Indie Music Watch

If you have ever wondered why we do not really review albums here, it is because we're dedicated to uncovering great LIVE music... and because we review the albums elsewhere. If you want to know what we think of the latest from Alkaline Trio, Portugal. The Man, Rogue Wave, The Right Now, One eskim0, or We Were Promised Jetpacks, you can see it here...

Podcast 4 Up!

This week, we talk Pitchfork 2010, get excited over the upcoming Frightened Rabbit album and tour dates, and gush over AM Taxi at Lincoln Hall - where we also discover, rising stars, Big Science. We also run down our upcoming concert recommendations, including this weekend’s Rock N’ Raise show at Metro, John Butler Trio at Lincoln Hall, Editors at The Vic, and Phantogram at Schubas.

If you like what you hear, please review the podcast on iTunes!

Portugal. The Man Announce New Album, Tour

Alaska's Portugal. The Man will do nothing to dispel their well-earned labels as prolific tour addicts in 2010. The band is set to head back on tour with the support of, excellent live act, Port O'Brien and The Dig. In addition to a string of dates, starting February 24th in Fargo, the band has announced plans to release a new album shortly, called American Ghetto. According to the band, the album is for the fans - and will not be releasing it early to press (damn!) or radio. Instead, they will be releasing the album as soon as it is finished (tba) to everyone on the same day. Head over to their site and pick up a free tour sampler of music from all three bands. As they proved to us last year at Schubas, they are a must-see live band that will blow your mind. We have a rule around here about seeing a band twice before calling them 'must-see'... but they were good enough to make us break that rule without hesitation. We will definitely be there for the February 26th show to report on the festivities.

Tour Dates

2/24 Fargo, ND @ Aquarium
2/25 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theatre
2/26 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
2/27 Louis, MO @ The Gargoyle
3/1 Oxford, MS @ Proud Larry's
3/3 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues / Pontiac Garage
3/4 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live (Studio)
3/5 Austin, TX @ The Parish
3/6 Austin, TX @ The Parish
3/9 Gainesville, FL @ Common Ground
3/10 Ybor City, FL @ Crowbar
3/11 Orlando, FL @ The Social
3/12 Elkton, FL @ Harvest of Hope Festival
3/13 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
3/18 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
3/19 New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
3/20 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small's Theatre
3/21 Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century Theatre
3/24 Columbia, MO @ Mojo's
3/26 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre
3/27 Vail, CO @ The Sandbar
3/28 Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen

Best Of 2009 Playlist

To close out 2009, I thought it was appropriate to pick a bakers dozen worth of the best songs of the year that you probably haven't heard yet. Grab these and give them a listen.

in alphabetical order


Bad Veins - "Crosseyed" This soaring, heartfelt confession of love is the best track off an incredibly impressive debut from this Ohio-based orchestral indie pop duo.

David Bazan - "When We Fell" Ex-Pedro The Lion frontman, David Bazan's first solo outing, a soul-baring look at his fallout with religion, is one of the most brilliant albums of 2009.

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - "Get Yo Shit" The raw voice of Lewis delivers the goods in the emotional hook, as he pleads his case to stay in the house after a late night of drinking. Horns ablaze, a funky blues riff, and a great sense of humor make this one of the best surprises of 2009.

Company Of Thieves - "The Fire Song" With all due respect to XRT, Chicago's finest rock right now is Company Of Thieves. In a great year for new bands, their January release of their debut album stood head and shoulders above the rest. It is an album where your favorite track can easily change every time you put it on - at the moment, this is mine.

Kinch - "Carolina Cannonball" More great, under appreciated Arizona rock. Impossible to listen to just once.

Pablo - "By Up I Mean" I adore Pablo, and this restless acoustic number off their sophomore set shows off front man Paul Schalda's vocal charms like nothing else.

Phantogram - "Mouthful Of Diamonds" This trance-ish pop outfit out of New York is not likely to remain unknown for long. Recently signed to Barsuk Records, their label debut should land sometime in 2010, with this irresistible blipping tune off their self-released EP a great indication of their talents.

Portual. The Man - "Guns And Dogs" Soul and classic rock come together for something brilliant here. It doesn't hurt that they also put on the most memorable live show I attended in 2009, rocketing them just below The Cat Empire on my list of must-see bands.

Ramona Falls - "I Say Fever" A shaggy fever dream of a song, as strummy and acoustic as it is lush and orchestral. The vocals hit as hard as the stomping beat. I'm not saying we don't need another Menomena album, but some more Ramona Falls first would not be a bad thing.

Reubens Accomplice - "No Motion" I really wish we got the new Reubens Accomplice album this year, but the kick-ass EP they delivered did just fine. This ode to their hometown, comparing Phoenix to New York and Los Angeles, is a great listen.

Jonah Smith - "Open Up The Door" This jangling piano rocker is just one of the many charms on this singer-songwriter's latest.

The Starlight Mints - "Black Champagne" This bubbly track is the most accessible on an otherwise wonderfully strange album. As an added bonus, it seems appropriate to ring in the new year.

Wallpaper. - "Celebrity" The whole album is hilarious, but this Kevin Federline-esque jam, about gaining fame by sleeping with someone famous, is a funky pop treat whose music is just as enjoyable as the lyrics.

Equal Vision Records 12 Days Of Christmas

The fine folks at Equal Vision Records are getting in the holiday spirit with a great December promotion called '12 Days Of Christmas'. Each day, you can head over to http://equalvision.bandcamp.com/ each day to get the daily offering for whatever price you choose. The albums will cover the recent releases and some back catalog goodies. Today's album is the fantastic First Temple from Australia's Closure In Moscow. It's been a great year for the label, so there's plenty to enjoy. Keep your eyes open for Dear & The Headlights and Portugal. The Man albums.