Music Under Fire

Announced as of August 28th on Mute Math's official site, the band will be heading into the studio this September to record their album with producer Dennis Herring (The Hives, Elvis Costello, Counting Crows, Modest Mouse, Camper Van Beethoven, Jars of Clay). They will be recording in Herring's Sweet Tea Studios in Oxford, Mississippi.

Below are a few of the bands latest videos posted within the past month, the most recent is drummer extraordinaire, Darren King, slams the drums to a connected lighting system. Also included below is a piano track played by vocalist Paul Meany. These clips are the last of their sneak peeks at their upcoming new material.

MP3: Mute Math - Without It (buy)

Video: MUTEMATH Studio Vlog: Light Drums


Video: MUTEMATH Studio Vlog: The New Producer


Video: MUTEMATH Studio Vlog: Piano Parts

Philadelphia's own Good Old War, while on tour promoting their debut album Only Way To Be Alone, stopped by San Diego's X1FM Radio for a live session. Although the session showed Good Old War as up-and-comers, they have a past laden with faithful fans and shows at small halls.

After many years of following the now defunct Days Away, we were delighted to hear its offshoot, Good Old War, was on the road under Sargent House (Maps & Atlases, Russian Circles). Highlighting the vocals once again is Keith Goodwin. Accompanying him the is former bandmate and drummer Tim Arnold as well as Dan Schwartz from Unlikely Cowboy on the guitar.

The atmosphere the group creates through their music could be the soundtrack for a West Coast summer with its stripped down acoustic feel, but their amicable small town personalities come to the forefront in every upbeat ode. A short description only does the group so much justice, so check out the clips and buy the digital CD now and/or get the hard copy when it hits indie rock stores on September 16th. Tour dates are also below.

MP3: Coney Island (live) (buy)
MP3: Window (live) (buy)

8/29/08 Austin, Texas
8/30/08 Dallas, Texas
8/31/08 Houston, Texas
9/2/08 Tampa, Florida
9/3/08 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
9/4/08 Orlando, Florida
9/5/08 Atlanta, Georgia
9/6/08 Charlotte, North Carolina
9/7/08 Baltimore, Maryland
9/9/08 New York, New York
9/10/08 S. Hackensack, New Jersey
9/11/08 Alston, Massachusetts
9/12/08 Portland, Maine
9/13/08 New Haven, Connecticut
9/14/08 Farmingdale, New York

Nightmares on Wax have been one of MUFs favorite chill-out music dating way back to 1995's Smoker's Delight. Just as Justin Timberlake is to pop, Nightmares On Wax are to chillout... perhaps even that doesn't do the now 38-year-old Trip-hop mastermind George Evelyn justice.

Evelyn, whose fame quickly spread via the DJ Kicks complilations started back in 1995 (way before iPods) was a shoo-in given the perfected beats and organic chemistry each of his songs emulated so well. Nightmares on Wax has joined the realms of Kruder & Dorfmeister, DJ Cam, DJ Krush and so many more who have perfected this less popular genre of music over the course of the last 15 years.

Nightmares on Wax is set to release their CD on September 2nd in the US and Canada. The album is called thought so... and is absolutely top notch. The first single from their album is "195lbs". If you're not so sure you're ready to commit to it yet, you can preview it on iTunes, as it has already been digitally released, or hop on over to the Nightmares On Wax blog. The blog features a game where the album is played in the background for your listening enjoyment. You can play the game right here.

There’s a facebook version of the game where you can log your hi-scores into our N.O.W. hi-scores table (play the game and submit your score). We may as well have a little competition.. The prize is a special N.O.W. goody bag from E.A.S.E. including:

- A signed test pressing of the new album on vinyl (or a CD copy if you want instead)
- N.O.W. Posters
- A N.O.W. T-Shirt
- A couple of recent DJ mixes on CD

The winner will be decided by whoever is top of the N.O.W. hi-score table by Monday 1st September at midday.

All 29 are back at it again! Our favorite massive group I'm From Barcelona (who are indisputably all from Sweden), have given us all a taste of their first single "Paper Planes" from their forthcoming album Who Killed Harry Houdini? "Paper Planes" is the next in line to follow the same joyful composition that their past music followed, although this time, the Barcelonian herd fittingly themes this song to a 70's Price-Is-Right elevator muzak tune.

The video, directed by Jonas Odell (U2, Franz Ferdinand), features frontman and founder Emanuel Lundgren eating, assembling scrapbooks and all sorts of other things you could do on a 3 minute 11 second trip to the tenth floor. Of course all of this roused with the other 28 members entering and exiting the elevator all while paper airplanes consume the airspace makes this for a well done video. By all means, let's cheers this raucous group of Swedes!

According to their website, Who Killed Harry Houdini will be out on September 24th. It will be their first full length release following the release of their 2006 EP Don't Give Up on Your Dreams, Buddy! In the meantime, you can download a free track right here by entering your email address.

MP3: I'm From Barcelona - We're From Barcelona (Adventure Kid Remix)

Official - http://www.imfrombarcelona.com/
MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/imfrombarcelona

Video: I'm From Barcelona - Paper Planes

It took 11 years, but The Verve is back with their first new album since 1997's Urban Hymns. Should you feel excited or just throw that info on the back burner? For now, throw that tidbit into the closet, since our own boys from Arkansas are releasing their White Lights EP- Deas Vail that would be. Don't you think it is much easier to get excited about a group that you can grow with? Me too.

Also from within our borders, The Reign of Kindo are dropping their first full-length. If you can recall, many of their members compiled the former group, This Day & Age (a MUF favorite). We have nothing but praise for the new movement as they have shed their skin and have been hard at work since their formation.

If pop alternative music catches your fancy, Raine Maida couldn't help you more with that fix. Pop-alt is such a negative genre to cover due to the blehness of it, but this album could have just saved a part of all of us.

Although not delved into too deeply, give Cordero and Matthew Sweet's newest a listen and perhaps catch something that slipped by our ears.

For our own personal reasons, we've added Dragonforces newest in the mix. The song below is named "Heartbreak Armageddon". Rock on and enjoy!

MP3: Raine Maida - Confessional (buy)
MP3: Dragonforce - Heartbreak Armageddon (buy)
MP3: Deas Vail - White Lights (buy)
MP3: The Verve - Love is Noise (buy)

BB King - One Kind Favor (Official)
Blues Traveler - North Hollywood Shootout (Official) (MySpace)
Cordero - De Donde Eres (Official) (MySpace)
Deas Vail - White Lights EP (Official) (MySpace)
DragonForce - Ultra Beatdown (Official) (MySpace)
Fighting at a College Level - The Voiceless (MySpace)
JJ Grey & Mofro - Orange Blossoms (Official) (MySpace)
Kawabata Makoto and Michishita Shinsuke - Basement Echo
Matthew Sweet - Sunshine Lies (Official) (MySpace)
Raine Maida - The Hunter's Lullaby (Official) (MySpace)
The Crash Movie - Just Cause It Never Happened Don't Mean It Won't
The Perfect Mistake - Armistice (Official) (MySpace)
The Reign of Kindo - Rhythm, Chord & Melody (Official) (MySpace)
The Verve - Forth (Official) (MySpace)
Tussle - Cream Cuts (Official) (MySpace)
Valencia - We All Need a Reason to Believe (Official) (MySpace)
Zach Hill - Astrological Straights (MySpace)

Bloc Party is back with their third album, Intimacy, which has been released via digital download on their website as of last Thursday (August 21st). They are the latest in a string of artists to take the plunge and offer their album exclusively through their website. However, unlike many other artists, Bloc Party is releasing both their album in both MP3 and CD, with the option to buy both simultaneously. The price is about $10 (5 Euros) for just the MP3s (in 320Kbps!) or for both the CD and MP3s if you're feeling ritsy for a total of about $20. 10 Euros is about $20, right? So maybe a smidge cheaper than that. Not a bad deal.

However, I'm surprised to not see Bloc Party release an LP of their latest; after all, LPs have been coming back this year. Despite all of the album sharing and torrent distribution, I see no reason why Bloc Party does not have success with Intimacy. After all, their fan base continues to blossom and even a bad album would reach some sort of acclaim. After reading a few early reviews, it seems to be this way, anyway. It seems that people who own their previous two albums, Silent Alarm and A Weekend In The City, will soon adapt and be somewhat pleased.

Below is the video for Bloc Party's first single from Intimacy, "Mercury". Although I am not a fan of the "Mercury" single, I think this video has quite an entertaining message. A bunch of alien apes string together a ridiculous looking programmable ape, one who can learn, date and become president, then take over the world. Perhaps this has always been our fear - that with the coming elections, we could vote for someone who, in the end, may be our demise. Strongly played by Bloc Party this time around, as for the single, I'm not yet sold on it.

MP3: Bloc Party - Mercury (CSS Remix) (buy)

Official - http://www.blocparty.com/
MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/blocparty

Video: Bloc Party - Mercury

Snow Patrol's newest album, A Hundred Million Suns, will hit stores on October 27 (UK) and 28 (U.S.) with the single "Take Back the City" to release on October 13.

The album, which was recorded in both Ireland and in Berlin, Germany this summer, will be the group's follow-up to Eyes Open (2006),which sold around 5 million records. In response to the album, lead man Gary Lightbody said,

I'm so proud of this record. Everybody played out of their skin. Garret (Jacknife Lee) continued his progression from maverick genius to one of the best producers in the world. Musically, lyrically and sonically the best record we've made.

Parc Avenue can take a madman and turn him into a calm child again. The loving spirit of Montreal's Plants and Animals shines through at every track with their yesteryear folk, so much so that when it is heard it is uncommonly natural to like it.

Warren Spicer's ability to harness the most fitting vocals at the right time certainly aids the group's effort, but at no one place in the album does he alone stick out. With drummer Matthew Woodley and guitarist/backup vocalist Nicolas Basque embedded in every song, Spicer always has a backdrop abundant in sweet melodies. "New Kind of Love" fits this bill as Spicer occasionally gets his solo but this quickly turns to Basque chiming right along with him while the riffs on the guitar rise and fall and the drums batter away to match the energy.

Their newest effort, Parc Avenue, is up for several awards, including the Polaris Prize. Both the band and the album are up for Quebec's coveted GAMIQ awards in the Artist of Year, International Career of the Year and Indie Rock Album of Years categories. Plants and Animals are also up for the inaugural Verge Music Awards in the Album and Artist of the Year categories. Click on the links and vote!

Plants and Animals recently toured across North America in early and mid May before heading to Europe late in the month and back to the States for most of June. They have been hiking throughout Canada's festival scene for the past few months and currently only have a few shows scheduled. Tour dates below the MP3s.

MP3: Plants and Animals - Faerie Dance (buy)
MP3: Plants and Animals - Feedback in the Field (buy)

8/29 Quebec City, Quebec
8/30 Abitibi, Quebec

Travis is back at it again after soothing their fans last year with a Boy Who Had No Name, an album witten about lead vocalist Fran Healy's newborn son. Now that they're back on track after a 4 year lull prior to 2007. Their first single will be "Something Anything" off of their own and newly established Red Telephone Box label. Even more exhillarating is that their sixth album, Ode To J. Smith, will be bouncing off the walls one month from now (September 29th).

The Ode To J. Smith tracklisting will be:
01: Chinese Blues
02: J. Smith
03: Something Anything
04: Long Way Down
05: Broken Mirror
06: Last Words
07: Quite Free
08: Get Up
09: Friends
10: Song To Self
11: Before You Were Young

Healy and Co. added that this will be their edgiest album yet, and they may just be right judging from the video below. Their first single from the album, "Something Anything" features our guitar pal (Andy Dunlop), perplexed as he stares at his trusty guitar, only to soon grow 10+ feet tall and wail on the best guitar solo I've heard from Travis to date. Who knew they were capable of such raw guitarwork?

Healy added comments about the album name in a mixblog:

"The album is called Ode to J. Smith partly giving a heads up to the key song and partly because all the songs are written about nameless characters or to nameless characters."

Having recently perused Oneida's new album PreTeen Weaponry from a few weeks ago, my first chance to see them live came at Lee's Palace in Toronto, Ontario last Friday. With a packed house on the deck remaining after Tropics played their 8 o'clock set, Lullaby Arkestra followed.

Lullaby Arkestra



The last true rock show I attended was Tool last summer and I loved it even though I only knew more than a few of their songs. Lullaby Arkestra wasn't rock Friday night; it was hard punk with the zeal of the Kaiser Chiefs and the drive of grunge like Seaweed, but it reminded me of how everyone attentively watched Tool.

The most amazing aspect of the two-person performance was undoubtedly the fact that drummer Justin Small was the lead singer for half of the songs. That's not to say Katia Taylor didn't have her highlights. When Small took a much-needed rest towards the end of the set, Taylor completely strayed from the metal genre to an almost down-home country sans the twang.

Oneida



With a large crowd forming in anticipation of their show as well as the dance party to follow upstairs at Lee's Palace, Oneida eased into their set with a combination of down-tempo, yet hard hit drums along with rarely strummed electric ambient guitars. After about ten minutes, the same continued with the occassional synth mixed into the lull. It was at this point I got to recording, even though I am not sure what song was recorded and if it is a complete on.

The lull only lasted so long as Oneida flaired to life through the sudden swift play of their drummer, the flexibility of their keyboardist/guitarist and the jazzing up on the synthesizer. With these components the rest of the group could almost sit back and chime in. Despite their presence on stage, the bass and lead vocalist weren't part of the backbone of Oneida's style, which lent more to a computer-manufactured sound at points.

Overall, the show had its ups and downs. The MP3 below was the crowd favorite as it captured amazing energy by the keyboardist while getting the crowd jumping at the same time. Check out the stuff below and if you like it make sure to catch Oneida in your city.

MP3: Oneida - Up with the People

Now that the Counting Crows are way past that of being an indie rock prospect, it wouldn't make much sense for us to write about them. However, they're quite good at what they do and we enjoy feeding the compulsive music lover. A site is now up that hosts a multitude of live shows of theirs from all over. You can find almost any show as of recent for download (for a small fee of course). But it has everything you could ask for if you're a diehard fan. Check it out http://livecountingcrows.com/.

MP3: Counting Crows - Holiday In Spain (buy)

Official - http://www.countingcrows.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/countingcrows
Last.fm - http://www.last.fm/music/Counting+Crows