As if Andrew Bird wasn’t already whimsical enough (what with the violin playing and the whistling), director Yu “Ewan” Morita has transformed Bird into computer-generated man of felt in the music video for “Eyeoneye”. Bird, complete with rosy pink cheeks and a duck bill for a nose, sings and dances as the world saunters into the realm of some bizarro cartoon, where tiny men work machines inside of Bird’s chest and planets and stars explode and spiral outward to and fro. Bird’s neat-o in real life, but Felt Bird seems to be some fifth dimensional super-being with utterly impeccable cheekbones. Watch it below (via Etsy).

Bird’s latest album, Break It Yourself, is out now Mom + Pop. Another video for “Eyeoneye” debuted in March and you can watch it here.

Consequence of Sound’s Summer Tour Guide will lead you to the darkest, dankest (not every venue has a ventilation system, folks) concerts where you can dance the night away after spending too many hours in the sun. From Dirty Projectors to Phish to the Diplo/Grimes/Skrillex extravaganza that is the Full Flex Express, we’ve listed the best and brightest artists that are touring new or as-of-yet unreleased albums, touring around festival appearances, or just touring because it’s damn fun.

-Harley Brown
Associate Editor

Feature artwork by Mike Zell.

Beach House

Photo by Phillip Roffman

Who: Beach House

When: May-July

Support: Wild Nothing

Key Dates: July 13th at Forecastle Festival // July 23rd at Central Park Summer Stage

What CoS Says: Baltimore dream-pop duo Beach House are supporting their expansive, haunting new LP, Bloom, and the floating, wonder-drenched tunes therein will echo majestically through many concert halls. The disc is likely to hit at or near the top of many best of the year lists, and this will be your chance to see things unfurl in person. -Adam Kivel

Dirty Projectors

Who: Dirty Projectors

When: July – August

Support: Purity Ring and Wye Oak

Key Dates: July 10th at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park // July 13th at Pitchfork Music Festival

What CoS Says: Dirty Projectors may have produced their masterpiece on 2009′s Bitte Orca, but on this tour they’ll be playing tunes from their first attempt to top that, Swing Lo Magellan. The early sounds from the disc suggest we’re in store for more hocketing and other multi-part vocal insanity that needs to be seen produced live to be believed. -Adam Kivel

Fiona Apple

Who: Fiona Apple

When: June – July

Key Dates: June 24th at New York’s Governors Ball Music Festival // July 10th at the Chicago Theatre

What CoS Says: After drawing eyes and ears from critics everywhere at this year’s South by Southwest, Fiona Apple hit the road for a select number of intimate gigs, all to critical acclaim. Most reviews championed this unspoken, newfound energy in her performances, where she twisted and turned some of her older tracks like “Criminal” or “Extraordinary Machine” into urgent personal affairs. With her forthcoming LP – The Idler Wheel... – due out June 19th, Apple will have plenty to get off her chest once and for all. In other words, expect something emotional. -Michael Roffman

Full Flex Express Tour

Who: Skrillex, Pretty Lights, Diplo, Grimes, KOAN, and Tokimonsta

When: July

Key Dates: July 14th at Ottawa Bluesfest // July 15th at Montreal’s Parc Jean Drapeau

What CoS Says: If Grimes is Janis Joplin, would Diplo or Skrillex be Jerry Garcia? The comparisons might not be entirely fitting, but either way, this bumpin’ tour featuring three of the best beat-making songwriters in the game today might just give the original Festival Express a run for its money. -Harley Brown

Hot Chip

Photo by Cap Blackard

Who: Hot Chip

When: July – September

Key Dates: July 14th at Pitchfork Music Festival // September 9th at Hollywood Bowl (w/ Passion Pit & Omar Souleyman)

What CoS Says: Leaving longtime label DFA doesn’t seem to have put a crimp in Hot Chip’s high step, if their dance-tastic new cuts are any indication. Close to the release date of In Our Heads, this extensive summer tour provides the first chance to hear the fivesome’s fifth installment of technolectronica hot off the vinyl presses. -Harley Brown

The Into The Wild Tour

Who: El-P, Mr. Muthafuckin’ Exquire, Killer Mike, and Despot

When: June – July

Key Dates: June 23rd at Austin’s The Mohawk // July 6th at Chicago’s Bottom Lounge

What CoS Says:  All four guys guest on the majority of each other’s tunes so I feel bad for them on this tour — no one’s going to get a break for too long off stage before they have to come and guest on another verse. Bad for them trying to read a book backstage, but incredible for the audience who are sure to see “Tougher Colder”, “Hail No”, “Butane”, and possibly “The Last Huzzah”. Also, do play the “What liquor will eXquire’s crew spray on the crowd?” betting game for kicks! -Jeremy D. Larson

Japandroids

Photo by Karina Halle

Who: Japandroids

When: May – July

Key Dates: May 31st at Primavera Sound // July 13th at Pitchfork Music Festival

What CoS Says: A Japandroids show is essentially that feeling of screaming yourself hoarse to rock music in your car with the windows down and the radio cranked to the max, only everyone at the show is doing that and you’re all on the same page because Japandroids make you feel young again, dammit. Help out Brian King and David Prowse with those “Ohhhs”from the back of the club — you won’t be the only one. -Jeremy D. Larson

My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses

Photo by Ryan Mastro

Who: My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses

When: August

Key Dates: August 3rd-4th at Red Rocks Ampitheatre

What CoS Says: Ask anyone who’s seen them live (Bonnaroo 2008, anyone?): My Morning Jacket is hands down one of the best contemporary live acts on the circuit(al). Band of Horses, who opened MMJ’s MSG show in December, are hard at work on new material with the legendary Glyn Johns. Put the two acts together, and you’ve got a southern rock fan’s wet dream. -Ben Kaye

Phish

Photo by Debi Del Grande

Who: Phish

When: June-September

Support: Only our resident Phan, Rob.

Key Dates: June 10th at Bonnaroo Music Festival // July 3rd-4th at Jones Beach Theatre

What CoS Says: Bust out the tape recorder and Grateful Dead bong, Phish is hitting the road again this summer. The Vermont jam gods are slotted to headline Bonnaroo alongside Radiohead, marking the first time Thom Yorke will have ever smelled Patchouli. –Bryant Kitching

Refused with OFF!

Who: Refused and OFF!

When: July

Key Dates: July 18th at Williamsburg Summer Garden // July 19th at Riot Fest East (Philadelphia)

What CoS Says: It’s been almost a decade and a half since Refused toured America, and that ended with the police breaking up a Virginia basement show. No one ever thought their classic The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts would see the light of a stage again, but after an appearance at Coachella, fans across the map have a chance to witness the songs in all their glory. The fast and furious kick-assery of punk supergroup OFF! is just the sweetest icing this reunion cake could have, so eat up. -Ben Kaye

Sigur Rós

Who: Sigur Rós

When: July-September

Key Dates: August 3rd at Osheaga // August 5th at Lollapalooza

What CoS Says: It’s been four years since the Icelandic export hit the States. That’s a long time for an act as sweeping and majestic as Sigur Rós to be off the map. But, with time comes reason, and their latest album, Valtari, is an agreeable excuse to trot around the globe. The LP expands upon their sound in dense, circuital ways; as a result, the band will come stocked with an arsenal of new melodies and emotions to levitate that heart of yours into any summer night. Actually, it might be the only festival act that has you packing tissues. -Michael Roffman

Sleigh Bells

Photo by Lauren Guagno

Who: Sleigh Bells

When: July

Support: Class Actress, Jel, Hot Chip, James Murphy, Dave P, and Sammy Slice

Key Dates: July 20th at Philadelphia’s Penn’s Landing (w/ Dave P & Sammy Slice) // July 22nd at Merriweather Post Pavilion (w/ Hot Chip & James Murphy)

What CoS Says: Sleigh Bells have come a long, loud way since Treats, building a stadium-sized sound behind their Top Star-earning Reign of Terror with their trademark wall of Marshalls. Good thing as they get bigger, they also get better, so be sure to catch them while you still can. -Harley Brown

System of a Down with Deftones

Who: System of a Down and Deftones

When: August

Key Dates: August 5th at Jones Beach // August 12th at HEAVY T.O.

What CoS Says: With System of a Down fresh off a five-year live hiatus and Deftones gearing up for a new album, this is a prime double-header. In fact, there’s no better bill this summer for anyone who likes their rock hard, loud, and fist-pumpingly furious – and who doesn’t? -Ben Kaye

Wilco

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Who: Wilco

When: June – September

Support: Andrew Bird, Dr. Dog, Lee Ranaldo, Lee Fields & the Expressions, and Blitzen Trapper

Key Dates: July 23rd-24th at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park (w/ Lee Fields & the Expressions and Lee Ranaldo) // September 30th at the Hollywood Bowl

What CoS Says: With no new album to tour behind (they trekked across the globe for most of last year in support of their eighth LP, The Whole Love) you can expect Tweedy & co. to pull out some deeper cuts this time around. Our fingers are crossed for either “Kingpin” off their 1996 folk-rock opus Being There or “I’m Always In Love,” the unsung hero off 1999’s Summerteeth. –Bryant Kitching

The 11th annual Austin City Limits Music Festival runs October 12-14th at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. The lineup boasts Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jack White, The Black Keys, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Florence and the Machine, Avicii, Bassnectar, Iggy and the Stooges, The Avett Brothers, The Roots, The Shins, Weezer, M83, Gotye, The Afghan Whigs, Crystal Castles, Andrew Bird, M. Ward, Alabama Shakes, and Childish Gambino.

Also playing are Tegan and Sara, Rufus Wainwright, Thievery Corporation, Umprhey’s McGee, Metric, Stars, Delta Spirit, Polica, Esperanza Spalding, Steve Earle, Patterson Hood, Gary Clark Jr., Die Antwoord, Big K.R.I.T., Zola Jesus, The War on Drugs, Black Lips, Los Campesinos! Freelance Whales, Caveman, Tennis, LP, Two Door Cinema Club, Trampled By Turtles, Oberhofer, Bombay Bicycle Club, Old 97s, Antibalas, Lee Fields & the Expressions, Father John Misty, Ben Howard, Michael Kiwanuka, and Patrick Watson.

Three-day and single-day passes are now available via the festival’s website.

For the second consecutive year, Austin City Limits will reveal a portion of its lineup through a “lottery.” As the festival’s website notes, scratch cards will be placed in various Austin establishments over the course of the next four days. At least five acts will be revealed each day, with each card containing the names of three acts (a card containing three matching names wins a prize!)

We’ll be keeping track of the results below and will post a formal lineup when the official announcement is made on Tuesday, May 22nd.

Austin City Limits 2012 takes place October 12-14th at Zilker Park. Three-day and single-day pases will go on sale this spring.

Fridy, May 18th:

Update: We’re told yesterday’s card revealing Red Hot Chili Peppers was actually fake.

1. Childish Gambino

2. Delta Spirit

3. LP

4. Quiet Company

5. Punch Brothers

6. Steve Earle

Saturday, May 19th:

1. Bon Iver

2. Alabama Shakes

3. Freelance Whales

4. Kimbra

5. Barrington Levy

Sunday, May 20th:

1. Jack White

2. The Black Keys

3. Andrew Bird

4. Esperanza Spalding

5. A-Trak

6. Zola Jesus

Monday, May 21st:

1. Iggy and the Stooges

2. Black Lips

3. Gary Clark Jr.

4. Bombay Bicycle Club

5. Two Door Cinema Club

This past weekend, Andrew Bird returned home to Chicago, where he performed Saturday night at the prestigious Auditorium Theatre. Our own Joshua Mellin attended the performance, and kept his eyes and lens open throughout. Take a peek and relive the event through our exclusive gallery below.

[nggallery id=361]

Andrew Bird made a Monday night appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, performing “Eyeoneye” and “Give It Away” off the recently-released Break It Yourself. Watch the replay below.

Photo by Drew Litowitz

Brooklyn singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten has announced more tour dates in support of her third LP, Tramp. Following an early summer leg in the UK and Europe, Van Etten will land back Stateside in late July. The month long-road trip includes dates with Andrew Bird and Tennis, as well as appearances at the Newport Folk Festival, Lollapalooza, and Outside Lands. Peep the full schedule below.

Tramp is out now via Jagjaguwar. Just below the docket is the music video for “Leonard”.

Sharon Van Etten 2012 Tour Dates:
04/25 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl ^
04/26 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge ^
04/27 – Cincinnati, OH @ Mayday Northside ^
04/28 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Carnegie Lecture Hall ^
05/03 – Brooklyn, NY @ Crossing Brooklyn Ferry 
05/16 – London, UK @ Scala *
05/17 – Manchester, UK @ The Deaf Institute *
05/18 – Dublin, IE @ Whelan’s *
05/20 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
05/21 – Brighton, UK @ Komedia
05/23 – Brussels, BE @ The AB Club
05/24 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie
05/26 – Utrecht, NE @ Le Guess Who Festival
05/28 – Barbican, UK @ Big Star Show
05/29 – Hamburg, DE @ Prinzenberg
05/30 – Cologne, DE @ Studio 672
05/31 – Cologne, DE @ Studio 672
06/01 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
06/21 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
07/10 – Bristol, UK @ Thekla
07/11 – Birmingham, UK @ Glee Club
07/12 – Glasgow, UK @ Oran Mor
07/14 – Southwold, UK @ Latitude Festival
07/17 – Kristiansand, NO @ Kilden Supersonic
07/28 – Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival
07/29 – Hudson, NY @ Helsinki Hudson
07/30 – Ottawa, ON @ TBD
07/31 – Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix %
08/02 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall %
08/03 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/04 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue %
08/07 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre
08/08 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
08/10 – San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands
08/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre #
08/14 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
08/15 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
08/17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
08/18 – Jackson, WY @ Caldera Festival #
08/19 – Boulder, CO @ Fox Theater
08/20 – Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room
09/22 – Asbury Park, NJ @ ATP’s I’ll Be Your Mirror
12/07 – Minehead, UK @ ATP Curated by The National

^ = w/ Flock of Dimes (Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak)
* = w/ Exitmusic
% = w/ Tennis
# = w/ Andrew Bird

In further support of his latest LP, Break It Yourself, Andrew Bird has announced new North American tour dates for this summer. Extending into late August, the trek include dates with Wilco and Mavis Staples, as well as appearances at Forecastle Festival and Outside Lands. Check out the full docket below.

Andrew Bird 2012 Tour Dates:
05/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer %
05/04 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre %
05/05 – New York, NY @Beacon Theatre &
05/06 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues %
05/08 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club %
05/09 – Baltimore, MD @ Ram’s Head Live %
05/10 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit @
05/12 – Chicago, IL @ Auditorium Theatre @
05/19 – Nelsonville, OH @ Nelsonville Music Festival
06/02 – London, UK @ Field Day
06/04 – Dublin, IE @ Royal Hospital Kilmainham
06/06 – Bristol, UK @ Trinity
06/08 – Glasgow, UK @ Fruit Market
06/09 – Nottinghamshire, UK @ No Direction Home
06/10 – Brighton, UK @ Royal Theatre
07/08 – Geneva, IL @ Fifth Third Bank Ballpark *
07/10 – Raleigh, NC @ North Carolina Museum of Art #
07/11 – Richmond, VA @ Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden #
07/14 – Louisville, KY @ Forecastle Festival
07/16 – Lewiston, NY @ Artpark
07/18 – Montreal, QC @ Theatre de Verdure
07/19 – Toronto, ON @ Echo Beach
07/20 – Shelburne, VT @ The Green at Shelburne Museum
07/21 – Pawtucket, RI @ Hope Artiste Village Courtyard
07/27 – Somerset, WI @ Soundtown Festival
08/10 – San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Festival
08/11 – San Diego, CA @ Spreckels Theatre
08/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
08/14 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Red Butte Garden Ampitheatre
08/15 – Boulder, CO @ Chautauqua Auditorium
08/17 – Denver, CO @ Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre
08/18 – Jackson, WY @ Jackson Hole Center for the Arts
08/20 – Omaha, NE @ Peter Kiewit Concert Hall
08/21 – Des Moines, IA @ Simon Estes Ampitheatre
11/08 – London, UK @ Roundhouse

% = w/ Patrick Watson
& = w/ Tift Merritt
@ = w/ Mucca Pazza
* = w/ Wilco
# = w/ Mavis Staples

I worship at the church of karaoke. The parishoners and I are there to confess and meditate, to feel welcomed by a community, to hear a good sermon or two, to perchance see someone speak in tongues and have the words of the Lord Bon Jovi be channeled through a mere mortal. And, of course, to have some drinks and venture to make complete fools out of ourselves.

Karaoke exists in a vacuum of taste, where anomalies and exceptions always seem to arise and mess with my preconceptions. Maybe, like me, this is the only time you can really tolerate a Billy Joel song. Maybe those two dudes doing Sum 41′s “Fat Lip” actually sound kinda good, or that girl who’s really giving it the old college try on “Since U Been Gone” elicits all this empathy, and dammit you can’t be mad because she’s having fun!

This list — boiled down, mind you, from literally hundreds of runner-ups — is an extension of that feeling that happens when you flip through the entire karaoke book and you don’t see one song you want to sing. After polling the staff and consulting some of my long-time karaoke buddies, these are the songs we all wish would be added to the karaoke canon that we personally have never seen before (we are excluding the deep cuts in Austin’s Karaoke Underground book).

And if it’s one thing most of these songs have in common, they’re totally depressing. Sorry. To make up for that, and in contrast to a lot of karaoke standards, a whole grip of these songs don’t require you to have a good voice. In fact, you could be totally tone-deaf and still do an absolutely kick-ass version of  The Fall’s “Totally Wired” because the song isn’t about impressing Cee-Lo and Adam Levine with pitch and tone, it’s about the performance. There’s plenty more like that on the list that I felt would always be fun — songs that don’t focus on notes as much as they do putting on a great show.

Don’t fret, choir nerds, it’s not all post-punk pogo-dance chant standards. There’s plenty of new vocal challenges all over the list, from tUnE-yArDs to Jeff Buckley to Dirty Projectors to Hasil Adkins. There’s a lot more. Who knows, there may even be another list further down the road. What songs would you like to sing at Karaoke that are never in the books? Let us know in the comments.

You can access the entire list on Spotify. Enjoy!

-Jeremy D. Larson
Managing Editor

Andrew Bird – “Fake Palindromes”

When to sing:  After a couple glasses of wine to keep the voice nice and velvety. It’s a short one.

Make sure to:  “Monsters?”

Animal Collective – “For Reverend Green”

When to sing: Get this out of the way early, but don’t lead with it. Avey Tare’s vocals on this are daunting, histrionic, and require full commitment or else you will be laughed off stage for singing Animal Collective at karaoke. No guarantees for that not happening anyway.

Make sure to: Differentiate between the two “Lucky child don’t know how lucky she is” parts.

Arcade Fire – “Keep The Car Running”

When to sing: Great lead-off song — not too difficult to sing, short and sweet, not too obscure, speaks for itself.

Make sure to: Totally go for it on the “Ohhhh ohhh” and punch the air on that final snare hit like a hero.

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – “Can’t Hear My Eyes”

When to sing: When you want to sing  “Brandi” by Looking Glass, but you can’t quite remember how the bridge goes, or even if there is a bridge to the song.

Make sure to: Not have a catastrophic meltdown, but you should really be laying down on the ground and arching your back over the monitors.

Azealia Banks – “212″

When to sing: After midnight, after your confidence level has peaked,  after you contemplate that Azealia Banks isn’t even old enough to do Karaoke and put this song out.

Make sure to: Have this shit well-rehearsed, because the cadence of “Bet you do like to slumber, don’t you?” is not going to come to you when you’re reading it off the teleprompter. Good luck deciding on whether or not to drop the C-bomb. That’s on you.

Beat Happening – “Cast A Shadow”

When to sing: When the eyelids are heavy, and the 500 yard stare can be trained on not just anyone, but definitely someone.

Make sure to: Study/mimic Ted Leo’s performance of it at Underground Karaoke at Matador 21.

Best Coast – “When I’m With You”

When to sing: Right after you get back inside from smoking a joint in the ally and you tell that cute guy that “this next song’s for you.”

Make sure to: Ask the DJ if he can turn up that reverb.

The Black Keys – “10 A.M. Automatic”

When to sing: When you can’t quite put into feelings that guy’s t-shirt with a bald eagle on it.

Make sure to:  Put a little extra spit on those vocals like they used to do.

Black Lips – “Bad Kids”

When to sing: After a round of Jager, or Car Bombs, or Liquid Cocaine, and after you tell them you’re absolutely not going to sing “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

Make sure to: Get, like, seven people on the stage.

Bon Iver – “Skinny Love”

When to sing: When you roll up to Karaoke solo, after several drinks isolated in a cold corner of the bar, and only when the weight of the world is on your heart.

Make sure to: Sulk back to your chair when it’s all over, back to your “cabin,” as it were.

The Breeders – “One Divine Hammer”

When to sing: Directly before or after someone sings Pixies – “Hey”.

Make sure to: Remember that this song is wicked filthy — direct eye contact with crowd is at your own risk. (Dudes, ask if they have the Clockcleaner version — it’s arguably better.)

Bright Eyes – “The Calendar Hung Itself”

When to sing: There’s no real bad time to sing this, the preeminent emo song of them all, but it’s more about when you have wherewithal to sing Oberst’s lyrics.

Make sure to: Render everyone so awestruck they all want to buy you a drink at the end of it — you’re clearly not in a good place right now.

Built To Spill – “Car”

When to sing: A great opener, before you’re even finished with your first drink.

Make sure to: Close your eyes by the third “I want to see, movies of my dreams,” or you’re not doing it right.

Cibo Matto – “Birthday Cake”

When to sing: In the environment where this song is an option, everyone’s going to be OK with it any time, but it’s definitely one of those songs to play if your equilibrium’s altered to the point where pitch is “optional”.

Make sure to: Get all of Miho Hatori’s eccentricities and dialect, especially the way she says “birthssday cake.”

CYHSY – “The Skin of my Yellow Country Teeth”

When to sing: When you are sure that this song will burrow into the soul of everyone watching – so, late in the night.

Make sure to: Slur each and every word, purposefully or not.

College & Electric Youth – “A Real Hero”

When to sing: After (or during) a big knife fight in the back of a bar. I don’t know if this song will ever escape its role as the soundtrack to Ryan Gosling driving off into the sunset.

Make sure to: Channel Bill Murray singing “More Than This” and you’ll be on the right track.

Das Racist – “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell”

When to sing: When you want to comment on consumptive corporate consumerism to a bar full of drunk people.

Make sure to: Replace “Jamaica Ave.” with a local thoroughfare in your city to try to get the message to resonate with your audience.

The Decemberists – “Don’t Carry It All”

When to sing: When you don’t want to sing “You Don’t Know How It Feels”, but you actually kinda do. Here’s something that sounds almost exactly the same.

Make sure to: Partake in the same kind of theatrics that The Decemberists do on stage and pretend that you’re a whale and try to eat the audience. This will go over well.

Dent May – “Eastover Wives”

When to sing: When you want to sing “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” but you’re never sure which of the 12 versions they’ll put on.

Make sure to:  Dance your white ass off while you’re up there.

Destroyer – “Your Blues”

When to sing: When the idea of singing another Bob Dylan song seems completely “repulsive,” but you’re still not of the inclination to “sing exact notes.”

Make sure to: BYO condenser mic and hold it delicately between your thumb and index finger.

Dirty Projectors – “Stillness Is The Move”

When to sing:  Get this one done early in your set – that little run up to that really high note in the pre-chorus can’t be easy after 3+ drinks. Nailing this song will win the affections of the boy in the Owen Pallett tee.

Make sure to: Remember those quiet riffs Angel Deradoorian does at the end. If you bring those out, Owen Pallett guy will definitely buy you another glass of merlot.

Dismemberment Plan – “You Are Invited”

When to sing: When you feel the tenor of the evening has taken a turn for the worse and want to relay a message of acceptance, positivity, and sing one of the greatest damn songs ever.

Make sure to: Work the crowd and tell the story – be the light at the end of all of these barfly’s nights, especially the guy who just sang “Hurt” seemingly without irony.

Elliott Smith – “Waltz #2 (XO)”

When to sing: It’s not as huge of a bummer as, say, “Needle in the Hay” or “Twilight”, but for those who like bumming people out at karaoke, this should be your go-to bummer jam. Bonus points if you bring your mother along.

Make sure to: Nail the “and on and on and on” perfectly or Howard Sims will be there with his shepherd’s crook so fast.

The Fall – “Totally Wired”

When to sing: The obvious time is after you just did some coke in the bathroom but feel free to make it a joke song — change lyric to “tired”!

Make sure to:  Respect Mark E. Smith and add a supurflous “uh” after every phrase (“I’m totally weird-uh, to be wired-uh”).

The Flaming Lips – “Do You Realize??”

When to sing: Late enough and drunk enough so that you consider Wayne Coyne’s questions about universe. The precise moment this can happen varies greatly from person to person.

Make sure to: Really ask the question, every time. It’s not a rhetorical question, it’s incredulous! Grapple with reality up there.

Free Energy – “Dream City”

When to sing: When you want to sing “The Boys Are Back In Town” but the last time you did you got kicked off stage for trying to sing all three lines of the guitar solo by yourself.

Make sure to: Wear a leather jacket.

Frightened Rabbit – “The Modern Leper”

When to sing: After an unstable amount of whiskey, and after you overheard someone talk about Mumford.

Make sure to: Think about the Scottish accent, but man, don’t go all Groundskeeper Willie on it. Let it alone if you have doubts.

Fugazi – “Waiting Room”

When to sing: When you have two people who can do both Guy Piccatio’s and Ian McKay’s parts. Then, and only then, should you do “Waiting Room”.

Make sure to: Sing when you feel like the fever of the room is about at this level.

Girls – “Lust for Life”

When to sing: It’s such a short song (only a minute and 30 seconds of singing) that it needs to be early on when people might still be paying a bit of attention. No flare, just a great song.

Make sure to: Figure out how Christopher Owens does the half pouty/half whiney thing before you step up.

Gogol Bordello – “Start Wearing Purple”

When to sing: After your fifth shot of Stolichnaya, and only if you’re wearing suspenders.

Make sure to: Take off your shirt but keep your suspenders on. Also buy a round of vodka for everyone pre-song and toast the audience during the high note and you will be crowned King Gypsy-Punk for the rest of the night.

Grinderman – “No Pussy Blues”

When to sing:  When you’ve squeezed the last ounce of pathos out of  ”Just a Gigolo”, and you’ve just gotta lay down some real talk with the bar.

Make sure to: Never unclench your teeth throughout the whole song — that’s part one of the Nick Cave impression. This is part two.

Guided By Voices – “Tractor Rape Chain”

When to sing: When you think you’re as drunk as Robert Pollard would be.

Make sure to: Elucidate to the DJ (and audience) that the word in questions is (probably) referring to parallel lines made by a tractor in a rapeseed field. Or not — your call.

Hasil Adkins – “She Said”

When to sing: After some rye whiskey, moonshine, or corn liquor.

Make sure to: Not memorize the lyrics, but memorize how Adkins says the words, which will be no where near how they are supposed to sound. The whole thing will work better if you pronounce “head” like “hayee.”

Hunx and His Punx – “U Don’t Like Rock N Roll”

When to sing: Immediately after some group of moms sings “I Love Rock  Roll”. That would be great.

Make sure to:  Wear a bedazzled leather jacket. Pants optional.

Interpol – “Obstacle #1″

When to sing: When you’re wearing black suit, shirt and tie, and you’re totally ready to make the same note that spans over 50% of the song interesting.

Make sure to: Import Carlos D’s New York Doesn’t Really Care swagger.

Islands – “Rough Gem”

When to sing: After someone sings Whitesnake or Dokken or Aerosmith — when things are decidedly un-twee.

Make sure to: Play air piano on those three timeless piano plunks on the chorus.

Jamie Lidell – “Multiply”

When to sing: When you want to sing  Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat” but don’t want to hear anyone say “Why didn’t you do the Napolean Dynamite dance?”

Make sure to: Right after you fling your leopard-print suit-jacket on and take one last sip of your dirty martini. Study up on Lidell’s dance moves.

Janelle Monáe feat. Big Boi – “Tightrope”

When to sing: Two or three times a night is totally acceptable.

Make sure to:  Put in the version with the rap in it. I’m sure they have it, but you don’t want to get all “Waterfalls (No Rap)” on the mic. Also, put some voodoo on it, yeah?

Jay Reatard  - “It Ain’t Gonna Save Me”

When to sing: If you’re feeling like Jay, or if you’re feeling like a tribute to Jay.

Make sure to: Have a lot of fun singing a really, really dismal, depressing song.

Jeff Buckley – “Grace”

When to sing: On a night where you truly think that you can sing this. Which means you’re a ringer and you don’t really belong at the karaoke joint, or your liquid courage has overcome your actual talent. Also acceptable: on a $50 dare.

Make sure to: If nothing else, if you punt the riffing or that high G and make Buckley roll over in his grave, just make sure you hit the last little vocal riff — it’s just too perfect.

Jens Lekman – “The Opposite of Hallelujah”

When to sing: After a glass of champagne or two, when those bubbles start to go to your head and put a spring in your step. You’ll need it for those tambourines and handclaps.

Make sure to: Mime picking up a seashell to illustrate your homelessness. You can be the crab, too, if you feel so inclined.

The Jesus Lizard – “Seasick”

When to sing: Preferably after someone sings “Piano Man”, or something really just bad. Show them what bad really means.

Make sure to: Bow/curtsey gracefully when you’re done. Expect it to go something like this. If it’s not going like that, you’re doing it wrong.

Joanna Newsom – “Inflammatory Writ”

When to sing: When you’re wearing a flowery dress and want to be the first person to sing the words “poetaster” and “ululate” in a bar.

Make sure to: It’s got the swagger of a great drinking song, so hoist your stein and rock to and fro, and sing heartily about mollusks’ weddings and writers’ block.

Joy Division – “Transmission”

When to sing:  Because it’s not really a participation song and, depending on where you take it, more of a performance, doing this early in the night is advisable, odd as it may seem.

Make sure to: Not mimic Ian Curtis’ dance moves. You can’t do them, and may god help you if you get laughs. Totally cool to be inspired by Curtis, though.

The Knife – “Heartbeats”

When to sing: After everyone’s had enough clear, expensive drinks to get down to this sultry slow burner.

Make sure to: Not pick the Jose Gonzalez version and get all “Blower’s Daughter” on everyone.

Kurt Vile – “Freak Train”

When to sing: When you want to transfer your drunken ramblings from the bar to the mic. In fact, you could have never heard this song and as long as you’re all-in on the lyrics, it will be fantastic.

Make sure to:  Just walk right into a cab when you’re done singing because you shouldn’t be fit to drink anymore.

Lana Del Ray – “Video Games”

When to sing: It’s you, it’s you, it’s all for you.

Make sure to: Everything you do, you tell me all the time.

LCD Soundsystem – “Drunk Girls”

When to sing: When you hear someone of any sex go, “Oh my god where did Chrissy even go?” and when you got a posse behind you to to shout “drunk girls” and “drunk boys.”

Make sure to: BYO Sennheiser 509.

Lush – “Ciao! (feat. Jarvis Cocker)”

When to sing:  When you’re sick of duets that only serve to profess two people’s Endless Love for one another and you want one that’s just full of bile and vitriol.

Make sure to: If you want, play the opposite emotion, like the audition scene from Mulholland Dr!

M.O.P. – “Ante Up”

When to sing: When the “Scenario” call-and-response just doesn’t seem hard enough.

Make sure to: Go so hard. If you’re not aggro-rapping like Billy Danze and Lil’ Fame, you will fall into another terrible hip-hop karaoke performance so ante up.

Mclusky – “Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues”

When to sing:  When no one can see, or hear, and it’s the end of the world and you’re ushering everyone to their graves with the karaoke version of “Nearer My God To Thee”.

Make sure to:  Intone “sell me to wonderluuust” like Andy Falkous does.

Misfits – “Where Eagles Dare”

When to sing: After doing a “waterfall” with your group because you signed them up for this and they’re all going to…

Make sure to:  Huddle around the mic, arms around each other, and show everyone what a drunken group shout song really sounds like.

Mission of Burma – “That’s When I Reached For My Revolver”

When to sing:  Since it doesn’t have the bite that some of these other post-punk numbers do, you can sing it early and embrace that final chorus in arena-karaoke fashion.

Make sure to:  Not pick the Moby version. Ahh, that’s not a half-bad version.

The Mountain Goats – “This Year”

When to sing: When the taste of scotch is rich on your tongue, naturally.

Make sure to:  To do that little “ahha” thing before “listen to the engine whine.” And, make it through this night, if it kills you.

My Morning Jacket – “Gideon”

When to sing: Probably one of the hardest songs on this list, so you could really bring the place down if you’re aligned for it. If you got that high note, go for it anytime, and show that dude who just did “With Or Without You” what the deal is.

Make sure to:  Remember that you can hit the super high note like Jim James does live  – just scream that sawngun out.

The National – “Mr. November”

When to sing: This fall seems to be another perfect time, no?

Make sure to: Amble through the crowd really slowly, steadily stepping on tables and chairs, and if you run into a tiny girl in the bar, do this.

Neutral Milk Hotel – “Song Against Sex”

When to sing: When you want to sing “Too Drunk To Fuck” but you don’t have the drugs to take to soothe  your mind — you’re always sober.

Make sure to: To preface your performance by alerting the audience that there will be strictly be no video recording or photography of any kind. In fact, you should probably be doing that before every song anyway.

The New Pornographers – “Bleeding Heart Show”

When to sing: When you have a cast of at least A.C. Newman, Neko Case, Kathryn Calder, and Dan Bejar to join up for the “Hey la’s”, a crucial moment that cannot be left to the karaoke track.

Make sure to: Just give the guy who’s playing Dan Bejar a tambourine and a drink. He doesn’t need to be on stage the whole time.

Nick Lowe – “I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass”

When to sing: Such a great lead-off song, or you could win the night if you can get the DJ to give you a fast pass to the mic right after someone breaks a pint glass.

Make sure to: Bring your drink up there and then either pretend to drop it and laugh it off and wink, or throw it to the ground and stare directly at the audience and stand perfectly still until you are escorted from the stage.

Of Montreal – “Gronlandic Edit”

When to sing: To make an entrance upon arriving at the bar, as the beat is conducive to Night at the Roxbury-style head-bobbing and/or your own personalized moonwalk. With moves like those, you’ll get mic priority in no time.

Make sure to: Bring some friends in a boys’ choir to sing the high falsetto.

Okkervil River – “Lost Coastlines”

When to sing:  At the peak of the night — only because I think this is one of the better karaoke songs. It’s got the makings of one of those “gather ’round, we’re doing ‘Lost Coastlines’” vibes.

Make sure to: Use the little instrumental break that everyone in the bar has to sing the “La, la, la la la la,” part that’s coming up. It’s such a perfect place to explain it.

Patti Smith – “Free Money”

When to sing: Be true to Patti and do it sober!

Make sure to: Not go all Natalie Merchant/10,000 Maniacs on this one — your melody rides the feeling.

Pavement – “Unfair”

When to sing: When you’re at a place on the Sunset Strip and you don’t want to sing “AEnima” again because no one really got it the first time.

Make sure to: Bring out those Malkmus histrionics and also let the DJ know that there really should be like every Pavement song in this book.

Peaches – “Fuck the Pain Away”

When to sing:  When the idea of singing “Closer” seems too dominant and chauvinistic, and you want something a little more coquettish and submissive, yet just as fucking graphic.

Make sure to: Go in knowing that you’re about to say “Fuck the Pain Away” 24 times, and pray for semantic satiation.

The Pharcyde – “Oh Shit”

When to sing: When you want to sing “Things That Make You Go Hmmmm” but you’ve got a team of tenors with you.

Make sure to: Just get a lady to sing Slimkid3′s verse because come on.

Pixies – “Hey”

When to sing: Directly before or after someone sings The Breeders – ”One Divine Hammer”.

Make Sure To: Interact with the singer of “One Divine Hammer”. This is your future wife, or at the very least you should start a band together.

PJ Harvey – “Words that Maketh Murder”

When to sing: When you’re pretty sure everyone’s either ready to go get eggs at the local diner, or you’re desperately seeking the attention of the guy or girl wearing brown and black in the corner next to The Addams Family pinball game.

Make sure to: Start loud, get soft, and then just sort of decide whether you want to finish loud or just repeat the harmonies or pass out.

Portishead – “All Mine”

When to sing: It’s such a James Bond-y torch song – the one that can bring you glory and fame – depending on your skill set.  After midnight, to be sure, and after you’ve told seven different men your seven different names.

Make sure to:  Ask if, just this once, you can smoke in here.

R. Kelly – “Trapped In The Closet”

When to sing: This for the KJ. If you’re ever a KJ, what you do is you learn the first 10 or so parts to this magnum opus and interpolate them throughout the night. This really is the best thing a KJ could do.

Make sure to: Pull out your beretta when things get heated.

The Rapture – “Out Of The Races And Onto The Tracks”

When to sing: After the idea of impressing people with your voice has long since faded, and you believe you can entertain the masses by doing one simple thing:

Make sure to: Shake shake shake shake shake shake shake shake shake shake.

Regina Spektor – “Your Honor”

When to sing: Trying to explain to the bouncer that your belligerently drunk friend is just “fighting for your honor” and/or distract the bouncer by creating the first Regina Spektor-inspired mosh pit ever.

Make sure to: Grab an unsuspecting audience member to forcefully air-kiss.

The Replacements – “Bastards of Young”

When to sing: Right after a heated argument about what you’re doing with your life, or HBO’s Girls. The kind of performance you give will hang on how drunk you are — but that’s kind of the point with The Mats.

Make sure to: Tell the DJ that he should have literally every Replacements song in the book.

Rilo Kiley – “Silver Lining”

When to sing: You’ve been politely shot down by the fourth cute guy you’ve approached at the bar- is it your fault they’re all “seeing someone”?- and you want to show all those guys what they’re missing.

Make sure to: Not confuse it with “Dreams”. Trust me, those chord changes really sound the same, especially after one drink too many.

Rufus Wainwright — “14th Street”

When to sing: After a bottle of wine, and when you’re in any city with a gridded downtown, doesn’t matter how big.

Make sure to: Play up Wainwright’s slur if you have to and find that perfect three-glasses-of-wine legato.

Ryan Adams – “Halloweenhead”

When to sing: It doesn’t have to be October to chant this one across the bar. Be ironic, or find your inner Jack Skellington, and belt this out at Christmas shindigs everywhere.

Make sure to: ”Guitar solo!”

Scott Walker – “Jackie”

When to sing: When you can see the bottom of your first elderflower cocktail, and after you place a mint leaf behind your ear.

Make sure to: Indicate just as much, if not more, than Walker does in the above video. “My beard so very long and flowing” being one example of a shining moment for pantomime.

The Shins – “Gone For Good”

When to sing: A perfect song for an afternoon karaoke session, or one of your first songs.

Make sure to: Bring a friend who can do those harmonies cause they’re so breezy.

Silver Jews – “Punks In The Beerlight”

When to sing: Right before you propose to your burnout girlfriend.

Make sure to: Bring your punk up there with you.

Sleater-Kinney – “Dig Me Out”

When to sing: After you’ve grown tired of the same polite rebuffs you’ve been giving all night and want to transform your face into a giant “back the hell up off” sign.

Make sure to:  Furrow the brow, clench the mic, and curtsy at the end.

Sleigh Bells – “Rill Rill”

When to sing: When you want everyone to get up and sway together without singing “Time of Your Life”. Once that Funkadelic sample kicks in, it’s only natural.

Make sure to: Wear just one fingerless glove and a string of bullets, if you’ve got ‘em.

Spoon – “The Underdog”

When to sing: You’re sloppy, stained with kisses, and your high school girlfriend you haven’t spoken to in over a decade has just walked through the door.

Make sure to: Take a page or two from Tom Jones – dance, dance, dance with the horns!

The Strokes – “15 Minutes”

When to sing: That one night you decide to be bold and wear the leather jacket, despite the fact that your friends all joke around and call you “The Fonz.”

Make sure to: Stay focused, despite that dreamy guitar solo, watch for the changes, and try to keep up at the end.

Sufjan Stevens – “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.”

When to sing:  When you’re sure that you can come back from it. This is for advanced artists only.

Make sure to:  …I don’t even know. I just kind of want to hear someone sing it and just live in whatever weird moment that it manifests forever.

Supergrass – “Alright”

When to sing: Someone’s brought up at least one reference to Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy, Jeremy Sisto, or anything having to do with 1995′s Clueless.

Make sure to: Really belt out “But we are young!”, especially if it’s your 30th birthday.

Tapes ‘n’ Tapes – “Insistor”

When to sing:  When you want to sing Violent Femmes, but you’d rather sing a song about being a badger. The song has a great arc to it, so it should take care of itself.

Make sure to: Add that big scream in the final chorus.

Television – “See No Evil”

When to sing:  Right after the girl who sang Patti Smith asked you, “So, what are you singing?”

Make sure to:  Turn in your best Tom Verlaine impression (sing everything just a little behind the beat), and bring a beer to drink during that killer guitar solo.

The-Dream – “Yamaha”

When to sing:  When you want to branch out from your Prince standards, and “Darling Nikki”.

Make sure to:  Wear your motorcycle jacket, and take some names, lil’ mama.

The Thermals – “Here’s Your Future”

When to sing: On the eve of any Catholic-related holiday.

Make sure to: Keep the nasal passages clear; otherwise, you’ll have everyone asking what Springsteen song this is.

Titus Andronicus – “No Future Part Three: Escape From No Future”

When to sing:  After a three-Jameson rocks, and you get the idea that the only way anyone will like you tonight is if you bring everyone down to your level.

Make sure to:  Plant some ringers in the audience for the “You will always be a loser” part, and if you get everyone singing at the end you’ll be a karaoke loser forever.

Tom Waits – “I Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You”

When to sing: When the night is squinting back at you, and there’s only about five people in the bar, and the bartender is wiping down the bar half-interested in what you’re doing.

Make sure to:  At the end, tell everyone to tip their bartenders.

tUnE-yArDs – “Bizness”

When to sing: Like “Tightrope”, as often as possible.  

Make sure to: BYO face paint, and see if you can find a way to do that vibrato thing Merril does at the start of the second verse.

TV On The Radio – “Wolf Like Me”

When to sing: After a spirited conversation about what, ultimately, is the best TV On The Radio song.

Make sure to: Put in a good argument for “Wolf Like Me”.

The Velvet Underground – “Beginning To See The Light”

When to sing: When your night is striking a nice balance somewhere between Loaded and White Light/White Heat.

Make sure to: Just make up whatever melody/words you want during the verse.

The Weeknd – “Wicked Games”

When to sing: When you want to bring the sexual tension from “girl look at that cute guy” to “this is unbearable and I have to leave.”

Make sure to:  Not even attempt this if you can’t hit those high notes. Consult friends before singing and listen to them if they laugh at you.

Whiskeytown – “Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight”

When to sing: When you’re drunk enough that your country roots start to show, but are still aware that you’re singing Ryan Adams.

Make sure to: Add that twang that Ryan Adams used to do.

Why? – “The Hallows”

When to sing: When you want to get back to the proto-hipster, and drop some fantastic white-boy rhymes on the mic.

Make sure to: Preface this song by “You’ve probably never heard of these guys” just for old-time’s sake.

Wilco – “Monday”

When to sing: After a couple of PBRs and after someone asks you if you know any country songs other than that Ryan Adams guy.

Make sure to: Infer that you do know more country songs, but few are as great as “Monday”.

Wild Flag – “Romance”

When to sing: I know it’s a new song in the canon, but really, when is there not a good time to sing this song?

Make sure to: Air-guitar throughout and slyly note to passersby that you saw Sleater-Kinney live before they split. Like, during the song.

Wire – “Ex Lion Tamer”

When to sing:  After you get done complaining about HBO’s Girls for the last hour and just want to grab everyone by the collars, and scream some metaphors in their faces. This is not an uncommon emotion.

Make sure to: Bring up a hype-man for the extra punch off from the mic when you sing the echo lines in the verse.

Wolf Parade – “This Heart’s On Fire”

When to sing: After about a pack of cigarettes into the night.

Make sure to: Leave absolutely all of it on stage.

San Francisco’s Outside Lands Music Festival turns five years old this summer (August 10-12th to be exact), and it’s celebrating with some pretty big name talent. Metallica, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Foo Fighters, Jack White, Stevie Wonder, and Beck top this year’s bill. Other notable acts include Sigur Rós, Justice, Regina Spektor, Norah Jones, Skrillex, The Kills, Dispatch, Passion Pit, and Grandaddy.

Also appearing on the lineup are Big Boi, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Andrew Bird, Explosions in the Sky, MSTRKRFT, Portugal. the Man, Dr. Dog, The Walkmen, Alabama Shakes, Fitz and the Tantrums, Amadou & Mariam, Reggie Watts, Sharon Van Etten, YACHT, Zola Jesus, Tennis, Die Antwoord, Thee Oh Sees, Tanlines, Caveman, Of Monsters and Men, Father John Misty, Tame Impala, Big Gigantic, White Denim, Yellow Ostrich, wallpaper., Trampled By Turtles, City and Colour, and Two Gallants, among others.

Tickets will go on sale Thursday, April 19th at Noon PDT via the festival’s website.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Wilco has scheduled a U.S. summer tour, which includes dates with Andrew Bird, Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo, Dr. Dog, and Blitzen Trapper, as well as appearances at Forecastle Festival and XPoNential Festival. Check out the full schedule below, along with their amazing video for “Dawned On Me”.

Wilco 2012 Tour Dates:
05/10 – Fayetteville, AR @ Arkansas Music Pavilion
05/11 – Birmingham, AL @ Sloss Furnaces
05/12 – Jackson, MS @ Thalia Mara Hall
05/14 – Tampa, FL @ Morsani Hall
05/15 – Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore
05/16 – St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheater
05/18-20 – Gulf Shores, AL @ Hangout Music Festival
05/19 – Memphis, TN @ Mud Island Amphitheatre
05/31 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
06/04 – Dublin, IE @ Forbidden Fruit Festival
06/08 – Porto, PT @ Optimus Primavera Sound
06/22 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
06/23 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
06/25 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Red Butte Garden %
06/26 – Boise, ID @ Idaho Botanical Garden %
06/28 – Missoula, MT @ Big Sky Brewery %
07/01 – Duluth, MN @ Bayfront Festival Park %
07/02 – Rochester, MN @ Mayo Civic Center Auditorium %
07/07 – Sioux City, IA @ Saturday in the Park
07/08 – Geneva, IL @ Fifth Third Bank Ballpark @ $
07/15 – Louisville, KY @ Forecastle Festival
07/21 – Camden, NJ @ XPoNential Festival
07/27 – Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival
07/28 – Cooperstown, NY @ Brewery Ommegang !
07/29 – Essex Junction, VT @ Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo !
07/31 – North Adams, MA @ MASS MoCA
08/01 – Hartford, CT @ The Bushnell !
08/03 – Rochester, NY @ Highland Bowl !
08/10 – Goteborg, SE @ Way Out West Festival
08/11 – Rees-Haldern, DE @ Haldern Festival
08/12 – Cornbury Park, UK @ Wilderness Festival
08/14 – Luxembourg @ Den Atelier
08/16 – St. Polten, AT @ Frequency Festival
08/17-18 – Kiewitt, BE @ Pukkelpop

* = w/ Punch Brothers
# = w/ Dr. Dog
% = w/ Blitzen Trapper
@ = w/ Andrew Bird
$ = w/ The Congregation
! = w/ Lee Ranaldo

Photo by Nate Slevin

Continuing to support his new LP, Break It Yourself, Andrew Bird stopped by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday night, where he performed “Eyeoneye”. He even remembered to bring that ol’ scarf of his, too. Watch the replay below, courtesy of The Audio Perv.

On last night’s episode of The Colbert Report, Andrew Bird stopped by for a short chat and a performance of Break It Yourself standout “Eyeoneye”. Prior to delivering a tight, full-band rendition of the track, Bird discussed its title, his multiple talents, and some advice for one of Colbert’s staffers. So, how exactly do you disassociate & The Mysterious Production of Eggs from the girl who broke your heart after a late-night make-out session while dressed as a gay Abraham Lincoln and Raggedy Ann? Find out by watching the video recap below.

Bird also delivered a web exclusive performance of Break It Yourself’s “Danse Caribe”:

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In this edition of Audiography, we recap music’s biggest news and feature reviews of the latest releases by Andrew Bird, the Magnetic Fields, and School of Seven Bells. I also talk with Common, the rapper, poet/philosopher, and actor. We discuss his album The Dreamer, The Believer and working with his father as well as poet Maya Angelou and the producer No ID for the first time since 1997. We talk about his acting career and its effect on his music and his decision to retain the name Common for both fields. I also ask him how he manages to stay above the fray and deliver his message without sounding sanctimonious or preachy.

Featured Music:
01. Andrew Bird – “Danse Caribe” (excerpt), “Eyeoneye” (excerpt)
02. The Magnetic Fields – “Andrew In Drag” (excerpt), “The Machine In Your Hand” (excerpt)
03. School of Seven Bells – “Lafaye” (excerpt), “Low Times” (excerpt)
04. Common – “Pop’s Belief”, “Sweet”, “Celebrate”

Audiography Episode 028 – “Common”
Written and Produced by Len Comaratta, Adam Kivel, Paul de Revere, Bryant Kitching, Lainna Fader, and Liz Landry.

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Are you enjoying Audiography? Subscribe to the Podcast via iTunes!

Though the conventions and flourishes have lithely mutated from swing to folk to indie pop, Bird’s music seems to situate itself on a spectrum with one end representing the mad genius alone at a loop pedal and the other with an intricately orchestrated backing band. The immaculate genre-jukebox of The Swimming Hour (with then backing band Bowl of Fire) is a prime example of the latter, while the swirling violin clouds of his first solo album, Weather Systems, the former.

Break It Yourself largely lingers close to the loop pedal, a batch of tunes that blends Bird’s razor-sharp lyrics with morphing walls of strings that tend toward the low-slung, even melancholic. Rather than the grandiose, glistening pop of his last few discs, this new record plays on muted tones, ballads that work into your subconscious rather than overwhelming it. It might seem a bit unfair to ask a disc to have emotional depth, biting lyrics, and unforgettable hooks, but Bird is one of few who is capable of the task (achieved on the epic & The Mysterious Production of Eggs).

While recent albums have given over to more and more guitar, Break It Yourself ushers the violin back to the forefront. Opening track “Desperation Breeds” is Bird in a nutshell, polysyllabic lyrics referencing scientific theories about the future as related to fading honeybee populations (seriously, this dude is smart), skyscraper whistling, looped instrumental strikes, and a violin solo that sounds like a bee without coming off as cheesy as that sounds. Expressive violin tones don’t end there, though; with the distortion added on “Danse Carribe”, it comes off like a steel drum, or a jazz guitar on “Give It Away”. While the overall mood remains sleepy throughout the disc, the tracks differentiate in seemingly minor tonal shifts.

While the music shows Bird retreating into soundscapes, the lyrics largely feature the narrator moving into landscapes, contemplating the rest of humanity (a theme enforced strongly by the fluid, subdued music). “Hole in the Ocean Floor” looms and lingers for over eight minutes, rife with talk of crickets and others among “God’s creatures.” Earlier, “Give It Away” talks of a “nation’s worthless currency,” coupled with a disinterest in charts and graphs, constantly moving towards a question of what human society truly values.

Bird references his own catalog more succinctly and interestingly than almost any other indie musician (save perhaps Spencer Krug). The first lines of “Eyeoneye” pun on the homophones eye and I, referencing the change from Weather System’s “I” to Armchair Apocrypha‘s “Imitosis”: “Go ahead and congratulate yourself/give yourself a hand/the hand is yours/and the eye that eyes itself is your eye.” Perhaps the most straightforward pop song structure on the album, the track keeps the philosophic tone of introspection, Bird pushing the borders of inspecting himself while also noting that “you’re getting too close to your soul.” The pivotal line, though, is when he reminds himself that we all need some help, the most cerebral indie pop songwriter finding solace in company.

The introspection continues on “The Lazy Projector”, the singer wondering aloud where reality lies and how perception affects it. The whole thing sounds so convoluted and intricate, but the imagery works, the song unfolds naturally, and everything wraps the listener up in a warm, cozy blanket, reading the book of Bird’s ever-intriguing thought process. The song is a mellow, reflective affair, one that probes similar topics to their core, the perfect soundtrack for a lazy Sunday afternoon, a cup of tea on the back porch.

Essential Tracks: “Eyeoneye”, “Desperation Breeds”, and “Danse Carribe”

Feature artwork by Drew Litowitz.

Folk virtuoso Andrew Bird keeps it simple in the performance-centric music video for “Eyeoneye”. No funny hats and costumes or overly demanding lolz cats; just a bunch of dudes jammin’ like a well-oiled machine. Watch the video now at EW.com.

Bird’s latest album, Break It Yourself, is in stores today via Mom + Pop.

With Record Store Day 2012 now just seven weeks away (April 21st), a number of artists and record labels have begun to reveal their plans for music’s new favorite holiday. Here’s a recap of the some the more notable releases already announced:

– The Black Keys will release their latest LP, El Camino, as a deluxe vinyl. This RSD exclusive package also contains a bonus CD, a limited edition poster, and a two song 45 rpm 7″ single featuring previously unreleased live tracks: “Sister” and “Money Maker.”

– Mastodon has two releases planned: A split 7″ single with Feist, which features Mastodon covering the Feist song “A Commotion”, while Feist covers Mastodon’s “Black Tongue. Mastodon also contributes a cover of The Flaming Lips’ “A Spoonful Weighs a Ton”, which will be released on 7″ baby pink vinyl single as part of the Side By Side Series.

– Arcade Fire will release Damian Taylor’s remixes of “Sprawl II” and “Ready to Start” on special edition 12″ vinyl.

– Detroyer will re-release his 2006 album, Destroyer’s Rubies, on vinyl for the first time in the U.S. Available through Merge Records, the package also includes a bonus track “Loscil’s Rubies”, a 20-minute long bonus song remixed by Scott Morgan, and a digital download of the album. The vinyl will be available in ruby red.

– Neon Indian will release “Hex Girlfriend”, b/w a Twin Shadow remix of the song, on 10″ vinyl.

– Metallica will release their new EP, Beyond Magnetic, on 12″ colored vinyl.

– M. Ward will release his new single “Primitive Girl”, b/w “The Twist” and a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven”, on 7″ vinyl.

– The Tallest Man on Earthwill release a 12″ single comprised of “King of Spain” b/w a cover of Paul Simon’s “Graceland” and his own “Where I Thought I Met the Angels”.

– Red Hot Chili Peppers will re-release the deluxe 180 gram vinyl box set of their 2006 album Stadium Arcadium. Specially priced for Record Store Day, the deluxe package was mastered for vinyl by Steve Hoffman and includes two 16-page booklets – “Jupiter” and “Mars”.

– Also from the Side by Side Series, Sara Watkins will release a cover of The Everly Brothers classic “You’re The One I Love”, with guest vocals from Fiona Apple.

– Xiu Xiu and Dirty Beaches will team up for a split 7″, which features Xiu Xiu covering Erasure’s 1994 ballad “Always”, and Dirty Beaches reinterpreting ”Tu Ne Dis Rien” by French pop singer Françoise Hardy.

In addition,Wax Poetic reports the following releases will also see light on Record Store Day (we’ve yet to confirm these releases independently):

– Ryan Adams will release a 7″ single comprised of two Bob Mould covers, “Heartbreak a Stranger”, and “Black Sheets of Rain”, taken from the recent Bon Mould tribute concert in Los Angeles.

– Sufjan Stevens will join forces with Rosie Thomas for a split single, featuring the songs “Where Were You” and “Here I Am”.

– St. Vincent will put out a 7″ vinyl featuring two unreleased tracks: “Krokodil” b/w “Grot”.

– Andrew Bird will release a 7″ single featuring his covers of Alpha Consumer’s “The Crown Salesman” and “Handsome Family’s “So Much Wine”.

– David Bowie’s 1972 single “Starman” will be released on picture disc 7″ vinyl, and will come back with an unreleased b-side from the recently surfaced Tops of Pops performance.

The 10th annual Forecastle Festival runs July 13-15th at Waterfront Park in Louisville, Kentucky. As previously reported, My Morning Jacket serve as both curator and headliner, and they’ll be joined by Wilco, Bassnectar, Girl Talk, Sleigh Bells, Beach House, Andrew Bird, and Flying Lotus.

Also playing are A-Trak, Neko Case, The Head and the Heart, Atmosphere, Dr. Dog, Deer Tick, Real Estate, Atlas Sound, Washed Out, Clutch, Galactic, Justin Townes Earle, Wye Oak, Dean Wareham plays Galaxie 500, Tanlines, Sleeper Agent, Nerves Junior, Cheyenne Marie Mize, JEFF the Brotherhood, Walk the Moon, Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires, and Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Additional artists, as well as details for separately ticketed, late night after parties, including those on the historical Belle of Louisville steamboat, will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to Festival Outlook for updates.

Three-day and VIP passes are currently on sale, while single-day tickets will be available beginning Friday, March 2nd. Visit the festival’s website for complete ticketing information.

Also, don’t forget that Forecastle is presenting Consequence of Sound’s CoSigns day party during this year’s South by Southwest. Click here for more details.

– Folk virtuoso Andrew Bird releases his sixth album, Break It Yourself, on March 6th via Mom + Pop. Stream it now at NPR.org.

– Indie-pop titans The Magnetic Fields return with their 10th studio album, Love at the Bottom of the Sea, on March 6th via Merge. Stream it now at NPR.org.

– Brooklyn indie rockers White Rabbits unveil their third album, Milk Famous, on March 6th via tbd Records. Stream it now at NPR.org.

– To coincide with the 100th birthday of Woody Guthrie, My Morning Jacket’s Yim Yames, Son Volt’s Jay Farrar, Centro-matic’s Will Johnson, and Varnaline’s Anders Parker recorded an album featuring previously unrecorded Guthrie lyrics. Entitled New Multitudes, the LP comprises interpretations on 12 Guthrie compositions, most of which were written during his time in Los Angeles. Stream the album now at TeamCoco.com, ahead of its February 28th release via Rounder.

– L.A.-based bedroom pop artist Julia Holter releases her sophomore album, Ekstasis, on March 8th via RVNG Intl. Stream it now at NPR.org.

On the flip side of Andrew Bird’s “EyeonEye” 7″ single is a cover of Alpha Consumer’s “The Crown Salesman”. As BPM points out, the cover is now up for streaming at Bird’s Facebook page. It’s also available to download for members of BandRx.

Hailing from the Twin Cities, Alpha Consumer is comprised of Bird’s longtime backing band members Jeremy Ylvisaker and Michael Lewis — so there’s the connection. Hear what their version of “The Crown Salesman” sounds like on Bandcamp.

Bird’s “EyeonEye” 7″ single is out now. His new LP, Break It Yourself, is out March 6th via Mom + Pop Music.

Last Saturday, folk violinist and champion whistler Andrew Bird performed a live webcast concert from London. The performance was the first of a monthly series taking place in the installation space A Room for London, a riverboat perched on the roof of Queen Elizabeth Hall. Once a month, a musician will enter the small Roi des Belges, which will operate as a one-bedroom hotel during much of 2012, for two days–the first day to familiarize themselves in preparation for the next day’s webcast. Having apparently stayed there Friday night, Bird kicked off the Sounds From a Room series this past weekend. If you missed, head over to The Guardian to check out the replay.

That replay will be available for one month before being replaced by February’s Sounds from a Room performer, German composer Heiner Goebbels. For more information on A Room for London and the Sounds from a Room series, see their web site. Below, watch an interview with Bird prior to Saturday’s special webcast.

Bird’s newest record, Break It Yourself, is out March 6th on Mom + Pop Music.

On March 6th, folk virtuoso Andrew Bird will release his sixth album, Break It Yourself, via Mom + Pop. For our first taste, Bird has unveiled “Eyeoneye”. The guitar-centric number has the initial rumblings of some giant arena-rock number before Bird chirps in. From there, the cut grows and swells throughout, from quiet ’50s slow jam to straight ahead rock and roll bliss. Take a listen below (via P4k).

Also, don’t forget: Ticket orders for each of Bird’s upcoming shows include a digital copy of the album, along with a download of Fake Conversations, a live EP culled from Bird’s fall 2011 tour, and a second live EP from the 2012 tour, which will be released in the spring. Starting tomorrow (o1/24), a limited-edition deluxe version of the record will be available for pre-order on Bird’s website. According to a press release, the package will include the album on double LP and CD, as well as a DVD entitled Here’s What Happened, a lyric booklet, a poster, a “photographic reproduction of the 1915 album cover image,” and a “stationary and stamp set.” Check out the album tracklist alongside Bird’s aforementioned tour dates below.

Break It Yourself Tracklist:
01. Desperation Breeds…
02. Polynation
03. Danse Caribe
04. Give it Away
05. Eyeoneye
06. Lazy Projector
07. Near Death Experience Experience
08. Behind the Barn
09. Lusitania
10. Orpheo Looks Back
11. Sifters
12. Fatal Shore
13. Hole in the Ocean Floor
14. Belles

Andrew Bird 2012 Tour Dates:
03/05 – London, UK @ Barbican Cantre
03/06 – Paris, FR @ La Cigale
03/08 – Brussels, BE @ Cirque Royal
03/09 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
03/15 – Dallas, TX @ Majestic Theatre #
03/16 – New Orleans, LA @ The Howlin’ Wolf #
03/17 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle #
03/19 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium #
03/20 – Columbus, OH @ Southern Theatre #
03/22 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant #
03/23 – Kansas City, MO @ The Uptown Theater #
03/24 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater #
04/09 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre $
04/10 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ The Vogue $
04/11 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall $
04/13 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater $
04/18 – Mesa, AZ @ Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center $
04/19 – Santa Fe, NM @ Lensic Performing Arts Center $
04/20 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theater $
05/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer %
05/04 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre %
05/05 – New York, NY @Beacon Theatre &
05/06 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues %
05/08 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club %
05/09 – Baltimore, MD @ Ram’s Head Live %
05/10 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit @
05/12 – Chicago, IL @ Auditorium Theatre @

# = w/ Eugene Mirman
$ = w/ Laura Marling
% = w/ Patrick Watson
& = w/ Tift Merritt
@ = w/ Mucca Pazza

Other notables include St. Vincent, Arctic Monkeys, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, Justice, Mazzy Star, M83, Explosions in the Sky, Childish Gambino, Flying Lotus, Destroyer, Cat Power, Madness, SBTRKT, Beirut, Amon Tobin, DJ Shadow, fIREHOSE, Miike Snow, The Rapture, M. Ward, Jimmy Cliff with Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong, The Horrors, Buzzcocks, James, EMA, Girls, tUnE-yArDs, and more.

The lineup also packs Wild Flag, ASAP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Neon Indian, Santigold, Modeselektor, The Big Pink, Wu Lyf, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, The Head and the Heart, Laura Marling, Company Flow, AraabMUZIK, Kaskade, Le Butcherettes, Real Estate, Wild Beasts, La Roux, Thundercat, Azealia Banks, Kasabian, Goyte, Manchester Orchestra, Black Lips, Atari Teenage Riot, and more. Check out the full lineup below or at our Festival Outlook.

Update: Tickets go on sale Friday, January 13th at 10:00 AM PT. According to Pop & Hiss, three-day passes are $285, three-day with shuttle are $335, and VIP are $665.

As previously reported, Andrew Bird will return with his sixth LP, Break It Yourself, on March 6th via Mom + Pop Music. The image you just scrolled past is the album’s artwork, and the 14-song tracklist is posted below. Bird has already previewed a number of the album tracks in concert, and you can also find live footage below.

Update: A brief 30-second video previewing the album is streaming on Bird’s website.

Also, don’t forget: Ticket orders for each of Bird’s upcoming shows include a digital copy of the album, along with a download of Fake Conversations, a live EP culled from Bird’s fall 2011 tour, and a second live EP from the 2012 tour, which will be released in the spring.

Break It Yourself Tracklist:
01. Desperation Breeds…
02. Polynation
03. Danse Caribe
04. Give it Away
05. Eyeoneye
06. Lazy Projector
07. Near Death Experience Experience
08. Behind the Barn
09. Lusitania
10. Orpheo Looks Back
11. Sifters
12. Fatal Shore
13. Hole in the Ocean Floor
14. Belles

“Desperation Breeds”:

“Danse Caribe”:

“Give It Away”:

“Lazy Projector”:

“Lusitania” (w/ St. Vincent):

“Hole in the Ocean Floor”:

Photo by Cameron Wittig

Folk virtuoso Andrew Bird has announced details of sixth studio album, and the first since 2009′s Noble Beast. Titled Break It Yourself, the album was produced by Bird himself and recorded in his barn in Western Illinois. The end result will be released by Mom + Pop Music on March 6th.

In support of the release, Bird will embark on a U.S. tour this spring. The outing begins on March 15th in Dallas, TX and wraps up on May 12th in Chicago, IL. Joining him on the road will be Eugene Mirman, Laura Marling, and others. Check out the entire tour schedule below.

Ticket orders for each show include a digital copy of the album, along with a download of Fake Conversations, a live EP culled from Bird’s fall 2011 tour, and a second live EP from the 2012 tour, which will be released in the spring.

Andrew Bird 2011/2012 Tour Dates:
12/21 – Chicago, IL @ Museum of Contemporary Art *
12/22 – Chicago, IL @ Museum of Contemporary Art *
01/12 – Honolulu, HI @ Hawaii Theatre
03/05 – London, UK @ Barbican Cantre
03/06 – Paris, FR @ La Cigale
03/08 – Brussels, BE @ Cirque Royal
03/09 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
03/15 – Dallas, TX @ Majestic Theatre #
03/16 – New Orleans, LA @ The Howlin’ Wolf #
03/17 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle #
03/19 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium #
03/20 – Columbus, OH @ Southern Theatre #
03/22 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant #
03/23 – Kansas City, MO @ The Uptown Theater #
03/24 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater #
04/09 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre $
04/10 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ The Vogue $
04/11 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall $
04/13 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater $
04/18 – Mesa, AZ @ Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center $
04/19 – Santa Fe, NM @ Lensic Performing Arts Center $
04/20 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theater $
05/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer %
05/04 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre %
05/05 – New York, NY @Beacon Theatre &
05/06 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues %
05/08 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club %
05/09 – Baltimore, MD @ Ram’s Head Live %
05/10 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit @
05/12 – Chicago, IL @ Auditorium Theatre @

# = w/ Eugene Mirman
$ = w/ Laura Marling
% = w/ Patrick Watson
& = w/ Tift Merritt
@ = w/ Mucca Pazza

While you prepare for the invasion of costumed kids (and adults), sit back and take in Cluster 1’s best videos from the past week. We’ve got interviews, previews, creepy music videos, and, oh yeah, our excellent CMJ coverage. Take a seat, enjoy, and watch out for that sugar overload on Monday! Better yet, use that burst of energy to submit a video to us. Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter, too! Happy Halloween!

Andrew Bird: Fever Year

Many artists have tried to film life on the road, particularly the rigors of touring. While they’ve had various levels of success, it’s doubtful that any could match Andrew Bird’s last tour experience. Filmed during his 2009 tour, Fever Year captures the singer/songwriter’s 165^th and final show of the year. All of the time leading up to that last concert was spent with Bird suffering from a perpetual fever. Despite the challenges, he still crisscrossed the country with his beloved band members, embracing nature and stage alike, as long as he could. Xan Aranda’s documentary puts this sense of brotherhood on screen, embracing everything Andrew Bird is in a snapshot in time. -JM

Brown Shoe – “Late Nights”

Is it physically possible to say the word “dreams” without Inception being the first thought in your head? Maybe not, but the reference does fit a little with Brown Shoe’s latest music video. This Cluster 1 premiere features the band members facing their inner demons in their subconscious as they sleep. A large variety of psychological issues, dealing with everything from childhood to sex, is explored, but the answers aren’t on the surface. Just like real dreams, you need to look deeper to understand. -JM

CANT – “Believe”

With their latest video, CANT tests our thoughts on whether or not aliens are real. The music syncs up perfectly with a number of home videos that show alien-like activity taking place in the sky, whether it be lights, or hovering white discs. It just might be enough to make people believe in extraterrestrials. Do you believe? -TM

Cluster 1 goes to CMJ 2011

The CMJ Music Marathon has a different impact, depending on who you ask. For New Yorkers, it means the Village and Williamsburg…are still really crowded, so nothing’s changed there. For bands, it’s a chance to get recognition and momentum for upcoming projects. For music fans, it’s a bevy of musical possibilities that might include the next must-see act. For Cluster 1, we captured a whole bunch of interview footage with some names you may see more of the near future. Sami Jarroush spoke with The Stone Foxes, Caveman, Sleeper Agent, The Pass, and Vanaprasta about their experiences playing New York City’s annual extravaganza. Add this video with our CoSigned feature, and we’ve got your CMJ needs covered. -JM

Cluster 1 Hangout: Tristen and the Ringers

Recently, Tristen and the Ringers stopped by our Chicago studio to grace us with their presence and an intimate chat. The band performed their original track “Doomsday”, and then our own Nick Freed took them out for drinks at Black Rock Tavern. Over a couple of beers, Freed chats with the Nashville rockers about their recent mini tour (“It’s a weekender”), their experience at Ottawa Blues Festival (their stage collapsed after they left it), and their next LP. Be sure to hang out with Tristen and hear their stellar performance in the studio, only here on Cluster 1. -TM

Cut Copy Interview

Success is a finicky thing these days. Some find it on the internet, but others uncover it by touring constantly and working their way up the festival bill. Cut Copy has done the latter very well. Recently, Cluster 1 caught up with the Australian export in San Francisco and discussed the bonds of touring, the bands they’ve enjoyed this year, and the coffee that awaits them back home. It’s a wonderful thing to see the world, just ask these guys. -TM

Man Man – “Piranhas Club”

We are all pretty impressionable as children. We see something, we like it, and, naturally, we want to be it (in my case, it was Marty McFly). What Man Man has done visually with their video for ‘Piranhas Club” is absolutely astounding. One child goes from being John Travolta in Grease to Kiefer Sutherland in Stand By Me. It’s a real wild one. -TM

Sidewalk Hustle Presents the Drums in Toronto

Like us, Sidewalk Hustle is a music blog that gets the perks of meeting some of today’s coolest and most interesting bands. In Toronto, the bloggers hustled over to catch The Drums and chat with them on a few topics, namely what tracks they enjoy performing live, the responsibility of touring, and their latest LP, Portamento. -TM

Thomas Negovan – “Welcome to My Nightmare”

Thomas Negovan couldn’t have picked a better week to drop his video for this Alice Cooper Halloween cover. Extremely unsettling from beginning to end, “Welcome to My Nightmare” tells the story of a disciplined serial killer, completely at peace with what he does. All his actions are meticulous and seemingly emotionless. The violence is never shown on camera either. All we get are splashes of blood on the floor and the quick shadow of a killer claiming another victim. -JM

Wild Flag – “Electric Band”

With the World Series rapidly reaching its conclusion, Wild Flag decided to put together a little baseball game itself. This supergroup wasn’t going to face off with just any competitor though. They throw down with a team of bears. The match between these two groups is intense, coming down to the last out. Who wins the game? Watch and find out! -JM

What: The trailer for Xan Aranda’s upcoming documentary Andrew Bird: Fever Year. For a list of upcoming screenings, visit the film’s website.

The trailer for Xan Aranda’s new documentary Andrew Bird: Fever Year has landed online. In the clip, the Chicago-born multi-instrumentalist compares his artistic development over the year to that of an animal hibernating. Viewers also get a look at his home recording studio and other, more intimate behind-the-scenes footage. Check it out below (via IndieWIRE).

At the New York Film Festival, Aranda said that Bird, who owns the film, has no plans to release it commercially (so, enjoy the trailer, non-festival goers). For a list of upcoming screenings at film festivals, head here. Bird will also be bringing his sonic arboretum installation to Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art in December.

Of all the towns devastated by the recent economic downturn, Braddock, PA is an especially interesting case. The home to Andrew Carnegie’s first steel mill and an early, thriving destination for new immigrants, the Rustbelt city is now a harrowing example of the abysmal state of the country as a whole. Some 90% its residents left town when the economy began to tumble, turning the city into a veritable ghost town. Now, to aid the struggling populace, Levi has launched a number of community-based projects to reinvigorate the area.

The latest of those events, a series of charity concerts called “Benefit Braddock”, take places from November 10th to the 12th. The first day features performances from Andrew Bird and Kurt Vile and the Violators. The following day, Built to Spill will perform alongside opening act Atlas Sound. The final day of the benefit sees performances from The Hold Steady and Titus Andronicus. Each show begins promptly at 8 p.m. at the Braddock Carnegie Library.

Tickets for each day are $25; head here to grab yours. Proceeds from the show will support rebuilding efforts of the town tripled by a contribution from Levi’s.

The real surprise here is Bird’s original, non-diegetic compositions. He has created a background score that manages to tell quite a story, one of hope in the face of desolation, without even needing to see the movie. Bird follows a general formula of minimalist background sounds underneath deeply moody and passionate violin melodies. The former paint a cold, grey picture, while the latter breathe life and personality into the otherwise dour soundscapes.

Opening track “Scotch and Milk” captures this aesthetic perfectly. Oscillating chords of indiscriminate instrumental origin soon give way to a pulsating and nervous violin pizzicato, on top of which Bird layers lines of poppy violin melodies and driving tremolo strings. Other bits suggest darker scenes, like the eerie harmonics and dissonances of “Cancerboy Strikes Again/Monsterstream”. Luckily for Norman, his life isn’t just pain and suffering: He probably gets some action to the accompaniment of “The Kiss”, with finger-picked acoustic guitar and sweet, wordless vocalizations. Although they make for a staggeringly good movie score, these tracks probably won’t end up on your iPod; however, the five actual songs on this soundtrack are keepers.

Essential Tracks: “Night Sky”, “Scotch and Milk”, and “You Are a Runner and I Am My Father’s Son”