Artists Announced For The 2012 Newport Folk Festival

The Newport Festivals Foundation announced the line-up for the 2012 Newport Folk Festival this evening. The festival will take place at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, RI on July 28 & 29. Tickets for the festival go on sale March 1 at 10AM at www.NewportFolkFest.net. Check out the line-up below.

SATURDAY, JULY 28 ~ 11:30 am – 7:00 pm
Fort Adams State Park, Harrison Avenue

My Morning Jacket
Iron & Wine
Patty Griffin
Guthrie Family Reunion
Dawes
City & Colour
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Deer Tick
Blind Pilot
Alabama Shakes
Sharon Van Etten
First Aid Kit
Brown Bird
Jonny Corndawg
Frank Fairfield
Spirit Family Reunion
Robert Ellis
Apache Relay
Honeyhoney
Sleepy Man Banjo Boys

SUNDAY, JULY 29 ~ 11:30 am – 7:00 pm
Fort Adams State Park, Harrison Avenue

Jackson Browne
Conor Oberst
Punch Brothers
Tallest Man on Earth
The Head & The Heart
tUnE-yArDs
Gary Clark, Jr.
Trampled By Turtles
Tom Morello
Of Monsters and Men
Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires
Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker & Yim Yames performing
Original Music set to the Lyrics of Woody Guthrie
Sara Watkins
Carl Broemel
Ben Sollee
Spider John Koerner
Jonathan Wilson
Deep Dark Woods
Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons
Kossoy Sisters
Joel Rafael

*Artists Subject to change

Harriet Releases New Video

Los Angeles band Harriet, the band led by former Dawes member Alex Casnoff, released a video for their song "I Slept With All Your Mothers" this week. The video which you can check out below was directed by Ethan Berger. FYI, there's a naked chick wandering about in the video so I suppose we have to stick the NSFW label on it. The song is the lead single from their EP Tell The Right Story which the band is offering for free on their website HarrietMusic.com ... good music for free, you can't ask for anything better folks.

Royal Southern Brotherhood To Debut Record In May

Royal Southern Brotherhood are scheduled to release their debut record this coming May 8 via Ruf Records. If you're unfamiliar, the band consist of Cyril Neville, Devon Allman and Mike Zito ... there are some other folks in there too, I think. At any rate, I like what I'm hearing. The band has released a video for their song "New Horizon" which was directed and produced by Yadira Rodriguez. Check it out at the bottom of the post.

Gig Alert!!!

Royal Southern Brotherhood

Friday, March 9

B.B. King Blues Club & Grill

237 W 42nd St

New York, NY

www.bbkingblues.com

Doors @ 11:00PM

$18 advance / $22 dos

Mr. Big To Release Live From The Living Room, 2/28

Rock band Mr. Big is set to release their new record, Live From The Living Room on Tuesday, February 28 via Frontiers Records here in the states. The record was recorded live in Japan in January 2011 in front of an intimate audience.

The stellar musical skills in Mr. Big have always stood out. They are technically some of the tightest musicians to come out of the 80's. What set them a step ahead of many of their peers were their harmonies. The trademark raspy voice of Eric Martin surrounded by incredibly tight vocals of his bandmates was just special. Well, Martin, Paul Gilbert (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass) and Pat Torpey (drums) haven't lost a step.

Live From The Living Room is Mr. Big stripped down and showing off what they do best. Oft times, when rock bands strip down, some of the musical fire is lost. This isn't the case with Mr. Big. Dare I say that I think this is some of the best live work I've heard from them? Well, it is. It's a record you can put on from start to finish without skipping a track. The harmonies are there and tight as ever as is the musicianship. This record should satisfy die-hard fans and casual fans alike. And, for those people who back in the day (y'all know who you are), were a bit disappointed that everything they did didn't sound like their hit single "To Be With You," this stripped down side of the band is probably closer to what you were expecting from them. Ironically, it's that song that I find to be the weakest of the tracks. It sounds good but personally, I just don't think it has the same spark as the rest of the rest of the record.

Mr. Big's most recent studio album, WHAT IF..., was released last year via Frontiers Records and featured the original band line-up reunited for the first time in 14 years. Formed in 1988, Mr. Big forged its place in hard rock history by combining trademark virtuosic musicianship with stellar vocal harmonies. The original (and now reunited) line-up features vocalist Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Pat Torpey. The quartet produced numerous hit songs that ranged across a wide array of rock genres, including the ubiquitous "To Be With You," which was a Billboard Hot 100 #1 single in 15 countries for weeks, propelling the band to huge international success and record sales in the multi-millions.

Track Listing

• Undertow
• Still Ain't Enough For Me
• As Far As I Can See
• Voodoo Kiss
• Take Cover
• Around The World
• Stranger In My Life
• All The Way Up
• To Be With You
• Nobody Left To Blame

Video of the Day: Cold Specks - "Holland"

Today we have you "Holland." It's by Cold Specks, the moniker of singer/songwriter Al Spx. Cold Specks will release their debut album, I Predict A Graceful Expulsion via Mute Records on May 22. The Olivier Groulx directed video can be seen at the bottom of the post.

Describing her sound as ‘Doom Soul’, Cold Specks’ music is steeped in the musical traditions of the Deep South. No wonder then that Al cites the Lomax Field Recordings and James Carr as influences along with Bill Callahan and Tom Waits. With a voice that evokes the ‘spirit feel’ of Mahalia Jackson and the visceral tones of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Cold Specks’ sparse arrangements and chain gang rhythms stop you dead in your tracks.

“My little brother, who was spending his summers with our mother in Toronto, had always told me of this girl he was friends with that had this amazing voice,” recalls Cold Specks’ manager, Jim Anderson. “As a producer I’d heard that so often that I didn't take too much notice. Then I came in one night to find him and a few friends drinking in the flat and playing a CD of her demos. I was completely transfixed and just kept pressing repeat. I knew I had to work with her. I eventually persuaded her to come over. At that point she had never played with another musician and was completely self-taught with her own unique tuning and timings, which we had to decipher.”

“Jim convinced me to fly out and work on the record for a few months,” explains Al Spx. “That was a year and a half ago. I guess I’m permanently based here now. I didn’t know anyone when I moved here. We needed musicians and Jim knew a bunch. Rob Ellis (PJ Harvey’s regular collaborator) has been helping out with some arrangements and percussion and Jim’s old friends Pete Roberts (guitar), Thomas Greene (piano) and Tom Havelock (cello) also play on the record.”

Gig Alert!!!

Cold Specks
(supporting Great Lake Swimmers)
Wednesday, May 30
Bowery Ballroom
6 Delancey St
New York, NY 10002
www.boweryballroom.com
Doors @ 8:00 pm / Show @ 9:00 pm
$15 advance / $17 dos
18+

Video of the Day: The Broadcast - "Hide Yourself Away"

Today, our Video of the Day is, "Hide Yourself Away" by The Broadcast. The song is the first track from their upcoming live album, The Broadcast Live which is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, March 13. The video was directed and edited by the bands very own Caitlin Krisko! Check the video out at the bottom of the post.

They will be hitting the road in support of the new record so check them out when they play near you. New York, show deets are below! If you've ever seen the band live, and you should, then you know you're in for some get up off your seat and shake yo' booty fun.

Gig Alert!!!

The Broadcast
Saturday, April 21
Mercury Lounge
217 E Houston St.
New York, NY 10002
www.mercuryloungenyc.com
Doors @ 10:30pm
$12
21+

Talking To Walls Release Single For Charity

Rockers, Talking To Walls have released a new single. "Run" is being offered as a "pay what you can" donation with all, yes, 100% of the proceeds going to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. They've also released a video of the song which you can check out at the bottom of the post. If you wish to donate, visit the page the band has set up, HERE. And, for more information about the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, please click HERE.

Gig Alert!!!

Talking To Walls
(Black Hearts Parade Warm-up Show)
Thursday, March 15
Bar East
1733 1st Avenue @ 90th Street
www.bareast.com
NYC
$10
21+

Video of the Day: The Rassle - "21"

Today we have for you the new video from The Rassle. The clip, which they produced themselves, is for their song "21." Nice work fellas. Check out the video below, I think you'll enjoy it...I do.

Miss Guy's Dumb Blonde Is Smart Fun

Miss Guy kicked off the new year in style with the release of his solo record, Dumb Blonde. For the handful of those not in the know, Miss Guy is the frontman of the delightfully fun, glam punk band Toilet Boys as well as being one insanely talented DJ.

Dumb Blonde starts off with the infectious title track. When I first listened to the record it took me a while to get around to listening to the other four tracks. It's one of those catchy songs that grabs you and forces you to hit repeat many, many times and dance around the room. I finally allowed the second song to play only to realize I wouldn't be sitting down anytime soon. Where the autobiographical "Dumb Blonde" has more of a rock edge to it, "Take It Off" is a dance jam of the electro variety. It reminds me of Peaches which in my book isn't a bad thing 'cause I like Peaches. At any rate, it's one of those songs that makes you wanna get a little nasty on the dance floor at the club. There's something a little cheeky about following those two songs with a couple of songs that are reminiscent of 70's ("Magic") and 80's ("Don't Stop") pop music. The latter kind of made me feel like I should be awkwardly slow dancing at a school dance. The record closes with "Sometimes" which is kind of dreamy sounding. Sadly, it doesn't catch my attention in the same way as other songs on the album do.

Miss Guy has provided a compact and diverse piece of musical fun with Dumb Blonde. I'm enjoying it and that folks, makes it top notch in my book.

The video for "Dumb Blonde" has been released. Check it out below.

Track Listing

• Dumb Blonde
• Take It Off
• Magic
• Don't Stop
• Sometimes

Video of the Day: The Ettes - Teeth

Today we have for you, Teeth by The Ettes. The song is from their Wicked Will album. If you haven't picked up the record, I highly recommend it. I also suggest you go see the band live when they're playing near you. They put on a great show.

In summary, we like The Ettes, we like the video so, check it out below.

Out Today: Prospector - Between 0 & 1

Guess what today is, well, other than Valentine's Day! Today is the day one of our faves, Prospector, releases their full-length record, Between 0 & 1! Ten songs, some of which are re-worked versions of songs from their Get It Over With Already EP. Where that EP was raw and primal, Between 0 & 1 is more polished but, manages to maintain the passion and energy that drew me to the band in the first place.

New York, add to your plans this evening. They're having their album release show TONIGHT, February 14! Show your special person what good taste you have in music by taking them down to Fontana's. It will cost you $5 and doors are at 8:30PM (they're on at 11PM) to dance up a sweat with Prospector, have some drinks and buy them the gift of Between 0 & 1. I guarantee your date will think you're hot and you'll get one helluva show ... okay, maybe I'll only put my guarantee on the latter.

Track Listing

• Back To The Start
• Twilight
• Wait
• Locations
• Breaks My Head
• Untitled
• Black Is The Rose
• Heartbreakin' Man
• Against The Wall
• You Don't Take It Well