New on eMusic

Lately, some very good music has found it's way onto the eMusic site and the 50 Free Download offer is still good!

The Black Keys - Chulahoma
Sunset Rubdown - Shut up I Am Dreaming
Arcade Fire - EP [2003]
The Streets - The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
M.I.A. - Arular
Pretty Girls Make Graves - Élan Vital
Holly Golightly - Truly She is None Other

* * * * * *

And, oh yeah, please check out the rotating ads at page top. Elf Power, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nine Inch Nails, Willy Mason - Sondre Lerche, Ladytron, Essex Green, Wolfmother, Durkl t shirts, and Nine Black Alps... lots of music and some shirts to cover your pale flesh.

The Telepathic Butterflies

The Telepathic Butterflies are based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, one damn cold, windy corner of Canada. Made up of guitarist/vocalist and principal songwriter Rejean Ricard, drummer/percussionist Jacques Dubois and bass player Eric Van Buren, the band's most recent full length, their second, is 'Songs from A Second Wave', on Rainbow Quartz Records.

You could call this perfect psych-power pop, but who's to say what's perfect? Although it's hard to imagine that this isn't one of those mythical bands that always come up in conversations, but no one has actually heard or seen. And the story always goes that one guy lost it and is now drooling in a rubber padded room somewhere, cared for by his 87 year old mother, while the other two are either the victims of an overdose, or the former second bananas to the star of a long cancelled prime time sitcom... or something like that. But FEAR NOT, for this band does exist and they do not wear bibs, or charge 50 cents for autographs at Star Trek conventions in North Dakota.

Listen and believe... [and if you like what you hear, Telepathic Butterflies are on eMusic, use the 50 Free Download offer!]

Songs From A Second Wave - 2004
1 - Bonhommie (lyrics)
2 - The Cutting Elm (lyrics)
3 - Four Leaf Clover (lyrics)
6 - A Passing Glance (lyrics)

Introducing The Telepathic Butterflies - 2002
1 - All Very Hoopla! (lyrics)
2 - A Final Word (lyrics)
8 - Sunshine Radio (lyrics)

Nine Songs - 2001
3 - Narcissus (lyrics)
5 - Mr. Laughabee's Circus (lyrics)
11 - Yearbook (lyrics)

John Vanderslice: "Dead Slate Pacific"

You may already know that *sixeyes favourite album of last year was John Vanderslice's Pixel Revolt and I've been revisiting that recording lately. Ever since I spent a great night last week watching John and his band rip through a generous set of Pixel Revolt songs, and some older songs that have recently been added to the setlist ("Cool Purple Mist", for one), I've listened to a smattering of JV music. And to my surprise I have a new favourite, "Dead Slate Pacific". Found on Pixel Revolt this song is simply beautiful in melody, tone, and delivery; one which shimmers in the same manner which the music on the rest of the album shimmers. A shimmer gleaned in no small part by the exemplary work of Scott Solter, who when he isn't polishing the sound as an engineer is adding to it by playing an odd array of accompanying instruments such as H3000 church bells, sky saw guitar, ebowed landscape guitar, and varispeed steel drums (don't ask me what some of these are, I believe they are names John and Scott created for some of the instruments). The surprising thing is that the lovely aching shimmer of "Dead Slate Pacific" is mostly Vanderslice and his acoustic guitar. This is a harrowing song, a tale of a man falling through the crack of a broken heart and seeking help for his depression. "Dead Slate Pacific" is a love song to a love lost and a more apt song title can't be found on Pixel Revolt... unless it's the lovely instrumental coda which follows this song which is "The Golden Gate", with it's title signifying leaving depression behind.

+ dead slate pacific

* * * * * * *

Mr Vanderslice is still out on tour!

Calexico : Tour Dates and MP3s

Touch and Go artists, Calexico, are currently touring their latest effort, Garden Ruin, in Europe. All remaining European dates are below, with some North American dates included... there will be more NA dates to come.

04/29/06 - Amager Bio, Copenhagen, Denmark - with Iron and Wine
04/30/06 - Berns, Stockholm, Sweden - with Iron and Wine
05/01/06 - Rockerfeller, Oslo, Norway - with Iron and Wine
05/02/06 - Tradgarn, Gothenburg, Sweden - with Iron and Wine
05/04/06 - Colombiahalle, Berlin, Germany - with Iron and Wine
05/05/06 - Tonhalle, Munchen, Germany - with Iron and Wine
05/06/06 - Orpheum, Graz, Austria - with Iron and Wine
05/07/06 - Arena, Wien, Austria - with Iron and Wine
05/09/06 - Pauk, Zagreb, Croatia - with Iron and Wine
05/10/06 - New Age, Treviso, Italy - with Iron and Wine
05/11/06 - Rolling Stone, Milan, Italy - with Iron and Wine
05/12/06 - BOA Bar, Luzern, Switzerland - with Iron and Wine
05/13/06 - Volkhaus, Zurich, Switzerland - with Iron and Wine
05/14/06 - Patronaat, Haarlem, Netherlands - with Iron and Wine
05/15/06 - Kulturfabrik, Krefeld, Germany - with Iron and Wine
05/16/06 - Effenaar, Eindhoven, Netherlands - with Iron and Wine
06/12/06 - Belly Up, Solana Beach, CA
06/13/06 - Henry Fonda Theater, Los Angeles, CA - with Black Heart Pro.
06/15/06 - The Rio, Santa Cruz, CA - with Black Heart Pro.
06/16/06 - The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA - with Black Heart Pro.
06/17/06 - The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA - with Black Heart Pro.
06/19/06 - Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
06/20/06 - Commodore, Vancouver, Canada
06/21/06 - Showbox, Seattle, WA
06/24/06 - Rex Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA
06/26/06 - 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
07/06/06 - Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, Canada
08/05/06 - Lollapalooza, Chicago, IL

CALEXICO MP3s
from the latest, Garden Ruin...
+ cruel
+ roka

* * * * * * *

+ alone again or
+ spokes
+ black heart
+ convict pool
+ the sunken waltz
+ frontera
+ minas de cobre - acoustic
+ ballad of cable hogue - french version
+ stray

There are a handful more in this old post.

Snowden :: ON TOUR

Atlanta band, SNOWDEN, are in the midst of a mini tour which takes them up the East Coast and into the Midwest, as well. They recently completed their debut album Anti Anti for an August release on Jade Tree.

Dates:
04/27/2006 Brooklyn, NY @ Southpaw
04/28/2006 Virginia Beach, VA @ Freedom Surf Shop
04/29/2006 Charlotte, NC @ The Evening Muse
05/27/2006 Greenville, SC @ The Handlebar

+ anti anti

M. Craft

I did a post on Martin Craft about a month ago and am surprised he didn't garner more interest. Internet searches turn up little on him and his music, so I thought I'd give you a taste again and perhaps this time *sixeyes will help him win a Grammy or a Mercury Prize (just kiddin'... kinda).

This is the description I wrote about his song "Demons", I found another track and have linked it below.

In this song, "Demons", from Silver and Fire, when he sings the line "... and I tried so hard..." and the chord shifts on the word hard, and his voice drops to match, that's the hook... the tiny, shiny, blue hook that will pull you into this song and tell you to seek out Silver and Fire, Craft's debut on British label, 679 Recordings.

+ demons [link is now good]


+ sweets [mp3 bonus]

Craft's myspace page is where you can stream four more songs from the album.

The Evening Episode

Found on Slowdance Records are Sacramento CA band, The Evening Episode, who lay down a vaguely familiar but at the same time distinctive sound. Slinky keyboards and moody synths surround frontwoman, Teresa Eggers, whose vocals have a kind of bubbly youthful undercurrent married to a quirky confidence even during a more experimental outing like "Backstroke". But listen to the more straight forward track "New Love" to get an instant idea of how good this band is.

+ new love
+ backstroke

www.myspace.com/sixeyes

*Sixeyes myspace was started on a lark. I know nothing of myspace and don't intend to make the effort to figure out how to modify the page. It exists in the hopes that I might find some new readers and even some new music. If you are one of the regulars to this page you can see what some of the other regulars look like (and get up to) by viewing *sixeye's friends on the myspace page. All those beautiful and crazy people and more each day! If you'd like to be added as a friend... don't hesitate to ask by clicking the 'add to friends' link.

Released: April 25th

This week's releases at insound.com...

04/25/06 Arctic Monkeys Who The Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys EP Domino

04/25/06 Cat Power Could We b/w Dreams 7" Matador

04/25/06 Coup Pick A Bigger Weapon Epitaph

04/25/06 Eleventh Dream Day Zeroes and Ones Thrill Jockey

04/25/06 Elf Power Back to the Web Rykodisc

04/25/06 Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris All The Road Running

04/25/06 Mercy Killers TBA Hellcat

04/25/06 Rakes Capture/Release V2

04/25/06 Starlight Mints Drowaton Barsuk

04/25/06 Streets The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living Vice

04/25/06 Taking Back Sunday Louder Now

04/25/06 Tom Verlaine Around Thrill Jockey

04/25/06 Tom Verlaine Songs and Other Things Thrill Jockey

Amy Millan :: "Skinny Boy"

I am beginning to really enjoy this song off of Amy Millan's (Stars) upcoming solo album, Honey From The Tombs. "Skinny Boy", like the other songs on this album, show Millan and her voice off in much better fashion than the bands, or crowded and noisy streetcars, that bear the names Stars and Broken Social Scene. Millan, as solo act, is on foot wandering an urban park's secluded trails amongst sunbaked winos and gnarled oaks. She's got a country heart, city blood, and a voice at home anywhere.



+ skinny boy

MP3 music downloads at eMusic

Here's some stuff you can grab for free through eMusic's free trial offer...

The latest Drive By Truckers, A Blessing And A Curse
Calexico Garden Ruin
Neko Case
A.C. Newman The Slow Wonder
Arcade Fire
Maritime
Galazie 500 Peel Sessions
The Wedding Present John Peel Sessions 1992-1995
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness Fear Is On Our Side
Cities Cities
Elf Power
Of Montreal
Dressy Bessy
Marshmallow Coast
Beulah
Neutral Milk Hotel
Ladybug Transistor
The Beach Boys
The Kinks
Badfinger
The Turtles
Pavement
Apples In Stereo

They've also added a few very early releases of The Flaming Lips.

James Figurine aka Jimmy Tamborello

Jimmy Tamborello (Dntel, The Postal Service) has a new project to be unveiled this summer, James Figurine is the name and the album will be called, Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake. Out July 11th on Plug Research (and in Europe on Monika Records late June), it takes the unique sound Tamborello has already fashioned with Dntel and The Postal Service and blends it with 'dancefloor oriented electronic music'.

Here's how Tamborello describes it:
"In November of 2001 my band Figurine went on a
short tour of Germany with Lali Puna. Our label there, Monika, set us up
with a driver to get from show to show. She only brought three or four
tapes to listen to on the drives, mostly techno. I’d never paid much
attention to dancefloor-oriented electronic music, but listening to the
same tapes over and over again (especially Kompakt’s pop-leaning Total 3
and some 7”s on Parfum) while driving through Germany made a giant
impression on me. So this record was supposed to be an extra melodic,
minimal techno record with some sparse vocals, but my technopop tendencies
got the best of me, the songs slowly filled up, and this is what I ended
up with."

+ 55566688833 [mp3 courtesy of plug research]

This is the tracklist for Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake...
1. 55566688833 (f/ Sonya Westcott)
2. Leftovers
3. Ruining the Sundays
4. Pretend It’s A Race and I’m On Your Side
5. You Again (f/ Jenny Lewis)
6. Apologies
7. One More Regret
8. White Ducks
9. All The Way To China (f/ Erlend Oye)
10. Stop

* * * * * * *

Dntel albums can be found on the eMusic site... the eMusic free trial is here.

The Little Ones

The Little Ones have put together their first recording, an EP entitled, Sing Song [released April 18th on the Branches Recording Collective]. It offers 6 tracks that shine like the spring sun is beginning to shine in these parts (Southern Ontario, Canada), and that is a damn good thing in my book... the sunshine and the music, both are warm and feel good in an old familiar way. Just now I'm on my third listen of the disc and I can't decide which I like more, "Cha Cha Cha", or "High On A Hill". This west coast quintet (California, I think), have put together a surprisingly sharp collection for a debut effort... Sing Song is great indie pop.




+ cha cha cha
+ high on A hill

You can buy the EP here as well as stream it in FLASH player.

Released: April 18th

Here are today's new releases found on the cmj.com website....

AMERICAN HEARTBREAK American Heartbreak - Liquor And Poker
AMSTERDAM KLEZMER BAND Remixed! - Essay
BLACK HOLLIES Crimson - Reflections
BOOKA SHADE Movements - Get Physical
BRYAN ANDREW Modern Day Miracle - Militia Group
CHARLATANS Simpatico - Sanctuary
CITIES Cities - Yep Roc
DEL CASTILLO Brotherhood Smilin' - Castle
DISCO BISCUITS The Wind At Four To Fly SCI - Fidelity-Diamond Riggs
DRESDEN DOLLS Yes, Virginia - Roadrunner
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS A Blessing And A Curse - New West
DUB CLUB: PICKED FROM THE FLOOR Various Artists - G-Stone
GOLDEN SMOG Another Fine Day Lost - Highway
GRAM RABBIT Cultivation - Stinky
HOOBASTANK Every Man For Himself - Island
JULIAN CURWIN The Tango Saloon - Ipecac
LOVELY FEATHERS Hind Hind Legs - Equator
MATTHEW SWEET AND SUSANNA HOFFS Under The Covers Volume 1 Shout! - Factory
MUALLEM Frankie Splits - Compost
MUGISON Little Trip - Ipecac
NOFX Wolves In Wolves' Clothing - Fat Wreck Chords
PATH OF RESISTANCE Can't Stop The Truth - Victory
PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS Stepfather - Red Urban
PHOENIX MOURNING When Excuses Become Antiques - Metal Blade
PLAYWRIGHTS English Self Storage - Sink And Stove
PUTUMAYO PRESENTS: PARIS Various Artists - Putumayo
SPANK ROCK YoYoYoYoYo - Big Dada
STAVESACRE How To Live With A Curse - Abacus
STEREOPHONICS Live From Dakota Vox - Populi
TANAKH Ardent Fevers Southern-Alien8
THE CHURCH Uninvited, Like The Clouds - Cooking Vinyl

Destroyer Contest Winner? Holy shit, yes!!

There is a winner of the Destroyer's Rubies contest. And the prizes go to... Angela Seto of Calgary, Alberta! She correctly answered the skill-testing question which was 'what was Dan Bejar reply in the sixeyes interview when asked about the details of his new album, such as the cover art, the track sequencing, the title of the album?' And Angela Seto, our winner, had the correct answer which was 'Holy shit, no!!'

Congratulations, Angela!

VELLS

What hits you first when you learn of this band is that it boasts Modest Mouse drummer, Jeremiah Green, as a member. But Vells singer/songwriter, Tristan Marcum (Fire Child), is what your ears will wrap around when you hear the band. His glorious Brit-inflected boy/girl vocals swoop, croon, and colour the well crafted songs of this Seattle indie-pop-gem of a band. This is one of those finds that make your day, week, or month. Vells are the kind of band that become your new favourite, the band you start telling all your friends about. Made up of the aforementioned Green and Marcum, the unit formed back in 2002, currently enlisting the additional talents of keyboardist Mary Thinnes and the mysterious Adam McCollom. For their s/t debut EP and first full length release, Flight from Echo Falls, the line-up had in addition to Green, Thinnes, and Marcum -- bassist Adam Howrey and guitarist Ryan Kraft, who have since departed.

On the track "Larger Than Life", there is definitely a 'Marc Bolan meets Carl (A.C. - The Slow Wonder) Newman' thing happening; and "Down Down Glory" recalls, for me, the adult indie pop of San Francisco's, Roman Evening, but with a noirish edge.


from Flight From Echo Falls (Imputor? Records)
+ larger than life
+ down down glory
+ in the hours of flowers

off their S/T debut EP - produced by Phil Ek (Luckyhorse Industries)
+ light on the right
+ in sunless seas

New on eMusic - MP3 music downloads

I see a few new albums popping up at eMusic:

Calexico Garden Ruin
Pretty Girls Make Graves Élan Vital
Gotan Project Lunatico
Mecca Normal The Observer
Art Brut Bang Bang Rock & Roll
The Unicorns Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?
Lambchop The Decline of Country and Western Civilization...
Imaad Wasif Imaad Wasif

Go here for eMusic's free trial offer of 50 mp3 downloads!

*Sixeyes is on Myspace!

Yes! It's true! But now I'm wondering... why? Perhaps it will help visitors to the *sixeyes myspace page find new bands and new music. I know it's helped me discover new music, just by clicking on 'friends' pictures on band's myspace pages. Perhaps it will lead to the decline of civilization spandex and 'new' country music. Oooh, this was a good idea.




*sixeyes myspace page, which is only one day old.
[don't forget to check out the friends on the page]

Vanderslice Toronto Tickets Misprint

I just spent a couple of minutes on a Toronto indie record store's website and they have a 'Note!!' that John Vanderslice's tickets for April 21st have the wrong date printed on them. So, if you've got a pair... HEADS UP!

I'll be there... it's a Friday.... April 21st at the El Mo.

+ trance manual
+ exodus damage

+ time travel is lonely

Butterfly Explosion

There is a hazy drone present in Butterfly Explosion's music, perfect for guitars to buzz up out of the electrical hive with honey muffling their strings. It also lends itself well to the synth 'streaks' the band fires above the drones. An Irish band, Butterfly Explosion played two shows at the recent SXSW... and packed shows at that.


+ comfort of the dark
+ vision

HYMNS: Brother/Sister

L to R: Jason Roberts, Jeremy Kay, Brian Harding, and Matt Cole.

I googled the word hymns and found this:
A hymn is a song specifically written as a song of praise, adoration or prayer, typically addressed to a god.
And, as in the case of most testosterone fuelled bands, the 'god' here is more succinctly 'goddess'. A band of guys singing and playing songs about women, that's Brooklyn based Hymns in a nutshell. And I'm really liking this band... A LOT. Imagine, it's not that hard, a band mixing the sonic DNA of Pavement and Wilco (among others) and touting a front man who from second to second sounds like the leaders of both these bands (when he's not making you fall in love with his own high ragged voice) and you'll be imagining reality, so, uhh... stop imagining and begin listening. But first, add to the mix, now and again, the crunchy backwoods rock of the Kings of Leons debut, Youth & Young Manhood. And on top of it all? Some very well crafted songwriting and playing from Jason Roberts (guitar, wurlitzer), Matt Cole (drums), Jeremy Kay (bass), and of course, guitarist Brian Harding's ear catching vocals. There's even some horn playing which doesn't sound out of place at all. And all of this is on their debut album, Brother/Sister, which will hit stores this June.

The album's title track, "Brother/Sister", screams to radio programmers, PLAY ME! With it's dual machine gun rat-a-tat-tat guitar line (which I love), slashing and chiming over the double time beat. "C'mon C'mon" comes at you like Being There era Wilco with Brian Harding's vocal, in it's upper and lower register, giving a taste of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy. "Power in the Street" with it's Strokes influences, especially in the chorus; and "Friends of Mine", shows the influence of Pavement's Malkmus, especially in the chorus's fantastic hook and then, again, the band caps the track with a simple, yet perfect horn line. And don't forget "It's A Shame", the most beautiful ballad on the record, opening with a Neil Young and Crazy Horse guitar sound and offering Harding's best vocal performance. These are all instant favourites. This is great stuff. It's always a thrill to find a new band that echoes their heroes, but has the talent and skill to make the music all their own. And isn't that what all great bands do?

+ friends of mine
+ brother/sister

Brother/Sister Tracklist...
1. Magazines
2. Brother/Sister
3. Friends Of Mine
4. C'mon, C'mon
5. Power In The Street
6. Scenery Glow
7. First Time
8. Stop Talking
9. It's A Shame
10. Starboat
11. Town

The Hymns' website gives this short and sweet description of the band:
"Hymns are Brian Harding (vox, guitar), Matt Cole (drums, tambourine) and Jason Roberts (guitar, wurlitzer)--three friends who moved from North Carolina to New York in 2003. We signed to Blackland Records in 2005 and spent two months in Celeste, TX recording an album with producer, John Kent. The album 'Brother/Sister' will be released in June, 2006. You're gonna love it. We now have Jeremy Kay on bass wtih us for the live shows. He's perfect."

An interesting little tidbit I learned is that Jason Roberts, Hymns guitarist and Wurlitzer player, is also Ben Kweller's guitarist, and Kweller's drummer, John Kent (Kent was also in Radish with Kweller and is frontman for Pony League), produced Brother/Sister and is also president of the band's label, Blackland Records.

Hymns will release their debut, Brother/Sister, on Blackland this June. But you can get it now on vinyl, here's what it says on the label site:
"Brother/Sister" is the debut LP from New York City based Hymns. The record is pressed on 125 gram vinyl for Hi-Fi enthusiasts. LP buyers also receive a code which provides access to a free, one-time download of the entire album in mp3 format. Vinyl limited to 1000 copies, so be the first on your block to own one. Power in the Street!
Go here to pick it up.

Upcoming Hymns Dates - go see them and say *sixeyes sent you (that show on April 28th with Happy Bullets and Bishop Allen sounds great).

04/14/2006
Venue: Northsix - New York, New York
Details: 8pm With +/- and Say Hi To Your Mom

04/15/2006
Venue: Pussycat Lounge - New York, New York
Details: Midnight 96 Greenwich St. at Rector, New York, NY 10001

04/28/2006
Venue: Pianos - New York, New York
Details: 9:30pm 158 Ludlow @ Stanton With Happy Bullets (From Dallas) and Bishop Allen

05/13/2006
Venue: Pussycat Lounge - New York, New York
Details: 11:00pm 96 Greenwich Street @ Rector

New Music: Crystal Skulls, Run Chico Run, Nicolai Dunger, Peter Walker, Envelopes and Pela

An upcoming release to make note of is from Suicide Squeeze artist, Crystal Skulls. Titled, Outgoing Behavior, it shows just how a band name doesn't necessarily connote how the band will sound. Crystal Skulls sounds like a spin off from Queens of the Stone Age, when the band is squarely in the indie pop camp.

+ the cosmic door
+ baby boy

*******

Run Chico Run are another Canadian band. Yep. Another one. And yes, oh yes... another good one. With the recent release of their fifth full length, Slow Action [Boompa Records], the duo of Thomas Shields and Matt Skillings continue to deliver premium music without the public acclaim due them.

+ clockwork crows

*******

Nicolai Dunger is the type of singer that strikes a chord with the listener, or doesn't. His reach for the soulful seems almost forced at times, his voice an uncommon mix of Van Morrison and Ryan Adams, in fact his music is also a blend of what those two artists have delivered to listeners in the past. Dunger's latest release, Here's My Song..., is aided by a collaboration, musically and production wise, with the critic's darling band, Mercury Rev. But, oddly, I find this song growing on me.

+ hunger

*******

Peter Walker has production help on his new album, Young Gravity, supplied by Jim Fairchild of Grandaddy and Aaron Espinoza of Earlimart. And from the pedigree of these two producers you pretty much know what to expect from Walker's music, just that it's better than you expect.

+ what do I know
+ 39 stars
+ young gravity

*******

Envelopes come to us from Sweden and they come bearing the correct postage (ha, ha, ha... oh, shoot me). Just released is the album Demon with these songs standing out from the others.

+ audrey in the country
+ sister in love + isabelle and leonard

*******

Pela have been featured here on *sixeyes in the past and have just made a new track available on their website. And it, of course, soars with the piercing voice of Billy McCarthy. It's the kind of voice that could take a band to U2 heights of fame and glory.

+ lost to the lonesome
+ tenement teeth

epo-555

The Danish band, epo-555, move from 80's synth pop to off the wall electronica and European soundtracks from the 70's, in these two tracks. And they do it well.

+ dakota
+ no problem style

Thanks to Aggregators and the Sponsors

Once again I want to thank the two number one mp3 aggregators (in my humble opinion at least) The Hype Machine and WebNymph. Visit them... if you haven't already!

Also, much thanks to the sponsors here at *sixeyes: The great people who show up in the ad rotator beneath the sixeyes banner, eMusic, and the Kodak Easy Share Gallery (who are at page bottom). Thanks to all!

And a polite request of sixeyes visitors, would you please patronize the advertisers sites? (just click on those ads under the *sixeyes banner)
I am about to go grocery shopping and need the money. Thanks everyone.

EXODUS DAMAGE REMIX

Barsuk are offering a free mp3 of Alias's remix of John Vanderslice's "Exodus Damage" off of Pixel Revolt!

+ exodus damage [alias remix]

Vanderslice MP3 is back!

photo by julia schuhard

Oops! I used to have an mp3 from John Vanderslice's brand new live to 2-track album, Suddenly it all Went Dark, but took it down due to a mix up. Now I see Mr Vanderslice has a link and mention of this exclusive mp3 on his homepage, so here it is again...

+ angela

And here is the original post with all the tour dates and more. Yes, JV is now on tour, go see him and bring baked goods.

New and Recently Added @ eMusic

It's been a while since I let you guys know what's new and/or popular at eMusic. If you're interested and not yet a member of eMusic, you could get a large number of free downloads (50!) by taking them up on that free trial... look into it here. And, yes, if you're wondering, I do get a couple of dollars if you sign up for the trial... and you get 50 hi-res mp3s.

godspeed you! black emperor Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
godspeed you! black emperor Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada
Seu Jorge CRU
Josh Rouse Subtitulo
The National Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers(also recently added was their S/T debut)
Luka Bloom Innocence
Lisa Germana Lullaby for Liquid Pig
Les Georges Leningrad Deux Hot Dogs Moutarde Chou
Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
Mclusky Mcluskyism
The Broken Family Band Balls (+ a handful more from this band)
Denison Witmer Are You A Dreamer?

"Rodeohead"

This is a re-post that first appeared in December of 2004, but the mp3 link on Hard 'n Phirm's website had longed died, so here is the song again (better late than never)... even if you've heard it before, it's likely been a while since you enjoyed it. So... enjoy it.

+ + + + + + + + + + +

Radiohead have never turned my crank, pumped my balloon, made me buy thrift store cardigans and turn vegan, but being a member of 21st century society and its media onslaught, I have heard and heard ofRadiohead. So, when I learned of 'Rodeohead', a bluegrass medley of seventeen Radiohead songs done by the duo, Hard'N'Phirm, my interest was piqued. Having heard it - I LOVE IT! -especially at the two and a half minute mark when they sing the line 'Run, run, dammit, run!' followed by the cracking of a whip and a toy train whistle.

*Limited Download*
+ rodeohead

existensminimum

Magnus Henriksson is the man behind the name and Swedish electro pop band, Existensminimum. Yeah, it's a moutful, ain't it? But that's balanced by the fact that the music is an enjoyable earful. Henriksson is also a drummer in the band Moneybrother, but it's his appealing voice that stands out as Existensminimum. About to release his debut full length, Last Night My Head Tried to Explode and I Wrote Everything Down, on Novoton Records, this is the second single released off the album due May 5th.

+ changing lines

Here's a couple more from earlier single and EP releases:

+ running down everyone
+ from me to you

Spielerfrau: The Sad Part: Review

Spielerfrau
The Sad Part
[Black Freighter - April 11, 2006]
*Sixeyes Score: 7.9 out of 10


On Spielerfrau's The Sad Part, their 'dark pop' pops like black balloons. Balloons made of literary thoughts, New York shadows, and Russian vodka. Slip this disc into your player and feel the sadness of the city roll over you and then seep in. Singer and songwriter, Michael Idov, has a voice heavy as unwashed potatoes, but he uses his pen to carve out his words until they gleam like bone.

+ my intended [mp3]

You will find more on the band's myspace page

John Vanderslice: New Recording + Tour Dates

John Vanderslice will once again take his latest acclaimed album, Pixel Revolt, to the road. After a highly successful tour of Europe with Death Cab For Cutie, JV is back home and ready to share his music with North America. Kicking it off in Vancouver BC on April 6th and winding it up May 12th in San Francisco, this tour will offer fans the intricate, intelligent, and melodic music Vanderslice has a knack for, as well as brand spankin' new t-shirts and a new tour recording, Suddenly it All Went Dark, a live to 2-track record of the Pixel Revolt beauties which you all know and love (and if not, you should know). Recorded by JV's long time collaborator, Scott Solter, the recording bears the ghostly fingerprints of the famed room it was recorded in at Northern California's Prairie Sun recording studio, that room being nicknamed 'the chicken coop'. This special space has witnessed the birthing of, most notably, some of Tom Waits most spectacular music, along with many other artists, including JV's good friends, The Mountain Goats (who were, incidentally, recorded by JV at Prairie Sun).

You can order Suddenly it All Went Dark starting tomorrow, April 4th, from Barsuk.

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Here are the JV tour dates with an intro in JV's own words. The tour's title, btw, comes from the song, "European Oils", from Destroyer's latest album, Destroyer's Rubies. At the bottom of the tour dates I've added several mp3s of JV's opening acts for this tour... plus this mp3 from JV.

JV + Cool Purple Mist

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"Getting it on with the hangman's daughter" US Spring 2006 Tour

Holy shit, we have the BEST bands out with us this tour!!
Emperor X, Crystal Skulls, Wooden Wand, Laura Veirs, Kelly Stoltz, Death Vessel, and more...

We've added Cool Purple Mist, From Out Here, Amitriptyline, and Do You Remember the Man to the set. Please appreciate the many horrid hours of rehearsal we endured in a noisy and cramped room at Blue Maguey. By bringing us baked goods? (I know, don't push it..)

04/06 Thu, Vancouver BC
Media Club w/ Sparrow

04/07 Fri, Seattle WA
Neumos w/ Crystal Skulls, Kelley Stoltz

04/08 Sat, Portland OR
Doug Fir Lounge w/ Crystal Skulls, Kelley Stoltz

04/10 Mon, Salt Lake City UT
Kilby Court w/ Crystal Skulls, St. Sebastian’s School for Wicked Girls

04/11 Tue, Denver CO
Hi-Dive w/ Crystal Skulls, The Love Letter Band

04/13 Thu, Omaha NE
Sokol Underground w/ Crystal Skulls, Ghosty

04/14 Fri, Ames IA
Maintenance Shop w/ Crystal Skulls

04/15 Sat, Chicago IL
Schubas w/ Crystal Skulls

04/16 Sun, Kalamazoo MI
Kraftbrau Brewery w/ Crystal Skulls

s04/17 Mon, Columbus OH
High Five w/ Wooden Wand

04/18 Tue, Cleveland Heights OH
Grog Shop w/ Wooden Wand

04/20 Thu, Guelph ON
The Bookshelf eBar w/ Wooden Wand

04/21 Fri, Toronto ON
El Mocambo w/ Wooden Wand

04/22 Sat, Montreal QC
Casa del Popolo w/ Wooden Wand

04/24 Mon, Cambridge MA
Middle East Upstairs w/ Wooden Wand

04/25 Tue, Bennington VT
The Downcast - Bennington College w/ Wooden Wand

04/26 Wed, Northampton, MA
Iron Horse

04/27 Thu, New York NY
Mercury Lounge w/ Wooden Wand, Death Vessel

04/28 Fri, Brooklyn NY
Southpaw w/ Wooden Wand, Page France

04/29 Sat, Arlington VA
Iota Club & Cafe w/ Page France

05/01 Mon, Charlottesville VA
Satellite Ballroom w/ Page France

05/02 Tue, Asheville NC
The Grey Eagle w/ Minus Story, Emperor X

05/03 Wed, Nashville TN
Exit/In w/ Minus Story, Emperor X

05/04 Thu, Norman OK
The Opolis w/ Minus Story, Emperor X

05/05 Fri, Dallas TX
Gypsy Tea Room w/ Laura Veirs, Minus Story

05/06 Sat, Austin TX
Emo’s w/ Laura Veirs, Minus Story

05/08 Mon, Tucson AZ
Plush w/ Laura Veirs

05/09 Tue, Phoenix AZ
Modified w/ Laura Veirs

05/10 Wed, San Diego CA
Casbah w/ Laura Veirs

05/11 Thu, Los Angeles CA
Echo w/ Laura Veirs

05/12 Fri, San Francisco CA
The Independent w/ Laura Veirs, Nedelle

05/13 Sat, San Francisco, CA
Watch 16 hours of television.

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A Short Selection of MP3s from JV's opening acts for this Spring tour...

Here's a preview from Crystal Skulls upcoming [april 11th] release, Outgoing Behavior...
+ baby boy

kelley stoltz + wave goodbye
emperor x + long island dirt dealership
laura veirs + parisian dream
minus story + to the ones you haunted
crystal skulls + no room for change
wooden wand + sundrum ladies

Released: April 4th

This weeks new releases courtesy of insound.com.

04/04 Agent Sparks
TBA
04/04 Field Music
S/T
04/04 Flaming Lips
At War With The Mystics
04/04 Innerstance Beatbox
Tekniques EP
04/04 Innocence Mission
Birds Of My Neighborhood
04/04 Islands
Return To The Sea
04/04 Magneta Lane
Dancing With Daggers
04/04 Place of Skulls
The Black Is Never Far
04/04 Quien es, BOOM!
Cast Your Burdens Aside
04/04 Rahim
Ideal Lives

Rumble Strips: "Motorcycle"

This song doesn't do anything new, it just pushes the right buttons. A nice wishful and, depending on the listener, wistful lyric delivered by a voice that loves to sing. You can hear in Charlie Waller's voice that he loves to sing this song. And I really like to listen. If Bruce Springsteen was 15 (and British) and only had a bicycle and he also sang kind of like Hawksley Workman he might sound something like Rumble Strips doing "Motorcycle". Sorta, kinda.

+ motorcycle

View the video of "Motorcycle" here.