this size, there is an immediate and mostly automatic desire to positively assess the release before it's even been completely considered, quality or not.  Ha...

My four-year old daughter is very aware of her father's obsessions.  She drew this for me at her daycare: an "I love you, Daddy" note with an album in the center.  This will find permanence on some wall in my record room. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

While I'll admit that there's probably an over saturation of post -post-punk or neo new wave bands at this point, I can't help but be engaged by the bands that do it well.  Girls Names , for instance, though the icy, gothic tinge of the vocals is probably a tad cliché at this point, create a nicely rhythmic and well-harmonized cross section of their influences with "Pittura Infamante," a single from their upcoming new album, The New Life . All info is courtesy of Force Field PR. Girls Names share new track from their upcoming album The New Life , out Feb 26 on Slumberland Records STREAM: "Pittura Infamante" http://soundcloud.com/tough-love/girls-names-pittura   Belfast-based post-punk group Girls Names announce details of their followup to their 2011 release Dead to Me . Their new album is called The New Life , and will be released February 26 on Slumberland Records.   Listen to the group's new single 'Pittura Infamante...

New Tera Melos ! X'ed Out will be released in April.  Feast on "Tropic Lame" for now. All info comes courtesy of Us/Them. Tera Melos premiere first song from forthcoming album via Rolling Stone Sacramento's genre-benders Tera Melos announce the forthcoming release of their latest album today with the exclusive premiere of a new song via Rolling Stone. The track, " Tropic Lame " is culled from the new album, X'ed Out and available to download/stream HERE . Truly great art is that which can't be easily understood and dissected, but immediately resonates nonetheless. Tera Melos' new full length, X'ed Out is just that kind of adventure. The songs transcend in a way that makes you want to sit friends down to hear it, not only to share the experience, but perhaps in hopes that together you can create the world in which songs like this can be defined. It hits mental buttons and flicks internal switches that you never knew existed, whil...

It's likely the caffeine has left your system and your will to move has been depleted.  Your eyelids are probably heavy, your mind should be shutting off so as to aid in the rest your body will be requesting very soon.  If any aural comfort were needed at this point, I would recommend Herbcraft 's "No Land," which is a new single from the group's upcoming LP, The Astral Body Electric . You can smell the patchouli zigzagging from that title, can't you? The album will be out on Woodsist records on March 5th. The music is predictably spacy, the guitar trails like a blotter sheet's influence.  There's a reserved chaos to the music that's rather engaging, as if there's a complete loss of control at points but "it's cool, man."  A mellow song for a mellow evening. All info comes courtesy of Force Field PR. Herbcraft announces new LP on Woodsist, hear a new track now STREAM: "No Land" - https://soundcloud.com/forcef...

Four or five listens later, props for the day's best single go to Suuns , who issued a video for their new song, "Edie's Girl."  March 5th will see the release of the band's album, Images du Futur . Can't get this one out of my head: The bass tone gums itself up and challenges the song's rhythm by trying to fit too much in.  The tones are subtle and its guitar licks sting.   All info comes courtesy of Secret Canadian. Suuns Premiere New Video for "Edie's Dream" North American & EU Tour Dates Announced Sophomore Album Images du Futur Out March 5 Suuns have premiered the video for their first single, "Edie's Dream," today at Noisey . The video follows a mysterious young girl through the woods to "Edie's" moody soundscape. The song's bass line throbs under woozy synths while time slows, images fade, and our protagonist digs a hole in the ground. Watch the video for "Edie's Dream" D...

Mystical Weapons Mystical Weapons Chimera Music Released: 1.15.13 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

The release of Pissed Jeans ' upcoming new album, Honeys , is quickly approaching.  "Bathroom Laughter," which was the album's first single, was posted back in November of last year and will now be accompanied by their latest single, "Cathouse."  The track has less their usual Jesus Lizard scratch n' riff and more a good time punk rock bounce to it.  Still entices well enough. Pissed Jeans will be playing a record release show in Philly at Underground Arts on February 15, (perfectly following lubby dubby day).   Here's the track: "Cathouse" All info comes courtesy of Sub Pop. New Pissed Jeans tour dates! Plus: “Cathouse,” the second single from the new Pissed Jeans album Honeys , is now available. MP3 premiere w/ Pitchfork Download “Cathouse” here . Download “Bathroom Laughter” here . Pissed Jeans will take their unpredictably raucous live show on the road this spring to support their stellar 4th album Honeys , out ...

Celebrating their 30th anniversary, Camper Van Beethoven has released a new single, "Someday Our Love Will Us Out," from their upcoming new album, La Costa Perdida , which will be out this month.  Thought it was a decent track for a Friday afternoon. CBV will playing at the World Café on January 18th.  You'll have to suffer through Cracker , but there's always the option to show up a little later.  Info comes courtesy of Force Field PR. Camper Van Beethoven shares new single via Stereogum, celebrates 30th anniversary MP3: "Someday Our Love Will Sell Us Out" - https://soundcloud.com/forcefieldpr/camper-van-beethoven-someday Camper Van Beethoven is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2013, with the Jan. release of its tenth album, La Costa Perdida . Today the band shares the second single from the new album, "Someday Our Love Will Sell Us Out" via Stereogum. Many of the band's peers and members of R.E.M., Pavement, Built To Spill, D...

A new single from The Besnard Lakes called "People of the Sticks" surfaced today with news of an upcoming new album being released.  The album will be called Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO and the single has me very excited to check it out.  Their dreamy soundscapes remain intact, their melodies a perfect synthesis of pop-laced hook and indie rock inventiveness.  Give it a listen below. All info is courtesy of Jagjaguwar. At Jagjaguwar, we're really not supposed to play favorites. Every band we work with is special, and each of their records occupies an important space within the independent music canon. However, when a relative or a stranger asks me who my absolute favorite band is, I barely miss a beat before I blurt out, "The Besnard Lakes." There is no other band on the planet that I'd sprint along 6th street during SXSW, lugging a bulky, 20lb fog machine for. As far as I can tell, no band has performed more beautifully on late night telev...

Over the course of today, I've been sampling the album, Tastyville , which is a beautifully conceived post-punk album from Three Second Kiss , an Italian rock trio who've apparently been around since 1996.  When you discover a band with legacy, especially when you hear an album to the level of Tastyville emerge from a band with almost twenty years under its belt, you get sort of pissed that you weren't paying better attention.  Some of their older albums had even had distribution through Dischord Records.  They've also been recorded by Steve Albini . The album was mastered by Bob Weston ( Shellac , Mission of Burma ) and has apparently been out in Europe since last November.  According to the press release I received earlier today from Sick Room Records , Tastyville will be available in the US on January 20th. Another one for the wishlist. By the way, if anyone reading this is thinking to themselves, "What? Dude, I thought you knew something about music....

"Becomes the Color" is a new single from electronic musician Emily Wells that will be featured in the soundtrack for the upcoming Park Chan-Wook ( Oldboy ) film, Stoker .  The soundtrack also features the scoring work of former Pop Will Eat Itself guitarist, Clint Mansell , whose been busy scoring Darren Aronofsky films (the noteworthy musical centerpiece of Requiem for a Dream , " Lux Aeterna ," was composed by Mansell), and composer Philip Glass . All info and links are courtesy of Terrorbird Media. STOKER MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK, FEAT. MUSIC FROM CLINT MANSELL, EMILY WELLS, PHILLIP GLASS, OUT 2/26/13 ON MILAN RECORDS FORTHCOMING FILM FROM VISONARY DIRECTOR PARK CHAN-WOOK IN SELECT THEATERS 3/1/13 FROM FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES CLINT MANSELL ANNOUNCES LIVE DATES IN APRIL FOR NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES EMILY WELLS' NEW SINGLE "BECOMES THE COLOR" OUT NOW AUDIO: "Becomes the Color" via Soundcloud / via Entertainment ...