PINTO

My favorite "crazy-ass socialist" Swedes, PINTO, have finished their debut LP; now they're just looking for somebody to release it. Shouldn't take too long.

In the meantime, they continue to make music and let people download it for free. Thus: "crazy-ass."

PINTO on MySPACE.

[MP3] "We Breathe Too Much"

[MP3] "Palm of My Hand"

THE CONCRETES

VICTORIA BERGSMAN up and flew the coop. To do her own thing. To sing (and whistle?) with PETER BJORN AND JOHN.
But Stockholm's THE CONCRETES are pushing right on. Their new album, HEY TROUBLE, is already out in Scandinavia and will be released in the UK in early June.



THE CONCRETES on MySPACE.

THE CONCRETES in Sweden >>>

Apr 18 2007 8:00P/Inkonst/Malmö
Apr 19 2007 8:00P/Herrgårn/Linköping
Apr 20 2007 8:00P/Pustervik/Göteborg
Apr 27 2007 8:00P/Kalmar Nation/Uppsala
May 26 2007 8:00P/Siesta Festival/Hässleholm

From the LP HEY TROUBLE, 2007 >>>
[MP3] "Kids"
[MP3] "Keep Yours"

From the LP IN COLOUR, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "Chosen One"

ARCTIC MONKEYS

These guys seemed overrated to me before, and they still do. But I found two songs that worked for me on their first album, and I found two (or three) on the new one [FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE; April 24; DOMINO]. At this pace, I should have a solid, 80-minute mixtape from these young fresh fellas by 2015.

ARCTIC MONKEYS on MySPACE.

ARCTIC MONKEYS on parade >>>

Apr 27 2007 12:00A/Coachella Music Festival/Indio, CA
May 1 2007 12:00A/Warfield Theatre/San Francisco, CA
May 2 2007 12:00A/Roseland Theatre/Portland, OR
May 3 2007 12:00A/The Showbox/Seattle, WA
May 4 2007 12:00A/Commodore Ballroom/Vancouver, BC
May 7 2007 12:00A/First Avenue/Minneapolis, MN
May 8 2007 12:00A/Riviera Theatre/Chicago, IL
May 9 2007 12:00A/Clutch Cargo's/Pontiac, MI
May 11 2007 12:00A/Kool Haus/Toronto

[MP3] "Teddy Picker" [REMOVED UNDER PRESSURE]

[MP3] "Fluoroscent Adolescent" [REMOVED UNDER PRESSURE]

THE ICICLES

Today's artists in the spotlight -- THE ICICLES -- hail from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Many of you may be aware that the late President Gerald R. Ford called that city home for a significant portion of his life. But did you also know that it has been home to actors GILLIAN ANDERSON and ANDY RICHTER? Or the respective screenwriters of TAXI DRIVER and TOP GUN? Or the lead singers of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, TOOL, and... uh... well... THE VERVE PIPE? Fascinating but true!

Also, if you happen to live in OMIHACHIMAN (Japan), BIELSKO-BIALA (Poland), PERUGIA (Italy), GA DISTRICT (Ghana), or ZAPOPAN (Mexico), then you will be pleased-as-punch to learn that your cities are official "sister" cities to Grand Rapids. Exciting? You betcha!

And you better believe the place has a music scene. It may not be Athens, Seattle, or even Omaha just yet, but you can't blame that on the aforementioned ICICLES. They've been busting their humps in relative obscurity for a number of years now, but their official coming-out party seems imminent with today's release of their second album, ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES, on MICROINDIE RECORDS.

When I first wrote about the band in July of 2006, I had this to say:

"THE ICICLES play breezy, '60s styled pop - all swirling synths, groovy basslines, girl harmonies, handclaps, and tambourine. The ALL GIRL SUMMER FUN BAND is a logical comparison point. HEAVENLY as well."

These things still hold true on ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES, though the group sounds even more assured (and, dare we say, "sophisticated") this time around. The inclusion of an extra guitarist only seems to have added to the band's chemistry, and they still dress like the Brady Bunch-on-acid (if the Bradys had four girls, no boys, and one bald Cousin Oliver). A promotional tie-in with Motorola (and their jaunty, nicely-named "Sugar Sweet") should only help them in the buzz-building department. So, look out, world.... Today: Grand Rapids. Tomorrow: Omihachiman!

THE ICICLES on MySPACE.

THE ICICLES flogging their wares by... uh... well... PERFORMING their wares >>>

Sun Apr 22/The DAAC/Grand Rapids, MI/with Casper & The Cookies
Mon Apr 23/Mickey Finn's Pub/Toledo, OH/with Casper & The Cookies & The Hat Company
Tue Apr 24/Modern Formations Gallery/Pittsburgh, PA/with Casper & The Cookies
Wed Apr 25/The Cake Shop/New York, NY/with The Besties & Casper & The Cookies
Thu Apr 26 7:00P/"Live Block"/BSR FM/Providence, RI
Thu Apr 26 7:30P/"Phoning It In"/WMBR FM/Cambridge, MA
Fri Apr 27/PA's Lounge/Somerville, MA/with Shumai, The Smittens & Casper & The Cookies
Sat Apr 28/The Thai Bar/Burlington, VT/with The Smittens
Sun Apr 29/Southpaw/Brooklyn, NY/with Casper & the Cookies
Mon Apr 30/The Khyber/Philadelphia, PA/with Casper & the Cookies
Tue May 1/Mohawk Place/Buffalo, NY/with Casper & The Cookies
Wed May 2/Beachland Tavern/Cleveland, OH/with Casper & The Cookies
Thu May 3/Over The Top Fest/Toronto, ON
Sat May 12/Garagefest/Grand Rapids, MI/3-10 PM (Headlining at 9)

From the LP ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES, 2007 >>>
[MP3] "Regret"
[MP3] "Snowbird"

From the LP A HUNDRED PATTERNS, 2005 >>>
[MP3] "I Wanna Know"
[MP3] "Sugar Sweet"

NINA NASTASIA

I'm still in lazy-n-listless mode these days, though I'm hoping that NEXT week around here will be better and more productive than LAST week around here.

Let me nonetheless make things easy for myself by opening this post by quoting ALL MUSIC GUIDE:

"New York City singer/songwriter NINA NASTASIA creates intimate, spectral music that evokes some lost, skewed take on Americana and that is often laced with haunting strains of viola, cello, and bowed saw."

Now, I ask you: Who COULDN'T use a bit more "bowed saw" in their music? I mean, come on... it's the new "cow bell."

When I learned that Ms. Nastasia would be collaborating with JIM WHITE on her upcoming album, YOU FOLLOW ME [FATCAT RECORDS; May 28], I was quite excited. After all, I'd just posted on Mr. White back in November, and his Southern Gothic folk-stylings seemed a perfect match for Nastasia's.

Alas, I'm an idiot. THAT Jim White is not THIS Jim White (or vice versa). Damn these generic, utterly-unGoogleable monikers. Next we'll be hearing that "Mike Smith" has been hired to play "bowed saw."

Regardless, these new songs are spare and spooky and worth a listen or two....

NINA NASTASIA on MySPACE.

From the LP YOU FOLLOW ME, 2007 >>>
[MP3] "I've Been Out Walking"
[MP3] "Late Night"

From the LP ON LEAVING, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "Why Don't You Stay Home"

From the LP THE BLACKENED AIR, 2002 >>>
[MP3] "This is What It Is"

BRIGHT EYES

I figure I better post some songs before this firm-gripped inertia of mine becomes a permanent one....

Today's album was a disappointment for me, but the artist is prolific, so I guess I can just wait for the next one.

CASSADAGA, meanwhile, drops April 10.


BRIGHT EYES on MySPACE.

BRIGHT EYES here 'n' there >>>

Apr 22 2007 8:00P/Pabst Theatre/Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Apr 23 2007 8:00P/Riviera Theatre/Chicago, Illinois
Apr 24 2007 8:00P/Riviera Theatre/Chicago, Illinois
Apr 25 2007 8:00P/State Theatre/Minneapolis, Minnesota
Apr 26 2007 8:00P/Holland Performing Arts Center/Omaha, Nebraska
Apr 28 2007 8:00P/Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre/Denver, Colorado
Apr 29 2007 8:00P/Kingsbury Hall/Salt Lake City, Utah
May 1 2007 8:00P/Paramount Theatre/Seattle, Utah
May 2 2007 8:00P/Crystal Ballroom/Portland, Oregon

[MP3] "Hot Knives"

[MP3] "No One Would Riot for Less"

ELENI MANDELL

Yet another entirely erratic week. Not much inclination to write anything today, but the music's the thing....

ELENI MANDELL on MySPACE.

ELENI MANDELL on the road >>>

Apr 18 2007 8:00P/Bordello/Los Angeles, California
Apr 19 2007 7:00P/Amoeba Records/Hollywood, California
May 4 2007 7:00P/Malibu Permorming Arts Center/Malibu, California

From the LP MIRACLE OF FIVE, 2007 >>>
[MP3] "Girls"
[MP3] "My Twin"

From the LP AFTERNOON, 2004 >>>
[MP3] "Easy on Your Way Out"
[MP3] "Afternoon"

From the LP SNAKEBITE, 2002 >>>
[MP3] "Silverlake Babies"

From the LP THRILL, 2000 >>>
[MP3] "Pauline"
[MP3] "1970 Red Chevelle"

From the LP WISHBONE, 1999 >>>
[MP3] "Snake Song"
[MP3] "Sylvia"