Vivian Girls have a severe case of retro fever. As if their sound, referencing early punk as much as it does girl group music, wasn’t indicative enough, the ladies’ condition has gotten worse: they’ve gone and made their own “choose your adventure game”. Scroll below to continue the story; click the X above to exit.

Harking back to the Choose Your Own Adventure books of yore, The Vivian Girls Text Based Adventure Fun Time Game was created by bassist Katy Goodman to practice the programming language Ruby. In the game, the reader will take on the role of tour manager for the band, charged with the crucial task of being an under-appreciated gopher. Failure to keep the show afloat will result in a game over and harsh messages like, “Get the fuck out of here. We hate you.” Download the game here; instructions are for Mac OSX, so PC users will just have to keep playing pretend with their homemade Vivian Girls Barbies.

In other news, Goodman’s side-project La Sera returns with its sophomore LP, See the Light, on March 27th via Hardly Art. Below, you can watch her new video for “Please Be My Third Eye”.

The Babies — the atmospheric, bedroom-folk side-project of Vivian Girls frontwoman Cassie Ramone, Woods bassist Kevin Morby, and Bossy drummer Justin Sullivan — follow up last February’s self-titled full length with a new 12-inch entitled Cry Along With the Babies. “Trouble” is the release’s first single, and you can stream it below.

Cry Along With the Babies is out January 10th via New Images, according to label founder Matt Mondanile (of Real Estate and Ducktails fame.)

Premieres:

The Nocturnes – “The Road” - Soft and peaceful music plays as double-exposed images give off a kaleidoscope effect that will make your eyes water.

Series:

No Cover Episode 10 – “The Gang’s All Here” - It seems everything is falling into place for Randy and Marshall’s band….that is until David comes by with some shocking news.

f e e d b a c k: Episode 11 – “Cults” – Our new partnership with Side B! This video takes a look at Cults, and how the Manhattan duo have risen to success over the past year, despite the lack of promotion and information.

Microwaving with Ben – “S’Mores” - Ben’s back in the kitchen showing us how to microwave our favorite campfire treats.

Music Videos:

The Drums – “Money” – Brooklyn never seemed so…controversial.

Vivian Girls – “Take it as it Comes” - The girls sing the song while chatting on the phone with one another like teenagers from 1986.

Foster the People – “Helena Beat” - In a post-apocalyptic world, gangs rule society, only this time the ruling gang is made up of children.

Slow Club – “Two Cousins” - Tap-dancing in slow-motion looks much easier than ordinary tap-dancing.

Animation:

Overtime – Several (what appears to be) Kermit the Frog type puppets play music and eat dinner together. It wouldn’t be so creepy if their eyes were not blank.

Don’t Forget…

– Want a constant stream of musical goodness? Check out our Channel, featuring over 30 music videos, several short films, and other nifty clips, all crammed together in one non-stop barrage of visual and aural stimulation.

- Social networking is a way of life, so follow us at @cluster1tv and on Facebook

“The Other Girls” opens the record, perhaps slyly acknowledging the trend of female-fronted fuzz-rock bands that sprang up around them, or more likely primarily establishing themselves as different from the conceptual “girl” as identity. “I don’t want to lie like the other girls/don’t want to try, try, try like the other girls,” Cassie Ramone sings over a languishing, down-tempo rhythm. The last few minutes of the song, though still slow, crackle with life after that non-descript start. The vocal line turns into a group-sung “la la” sort of melody, while guitar solos flow like sharp waves. “Heard You Say” follows and the intensity again seems to lack, but the sly, Mamas and the Papas style chord-changing, multi-part harmonies on the chorus more than make up for that.

“Dance (If You Wanna)” is the first song that sounds like it could have come from the debut, relying on ultra-repetitive lyrics and simple, kicking drum patterns. “Lake House”, which is an older track, played live for a couple of years, also features a driving rhythm thanks to drummer Fiona Campbell dashing forward. “Trying to Pretend” relies on Campbell even more heavily with rapid snare rolls finding their match in thudding tom licks; as it unfolds, the song rings out like a marching anthem. Ramone and co-vocalist “Kickball” Katy Goodman slink through “Sixteen Ways”, a ramshackle, lightning bolt guitar solo piercing through layers of wailing vocals.

The Kim Gordon in “My Friend Goo”/Shangri-La’s “Leader of the Pack” drawl in the middle of “Take It As It Comes” reads like it came out of a textbook, while the soaring hooks of “Vanishing of Time” lopes by on Goodman’s lithe bass playing and Ramone’s deft guitar picking. “Death”, another previously released track, takes another turn at a narrative, spoken word intro, this time discussing a sweet lust for life, with the wordless backing harmonies unexpected and brilliantly cooing. Closing things out, “Light in Your Eyes” also tops six minutes, again relying on a long-form solo section to invest a sense of urgency in the tune. The almost Doors-y extended instrumental section even has an organ part, and some of the longest-held vocal “oh”s I’ve heard in a while.

While the addition of jammy solo sections definitely is an intriguing step, Share the Joy comes across like another Vivian Girls record, which has its positives, but also means they’re not changing a whole lot or molding much new material. Fans will find more solid tracks, but this probably won’t convince anyone who thought they were just one of those female-fronted rock bands, and nothing more.

If the first taste from the Black Lips‘ upcoming album Arabia Mountain hit the right spot for you, then you’ll be equally pleased to learn that the other 15 tracks aren’t far off. Via RollingStone.com, the follow-up to 2009′s 200 Million Thousand will be available June 7th through Vice Records. Recorded at Brooklyn, NY’s MetroSonic, the album features the production work of Mark Ronson and Deerhunter guitarist Lockett Pundt, marking the first time the band used outside producers.

In support of the release, Black Lips have mapped out a whole slew of tour dates, including two legs in the U.S. Find out when and where below:

Arabia Mountain Tracklist:
01. Family Tree
02. Modern Art
03. Spidey’s Curse
04. Mad Dog
05. Mr. Driver
06. Bicentennial Man
07. Go Out And Get It
08. Raw Meat
09. Bone Marrow
10. The Lie
11. Time
12. Dumpster Dive
13. New Direction
14. Nock-A-Homa
15. Don’t Mess Up My Baby
16. You Keep On Running

Black Lips 2011 Tour Dates:
04/06 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle #
04/07 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar #
04/08 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat #
04/09 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero #
04/12 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall #
04/13 – Pawtucket, RI @ The Met #
04/14 – Boston, MA @ Paradise #
04/15 – Montreal, QC @ Le National #
04/16 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix #
04/17 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick #
04/19 – Columbus, OH @ Outland Live #
04/20 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House #
04/21 – St. Louis, MO @ The Firebird #
04/22 – Chicago, IL @ Logan Square Auditorium #
04/23 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater #
04/25 – Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room #
04/27 – Dallas, TX @ The Loft #
04/28 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s #
04/29 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s #
04/30 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon #
05/06 – Barcelona, ES @ Bikini
05/07 – Santiago de Compostela, ES @ Sala Capitol
05/08 – Madrid, ES @ Sala Heineken
05/09 – Montpelier, FR @ Rockstore
05/11 – Strasbourg, FR @ La Laterie
05/12 – Hamburg, DE @ Grunspan
05/13 – Berlin, DE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg
05/14 – Munich, DE @ Garage Fest
05/16 – Amsterdam, NL @ Trouw Amsterdam
05/17 – Paris, FR @ 104
05/18 – Brussels, BE @ Les Nuits Botanique
05/19 – London, UK @ The Garage
05/20 – Liverpool, IK @ Sound City Festival
05/21 – Cheshire, UK @ Friends of Mine Festival
05/22 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
05/24 – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
05/25 – Dublin, IE @ The Button Factory
05/26 – Cork, IE @ Cypress Avenue
05/27 – Galway, IE @ Roisin Dubh
05/31 – Zurich, C @ Exil
06/01 – Vevey, CH @ Rocking Chair
06/11 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall *
06/12 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall *
06/14 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom *
06/15 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom *
06/16 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos *
06/17 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory *
06/18 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge *
06/19 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater *
06/21 – Tucson, AZ @ Plush *
06/22 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room *
06/23 – Costa Mesa, CA @ The Detroit Bar *
06/24 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Music Box *
06/25 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House *

# = w/ Vivian Girls
* = w/ Cerebal Ballzy

Opener “Beating Heart” reveals a heavy nostalgia for 50’s surf rock and Phil Spector girl groups. In contrast to the cacophonous shitgaze of Vivian Girls, La Sera’s self-titled debut features less lo-fi production and barely a trace of fuzz in the sugary, choral vocals and otherworldly melodies. Although Katy Goodman might play the stab-happy butcher in the (violently NSFW) video for La Sera’s first single, “Never Come Around”, her ghostly voice produces more of a pleasant haunting, rather than a horrific one.

Songs such as “Sleeptalking” and “Left This World” showcase how La Sera’s warm, brightly layered vocals reach out not for the stars, but for the sun. In fact, La Sera is generally more upbeat than your average dream pop, even on songs such as the eerie “Hold” and the deceptively titled “You’re Going to Cry”. Songs of love and death rarely sound so sunny, and it suits La Sera well.

A pedal steel guitar brings a touch of twang into the dreamy haze of “Devils Hearts Grow Gold”.  As Goodman coos and faintly sighs lines such as “and you’re not gonna sleep till you find your soul”, this second single stands out as an album highlight. On “Dove into Love”, the gentle lull of Goodman’s ethereal stylings prove especially hypnotic.

None of La Sera’s twelve tracks go past the three-minute mark, with closer “Lift Off” lasting a blink-and-miss-it 66 seconds. Clocking in at just 26 and a half minutes, it’s a short and sweet album. The modest length of La Sera works to its advantage, because, as irresistible as the pop melodies are, it’s not the most varied of albums. When it comes to 60’s pop throwbacks, we have indeed “Been Here Before”, particularly in the past couple years. Nevertheless, La Sera is still a solid collection of lush dream pop that is a trip down memory lane worth taking.

The Babies begins with “Run Me Over”, a playful guitar ditty that develops into a wall of distortion, groovy basslines, pounding percussion, and tambourine. The whole package takes you on a ride–alongside lofty background vocals wailing, a grungy guitar solo, and tag-teamed vocals nearly shouting “Why you gotta run me over?/Why you gotta run me down?/Took me apart, put me back together/And didn’t like what you found,” vividly painting pictures of lovers and summers past.

The majority of the album follows this formula – songs less than three minutes long, featuring a danceable guitar melody that builds to a distorted cacophony of somewhat atonal vocals, loud percussion, and groovy basslines. The other vocalist takes the reigns for a verse or two, then the song’s over. This approach fails to be monotonous or tiring, though. Instead, The Babies is non-stop fun, refreshing in its straightforward approach and uncompromising energy. Exemplifying this format is “Meet Me in the City”, a favorite from their previously released EP, which perhaps shows The Babies at their best. Playing like a potential future Best Coast/Wavves collaboration, Morby takes the vocal lead with Ramone on lofty, reverberated back-ups. The surfy melody and simple chorus are irresistible, sure to get a crowd shouting and dancing.

Although they are masters at the art, The Babies smartly avoid the trap of solely making danceable tracks that sacrifice depth. Stepping outside of their formulaic approach (which characterizes a lot of their songs) are back-to-back tracks “Wild 1″ and “Wild 2″. In the former, Ramone croons over sour chords, lamenting a dysfunctional relationship. Although her voice won’t appeal to everyone, the sincerity and emotion in her delivery are not debatable, especially with the plea, “Don’t hurt me, and I won’t hurt you / What are we gonna do?”. The crescendo of descending scales in the breakdown demonstrates a previously unseen precision. “Wild 2″ is Morby’s response, a reconciliation. The beginning plays like an apology (“Tried to miss you but only misplaced you”), and grows into a triumphant declaration of hope for the future (“Hey, kid – It’s only love”). The two tracks perfectly complement each other, just as Ramone and Morby do throughout the duration of the album.

It’s hard to accept The Babies as merely a side project. Although they are briefly touring the West Coast in support of this album, Cassie Ramone is still primarily a Vivian Girl, and Kevin Morby is still principally a member of Woods. Alas, until the next time the two have a free summer in New York together, this 11-track collection of unbridled energy and fun will just have to do.

I guess things could be worse.

Between Wavves and Best Coast, Twin Shadow and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Trail of Dead and Surfer Blood, there’s already quit a few 2-for-1 deals this Spring. Here’s another: the ferocious Black Lips and indie-pop trio Vivian Girls have mapped out a joint trek for this April. Following a one-off with Surfer Blood in Miami and a trip on the Bruise Cruise in February, the two outfits will hit the road starting April 6th in Carrboro, North Carolina. Stops along the east coast and Canada follow before the bus makes its way out west and ultimate down into Texas. Find all confirmed dates below.

Along with the tour, Back Lips are also gearing up for their next studio album. The outfit recently hit the studio with acclaimed producer Mark Ronson and you can watch some in-studio footage here.

Black Lips/Vivian Girls 2011 Tour Dates:
02/24 – Miami, FL @ Grand Centreal *#
02/25-28 – Miami, FL @ Bruise Cruise
04/06 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
04/07 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
04/08 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
04/09 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
04/12 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
04/13 – Pawtucket, RI @ The Met
04/14 – Boston, MA @ Paradise
04/15 – Montreal, QC @ Le National
04/16 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix
04/17 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
04/19 – Columbus, OH @ Outland Live
04/20 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House
04/21 – St. Louis, MO @ The Firebird
04/22 – Chicago, IL @ Logan Square Auditorium
04/23 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
04/25 – Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room
04/27 – Dallas, TX @ The Loft
04/28 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s
04/29 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
04/30 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon

* = w/ Surfer Blood
# = w/ Thee Oh Sees

Besides seeming to always be on tour, the indie-punks all have their hands in enough other projects to start their own label, but more on their label situation in a minute. Extra-Vivian activities, in fact, claimed a casualty in drummer Ali Koehler, who now claims Best Coast as her sole gig. But still, with lead singer Cassie Ramone playing with The Babies and releasing an album in November (not to mention a solo record called Zenith in early 2011) and Kickball Katy working on side-project All Saint’s Day and new solo project La Sera, which will also have a release in early 2011, the ladies understand the importance of now and are taking advantage of all the potentially temporary opportunities the spotlight can offer.

And thus, with so many side-projects in active stages, it’s mystifying that the Vivian Girls found time to write and begin recording their third effort, titled Share The Joy, which is now scheduled to see a release in Spring 2011 on their brand-new home, Polyvinyl. This puts them in the company of Japandroids (potentially awesome tour alert!) and of Montreal (potentially awkward tour alert!) and will probably cause a change in the amount of support they receive for Share The Joy’s release, one of the benefits of being on a major indie. As for the drummer situation, well, they even found time to solve that problem and now have one in Fiona Campbell (via Pitchfork).

As stated, recording is not even finished yet, but the band members are all on the side-project kick until the end of the year. I know it seems like a long time, but you’ll be bouncing around or creepily staring at a Vivian Girls show in no time.

First is the Vivian Girls’ take on Bowie’s 1972 single, “John, I’m Only Dancing”, which finds the ladies generally staying true to the song’s rockabilly-ish vibe, yet managing to put their own little lo-fi glaze on the two-minute track. The single, deemed too “risqué” by RCA, never hit the airwaves in the United States; however, Cassie Ramone makes good use of her femininity and turns the lyrics – which find the narrator reassuring a lover that “he’s only dancing” with a girl – into something a little less controversial. While the song isn’t a Lady Gaga collaboration, we’re glad that Brooklyn’s coolest girl band got the nod on this one.

Moving on to a more politically correct topic, we also snagged the video for Corridor’s version of “Be My Wife”, originally found on one of Bowie’s most avant-garde albums –  1977’s Low. The Adam Harding directed clip finds Corridor – aka Michael Quinn – taking the song and adding a string quartet and some sweet electronic flourishes. While it hurts to say this, we think the updated version might just trump Bowie’s. Check it (along with the Vivian Girls’ contribution) out for yourself below, and let us know what you think.

Check Out:
“John, I’m Only Dancing

They are called All Saints Day and they made their first track, “It’ll Come Around” available for free download below (via GvsB). At this point, that’s all we know, but we’ll surely update you once more information becomes available.

Check Out:
“It’ll Come Around”

For one, ATP New York has handed over the reigns to Jim Jarmusch, the legendary indie filmmaker whose resume results in a rather lengthy Wikipedia entry. The 57-year-old Akron, OH native, who has the task of following up 2009 curators, The Flaming Lips, will hand pick the Sunday portion of ATP. So far, that lineup includes Raekwon, Girls, Fucked Up, Vivian Girls, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Wooden Shjips, and The Black Angels.

In the 48 hours prior Sunday, many others will perform at Kutsher’s Country Club in Monticello, NY. The previously announced Stooges (performing Raw Power), Sleep (performing Holy Mountain), Mudhoney (performing Superfuzz Bigmuff + Early Singles), and The Scientists (performing Blood Red River) will kick things off on Friday. Then, on Saturday, the likes of Sonic Youth, Explosions in the Sky, Fuck Buttons, The Breeders, The Books, Papa M, and Apse will entertain the lucky masses.

Many more artists are still to be announced. Plus, all three days will also feature DJs and movies!

Festival tickets are priced at $250 + booking fee for the weekend. Friday day tickets are priced at $110 + booking fee. Saturday day tickets are priced at $120 + booking fee. Sunday day tickets will be available in March. May we direct your attention to atpfestival.com for more ticket purchasing and more information. You better hurry, however. Total capacity is limited to 3,000 after all!

Check out the rather sick comic book style flier below. Now that’s how you promote a fest!

The setting for the event changed twice in the days leading up, beginning as a joint house party, then a gallery show, and finally being staged at the yet-to-open venue The Strange. This was the first show at the space and minus a few quirks (would’ve liked a security guy somewhere near the No Age pit; the lights liked to turn off for minutes at a time), the room looks to be a welcome new spot to watch music in L.A. The line-up was equally strong, headed by L.A. residents No Age, Best Coast, Darker My Love, Abe Vigoda, and Graham Forest. To top things off, the day would be headlined by honorary Angelinos Vivian Girls (I know they are tied to their New York scene, but we appreciate the love they show over here, playing four shows in about 48 hours). Free punk buttons, feathers, and face painting were to be had. Vegan food was readily available. And, though no deal sweetener was needed, over-21 attendees received free Colt 45 malt liquor. Not just one. All you can drink Colt 45s (granted a tip jar for charity donations was utilized) until they ran out, which ended up being somewhere near Best Coast’s set in the early evening.

Thus, like any Super Bowl party, what began as a laid back affair full of lively discussion evolved into chaos. Damn fun chaos. And the perfect storm of charitable self-satisfaction, Super Bowl tradition, and malt liquor peaked at about 5pm when No Age took the stage. It was clearly the largest the crowd had been all day, but I wasn’t prepared for the eruption that took place when they kicked into their first song. I probably go to too many shows involving mandolins and/or xylophones these days, because I had forgotten how kids like to hurt each other. Within a couple songs, half the stage was occupied by the crowd, who just needed a place to flee the drunken slam dancing (note: it probably would’ve gone smoother if not for the kid in the leather jacket who couldn’t stand on his own and would take out five or six people with his stage-dives/collapsing). And it wasn’t like No Age were pumping out the hits. Save for “Teen Creeps” about half-way though their 25 minute set (I seriously felt like a mom worried someone was going to get hurt at the moment that intro kicked in), No Age stuck primarily to new material. You want the scoop on what the new No Age stuff sounds like. It sounds like No Age and makes kids want to hurt each other, so it rules.

The revved-up concert goers weren’t the only ones who got in the party spirit. The artists mingled throughout the day, with Vivian Girl bass player Kickball Katy getting the spirit award for watching nearly every band’s set. The festivities managed to creep into the performance quality, but in that charming well-I-only paid-ten-bucks-to-come-here kind of way. Cassie Ramone of Vivian Girls announced mid-set that they were “fucked up”, but the girls still managed to put on a fun, energetic, and crowd-pleasing closing set. They had the longest performance of the night at a mere 30 minutes, but managed to cover the bases of favorites (“Tell The World”, “Wild Eyes”), non-full-album-tracks (“Lake House”, “Second Date”), and a capella covers (The Chantel’s “He’s Gone”). Before them, Best Coast (also openers and drummer sharers of the Vivian Girls for a current tour) showed that the excesses of an all day party can affect the quality of your performance. Singer Bethany Cosentino was drunk enough to come across as a hot Courtney Love, but despite her sloppy play, was charming enough to pull it off. She got the biggest laughs of the evening with her uncensored banter and lighting complaints, and it is undeniable that the songs were good. “That’s The Way Boys Are” and set-opener “When I’m With You” came across in a similar way that the band Girls does, where they seem like innocuous pop songs with classic Americana imagery, yet you can’t help but feeling there is something dangerous lurking beneath the surface. Their debut full-length should be out this year, so we’ll see if the hype and promise are made good on.

The undercard offered a steady mix of solid performances throughout the day. But though quite different in sounds and influences, bands like No Age, Vivian Girls, Best Coast, Abe Vigoda, and NODZZZ (one of the afternoon’s most surprising and fun sets) can all be lumped in this noise pop category that blankets lo-fi and beyond. The two coolest sets came from bands that seemed out of place on the bill, except that like the aforementioned fuzz rockers, they are awesome. Darker My Love looks nothing like you would expect from an L.A. band, most notably lead singer Tim Presley’s cocked Dodger cap. But, they have been successful on the scene out here and bring classic rock and psychedelic influenced sound to the punk passion that links the entire bill. Likewise, singer Graham Forest and his band could inspire comparisons to Bill Callahan or The Mountain Goats, but in playing directly after No Age, he made singer-songwriter numbers seem like the punkest thing in the world. Forest passed the big singer-songwriter test in that his songs were well written and he could sing them well (although, he did sound a little like Billy Joe Armstrong at times). But, I think the greatest compliment I could give him is that his set made me want to see him without the band. Sure, they made him louder, but his songs are strong on their own and didn’t need the extra musicians, except only to keep the day as lively as possible.

And lively it was. From the bands to the crowd to the venue staff to the merchandise and drink crews, everyone seemed to want to remember that we were gathered for a serious issue by forgetting about it. All present are part of a culture that that usually spends Super Bowl Sunday more bored than not, but that doesn’t mean they need the slightest excuse to drink too much, scream and have a great time, like the rest of the country.

Vivian Girls Setlist:
All The Time
Wild Eyes
Walking Alone At Night
I Have No Fun
Can’t Get Over You
He’s Gone (A Capella)
Lake House
Moped Girls
You’re My Guy
Never See Me
Second Date
Tell The World

——

As Pitchfork notes, the band’s latest single is called “My Love Will Follow Me” and will be released on vinyl (on the girls’ Wild World imprint) and digitally on February 16th. And if you’re dying for some truly interesting a capella music, the band covers the Chantels’ “He’s Gone” as a back-up to their newest single. But if you can’t wait, you can stream it at their MySpace now.

Moving on, the tour’s already raging as we speak. The ladies will be in England until a homecoming show in Brooklyn on January 29th. They’ll then tour throughout February and March (including a stint at SXSW) before wrapping up the tour on March 27th in Baltimore, MD.

“My Love Will Follow Me” is available on February 16th.

Vivian Girls 2010 Tour Dates:
01/18 – Liverpool, UK @ Korova !
01/20 – Glasgow, UK @ Captain’s Rest
01/21 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny
01/22 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
01/23 – Norwich, UK @ Arts Centre
01/24 – Southampton, UK @ Joiners Arms
01/25 – London, UK @ Upset the Rhythm %
01/26 – London, UK @ Hoxton Bar and Grill !
01/29 – Brooklyn, NY @ BAM Howard Gilman Opera House #
02/04 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah ^
02/05 – Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar ^
02/06 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Smell ^
02/08 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Crepe Place ^
02/09 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill ^
02/11 – Portland, OR @ Holocene ^
02/12 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Biltmore ^
02/13 – Seattle, WA @ High Dive ^
03/08 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott %
03/09 – Montreal, Quebec @ La Sala Rossa %
03/10 – Toronto, Ontario @ Wrongbar %
03/11 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick %
03/12 – Chicago, IL @ Subterranean %
03/13 – Grinnell, IA @ Gardner Lounge / Grinnell College %
03/14 – Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Music Hall %
03/15 – Norman, OK @ Opolis %
03/16 – Dallas, TX @ Lounge on Elm Street %
03/17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/18 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/19 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/20 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/22 – Houston, TX @ The Mink $
03/23 – New Orleans, LA @ Circle Bar $
03/24 – Oxford, MS @ Red Star Bar $
03/25 – Atlanta, GA @ 529 $
03/26 – Durham, NC @ Duke Coffeehouse $
03/27 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar $

! = w/ Veronica Falls
* = w/ Yellow Fever
^ = w/ Best Coast
# = w/ Less Savy Fav
% = w/ Male Bonding
$ = w/ Wetdog, Happy Birthday

But it’s this new Bowie tribute album that has most caught our attention. After all, as TwentyFourBit has discovered, Manimal Vinyl‘s forthcoming tribute sports quite the list of contributors. Quite, as in everyone from MGMT, Vivian Girls, A Place to Bury Strangers, and Chairlift to Devendart Banhart’s Megapuss, ex-Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante (playing w/ Swahili Blonde), Duran Duran, and Carla Bruni, aka the wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Also lending their talents are Soulwax, We Are The World, Rainbow Arabia, Warpaint, The Polyamorous Affair, and 1/2 of the Benevento Russo Duo, Marco Benevento.

Yeah, you’re probably never going to see a tracklist like this again.

The yet-to-be-titled affair is expected to be released in May, and, according to Manimal Vinyl, tracks “will start leaking around February 15th.” Of course, the the whole thing is for charity, with 100% of the net profits going to War Child UK — a branch of an international charity for children affected by war.

Check out the 28-song tracklist below. Now ends the most enjoyable news story I have written in sometime.

Tracklist:
01. Exitmusic – “Space Oddity”
02. Vivian Girls – “John, I’m Only Dancing”
03. Megapuss (Devendra Banhart) – “Sound + Vision” (en espanol)
04. Carla Bruni – “Absolute Beginners”
05. Lights – “World Falls Down”
06. VOICEsVOICEs – “Heroes”
07. Duran Duran – “Boys Keep Swinging”
08. MGMT – TBA
09. Charlift – “Always Crashing in the Same Car”
10. Aska w/ Moon & Moon – “African Night Flight”
11. A Place to Bury Strangers – “Suffragette City”
12. The Polyamorous Affair – “Theme From Cat People”
13. Keren Ann – “Life on Mars”
14. Swahili Blonde (feat. John Frusciante) – “Red Money”
15. Marco Benevento – “Art Decade”
16. Corridor – “Be My Wife”
17. Aquaserge – “The Superman”
18. Warpaint – “Ashes to Ashes”
19. Rainbow Arabia – “Quicksand”
20. We Are The World – “Afraid of Americans”
21. Laco$te – “Within You”
22. Ariana Delawari – “Ziggy Stardust”
23. Pizza! – “Modern Love”
24. St Clair Board – “Secret Life of Arabia”
25. Caroline Weeks – “Starman”
26. Amanda Jo Williams – “The Man Who Sold the World”
27. Mick Karn – “Ashes to Ashes”
28. Soulwax – TBA

In the weeks ahead, World Wide will oversee the release of Austin based Yellow Fever’s debut self-titled full-length (on December 1st to be exact), which is described as a compilation of three EPs to date, as well as a posthumous LP of Vivian Girls’ Cassie Ramone’s other, now-defunct band, Bossy. What’s more, the label will also shell out the debut single from newly formed indie supergroup known as The Babies in the near future as well.

Pre-orders for the Yellow Fever and Bossy LPs are now open on the label’s website. When not releasing records, Vivian Girls also still have a few upcoming tour dates to tend to. As does Yellow Fever. In fact, they have one date together, in Brooklyn on December 12th. Get all the dates below.

Vivian Girls 2009 Tour Dates:
12/03 – Miami, FL @ The Ice Palace
12/04 – Mexico City, MX @ Pasaguero
12/05 – Monterrey, MX @ TBD
12/11 – Haverford, PA @ Haverford College
12/12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Death By Audio *

* = w/ Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever 2009 Tour Dates:
11/09 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Smell
11/10 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
11/11 – Tempe, AZ @ Bike Coop
11/12 – El Paso, TX @ Tequila Garage
11/13 – Lubbock, TX @ TBA
11/14 – Denton, TX @ Hailey’s
12/12 – Brookyln, NY @ Death By Audio *

* = w/ Vivian Girls

After just two minutes in, by the time “I Have No Fun” starts, I feel like seconding the song title’s statement. By the time of “Survival” I feel like writing something about dying if I hear another noisy guitar jangle burst. By the time of “The End” I hope that this is the end of the album, but fear that it instead is the end of my (sane) life. By the time of “I’m Not Asleep” I mutter something like “Yeah, but I wish either I or you were”. Do I need to write my last exclamation of stereotypical, “witty” critic cynicism by the time of the last track “Before I Start Crying”?

Oh, the Lord knows I wanted to condemn the Vivian Girls for slothfulness in their lack of ambition and artistic progression and gluttony as they wallow in guitar fuzz – just as if the first album had never happened. Upon first listen of this follow-up to 2008′s well received, self-titled debut I feel betrayed and fooled for seeing some sort of potential in this alluring trio. Oh, Lord, that girly-punk charm sure was seductive and tasted good, too.

Not only do they dare release the same album twice, something I would only expect from (or suspect of) The Pigeon Detectives. They also have the guts to give their listeners the finger by removing most of the (dis)harmonies, sweet melodies and somewhat-easy-to-catch hooks that the debut offered on a silver plate. (“Up yours, praisers, applauders and fans”!)

Disgruntled over this initial listen, I still decide to carry this burden like a cross. I’m the critic Jesus, I have a task and I will listen to this sinful abomination of a The Jesus And Mary Chain heir until I can give it a fair review. So I boomed noise pop in the car to the dismay of my co-riding sister, I blasted lo-fi indie rock through the speakers of my computer to the raised eyebrow of my friend and…

… from the depth of my depreciation of this record grew a subtle fondness of the stubborness, uncompromising conviction in their own style and the unpretentious faith that the girls have. Why, if not, I’ve come to realize that the Vivian Girls have actually pulled off a very, very decent noise pop/lo-fi indie rock album. The more lighthearted moments are relatively few this time around. Instead through the hissing filter that hundreds of shoegazing bands have passed through before them, the band unfolds a melancholy that at times outshines the debut’s more consistent (although there’s not much time to go wrong in a mere 22 minutes, right?) and catchy entirety. This time around, the band confirms, in 36 minutes, the thoughts, hope and desperation that bands of the latest 20 years have expressed and they do it in quite a tasteful way.

So no, everything on Everything does not go wrong. Most things work out fine actually. I take a third look at the tracklist. It’s the second outdoors walk with this album. Indeed, it is a reference to the album opener “Walking Alone At Night”. As I walk there once again with guitars grinding my ear towards nearly imperceptible melodic hooks and subtle harmonies I realize that I’m smiling of sheer, childish joy over three Brooklyn girls churning out dirty songs with pure hearts.

Check Out:
“When I’m Gone”

Buy:
Everything Goes Wrong

See:
On Tour Now!

The Spinto Band 2009 Tour Dates:

In support of its new EP (preview right now), The Spinto Band has mapped out a two-week North American endeavor for later this year. The run, which follows a couple one-offs in Pennsylvania in September, kicks off on October 21st in Philadelphia and see the Delaware outfit travel across the East Coast and Midwest. Following the dates, the band will return to the studio to begin work on the followup to 2008′s Moonwink. Tickets to select dates are available via Ticketmaster.com.

09/16 – Philadelphia, PA @ Adrienne Theatre
09/19 – West Chester, PA @ Myrick Conservation Centre
10/21 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas
10/22 – Cambridge, MA @ TT The Bears
10/24 – Washington, DC @ Rock n Roll Hotel
10/25 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
10/27 – Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle Tavern
10/28 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
11/02 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement
11/03 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
11/04 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas
11/05 – Urbana, IL @ Illini Union Courtyard Cafe
11/06 – Pontiac, MI @ The Pike Room
11/07 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artworks

Vivian Girls 2009 Tour Dates:

With their new album, Everything Goes Wrong, due out in less than two weeks (September 8th to be exact), Vivian Girls have added to the chaos by adding 14 more U.S. dates to the upcoming schedule. Following its currently ongoing U.S. endeavor and a trip to Austria, the band will return to the states beginning October 9th. The new leg will be highlighted by multi night stops in Texas and Florida as well as a Halloween performance in Brooklyn with Crystal Stilts. Tickets to select dates are available via Ticketmaster.com.

08/25 – New York, NY @ Death By Audio *
08/26 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Babary *
08/27 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Andy Warhol Museum *
08/28 – Columbus, OH @ Summit *
08/29 – Champaign, IL @ Cowboy Monkey *
08/30 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *
08/31 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry *
09/01 – Fargo, ID @ The Aquarium *
09/04 – Missoula, MT @ Union Hall *
09/06 – Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot
09/07 – Portland, OR @ Berbati’s Pan *
09/09 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop *
09/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo *
09/18 – Kyoto, JP @ Metro
09/19 – Nagoya, JP @ KD Japon
09/20 – Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya Seco
09/22 – Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya o-nest
09/25 – Sydney, AU @ Spectrum
09/26 – Melbourne, AU @ Roxanne Parlour
09/27 – Hobart, AU @ Brisbane Hotel
09/30 – Melbourne, AU @ Northcote Social Club
10/01 – Adelaide, AU @ Metro Hotel
10/02 – Brisbane, AU @ Step Inn
10/09 – Honolulu, HI @ Loft Gallery and Lounge
10/13 – Phoenix, AZ @ Modified Arts
10/15 – Dallas, TX @ The Cavern
10/16 – Austin, TX @ Red 7
10/17 – Jackson, MS @ Hal and Mal’s
10/18 – Pensacola, FL @ Sluggo’s
10/19 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
10/20 – Tampa, FL @ Czar
10/21 – Lake Worth, FL @ Propaganda
10/27 – Asheville, NC @ The Milestone
10/28 – Charlottesville, VA @ Outback Lodge
10/29 – Washington, DC @ TBA
10/30 – Storrs, CT @ University of Connecticut
10/31 – Brooklyn, NY @ Ridgewood Masonic Temple ^

* = w/ The Beets
^ = Crystal Stilts

Dead Man’s Bones 2009 Tour Dates:

After making its official debut at South by Southwest earlier this year, the Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields musical project known as Dead Man’s Bones will look to introduce itself to the rest of the North American this October. In support of their October 6th self-titled debut, Gosling and Shields have announced their first ever tour. The dates run from October 14th to 30th. Tickets to select dates are available via Ticketmaster.com.

10/14 – Cambridge, MA @ Brattle Theatre
10/15 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
10/16 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
10/17 – Washington, DC @ Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
10/19 – Montreal, QC @ Le National
10/20 – Toronto, ON @ The Music Gallery
10/21 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas (early)
10/21 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas (late)
10/23 – Seattle, WA @ The Triple Door
10/24 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue
10/25 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
10/27 – San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall
10/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent

According to Pitchfork, the project started when Ramone and Morby, who shared an apartment last year, began casually writing songs together. Fast forward a year, and the of duo + Sullivan are ready to record what they came up with. What exactly they have planned however, has yet to be determined. “We have enough songs for a full-length, but we’re not entirely sure how we’re going to release them yet,” Ramone explained to Pitchfork.

A preview of whatever is to come can probably be heard in the below video, which was taken from the band’s recent performance — only their third ever! — at the Woodsist/Captured Tracks Festival in Brooklyn:

While Ramone went on to note that The Babies may hit the road later this year, she warned not to expect too much, “I don’t really foresee it being anything more than a side project for the time being.” After all, her main outfit does have a new album hitting stores in September with a lengthy tour in support of it to follow.

Vivian Girls 2009 Tour Dates:
07/16 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theater
07/19 – Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
07/31 – New York, NY @ Whitney Museum
08/14 – Goteberg, SE @ Way Out West Festival
08/15 – Helsinki, FI @ Flow Festival
08/25 – New York, NY @ Death By Audio *
08/26 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Babary *
08/27 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Andy Warhol Museum *
08/28 – Columbus, OH @ Summit *
08/29 – Champaign, IL @ Cowboy Monkey *
08/30 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *
08/31 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry *
09/01 – Fargo, ID @ The Aquarium *
09/04 – Missoula, MT @ Union Hall *
09/06 – Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot
09/07 – Portland, OR @ TBA *
09/09 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop *
09/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo *
09/18 – Kyoto, JP @ Metro
09/19 – Nagoya, JP @ KD Japon
09/20 – Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya Seco
09/21 – Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya o-nest
09/25 – Sydney, AU @ Spectrum
09/26 – Melbourne, AU @ Roxanne Parlour
09/27 – Hobart, AU @ Brisbane Hotel
09/30 – Melbourne, AU @ Northcote Social Club
10/01 – Adelaide, AU @ Metro Hotel
10/02 – Brisbane, AU @ Step Inn
10/09 – Honolulu, HI @ Loft Gallery and Lounge

* = w/ The Beets

]]> does have a new album hitting stores in September with a lengthy tour in support of it to follow. Vivian Girls 2009 Tour Dates: 07/16 - Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theater 07/19 - Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival 07/31 - New York, NY @ Whitney Museum 08/14 - Goteberg, SE @ Way Out West Festival 08/15 - Helsinki, FI @ Flow Festival 08/25 - New York, NY @ Death By Audio * 08/26 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Babary * 08/27 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Andy Warhol Museum * 08/28 - Columbus, OH @ Summit * 08/29 - Champaign, IL @ Cowboy Monkey * 08/30 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle * 08/31 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry * 09/01 - Fargo, ID @ The Aquarium * 09/04 - Missoula, MT @ Union Hall * 09/06 - Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot 09/07 - Portland, OR @ TBA * 09/09 - San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop * 09/11 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo * 09/18 - Kyoto, JP @ Metro 09/19 - Nagoya, JP @ KD Japon 09/20 - Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya Seco 09/21 - Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya o-nest 09/25 - Sydney, AU @ Spectrum 09/26 - Melbourne, AU @ Roxanne Parlour 09/27 - Hobart, AU @ Brisbane Hotel 09/30 - Melbourne, AU @ Northcote Social Club 10/01 - Adelaide, AU @ Metro Hotel 10/02 - Brisbane, AU @ Step Inn 10/09 - Honolulu, HI @ Loft Gallery and Lounge * = w/ The Beets ]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/07/meet-the-babies/feed/ 0 http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/07/vivian-girls-supports-everything-goes-wrong-with-a-nightmare/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/07/vivian-girls-supports-everything-goes-wrong-with-a-nightmare/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:05:54 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=16965 How does a band support a new album entitled Everything Goes Wrong? With a nightmare of course. Or should I say a “Nightmare of Sound.” In support of their forthcoming sophomore effort, which hits stores on September 18th via In The Red Records, the Vivian Girls will team up with Bluffington favorites fellow New Yorkers The Beets for the “Nightmare of Sound” tour. The 13-date swing, which kicks off August 25th in New York, will see the two outfits make their way off before ultimately capping off the nightmare with an appearance at this year’s Bumbershoot. If only all nightmares were like this…

Vivian Girls 2009 Tour Dates:
07/04 – Brooklyn, NY @ Woodsist/Captured Tracks Festival
07/09 – Mexico City, MX @ El Almacen
07/16 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theater
07/19 – Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
07/31 – New York, NY @ Whitney Museum
08/14 – Goteberg, SE @ Way Out West Festival
08/15 – Helsinki, FI @ Flow Festival
08/25 – New York, NY @ Death By Audio *
08/26 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Babary *
08/27 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Andy Warhol Museum *
08/28 – Columbus, OH @ Summit *
08/29 – Champaign, IL @ Cowboy Monkey *
08/30 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *
08/31 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry *
09/01 – Fargo, ID @ The Aquarium *
09/04 – Missoula, MT @ Union Hall *
09/06 – Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot
09/07 – Portland, OR @ TBA *
09/09 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop *
09/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo *
09/18 – Kyoto, JP @ Metro
09/19 – Nagoya, JP @ KD Japon
09/20 – Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya Seco
09/22 – Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya o-nest
09/25 – Sydney, AU @ Spectrum
09/26 – Melbourne, AU @ Roxanne Parlour
09/27 – Hobart, AU @ Brisbane Hotel
09/30 – Melbourne, AU @ Northcote Social Club
10/01 – Adelaide, AU @ Metro Hotel
10/02 – Brisbane, AU @ Step Inn
10/09 – Honolulu, HI @ Loft Gallery and Lounge

* = w/ The Beets

On September 8th, the Vivian Girls will release what is already probably a pretty anticipated sophomore effort via In The Red Records. Entitled Everything Goes Wrong, the 13 track album is described to be the result of the band taking its time. “Last time, the album was really rushed,” guitarist Cassie Ramone noted to Pitchfork last March. “We were just go, go, go, go. And now we’re taking our time with every step of the process, making sure we’re really happy with everything before we move on.”

In Vivian Girls world this means the bands used six days to complete the album, as opposed to the three it took for last year’s self-titled debut, an action which reportedly will result in a few differences. For one, Entitled Everything Goes Wrong is described as featuring songs both longer and moodier material. It will also certainly be longer. “We recorded 15 songs, but if we put them all on the album, that’ll be an hour’s worth of music, so we’re going to have to cut some of them out,” Ramone goes onto explain. “Our last album was like 22 minutes, so we figure if this album is longer than 44 minutes that’ll just be insane. It would be twice as long.”

The band will support the release with a few dates this summer. Scroll down for all the necessary info.

Everything Goes Wrong Tracklist:
01. Walking Alone at Night
02. I Have No Fun
03. Can’t Get Over You
04. Desert
05. Tension
06. Survival
07. The End
08. When I’m Gone
09. Out for the Sun
10. I’m Not Asleep
11. Double Vision
12. You’re My Guy
13. Before I Start to Cry

Vivian Girls 2009 Tour Dates:
05/29 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
05/31 – Ravenna, IT @ Hana Bi
06/01 – Milan, IT @ La Casa
06/02 – St. Gallen, CH @ Palace
06/03 – Schorndorf, DE @ Manufaktur
06/05 – Vienna, AT @ Arena
06/06 – Berlin, DE @ West Germany
06/08 – Hamburg, DE @ Prinzenbar
06/09 – Cologne, DE @ Tsunami
06/10 – Nimegen, NL @ Merleyn
07/04 – Brooklyn, NY @ Captured Tracks & Woodsist Fest
07/09 – Mexico City, MX @ El Almacen
07/16 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theater
07/19 – Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
07/31 – New York, NY @ Whitney Museum
08/14 – Goteberg, SE @ Way Out West Festival
08/15 – Helsinki, FI @ Flow Festival

Although the young trio recently started receiving praise for their ties to shoegaze and punk, in all honestly, Vivian Girls is nothing to write home about. The feisty record only has 10 tracks, which are almost all under 2 minutes each, and wraps up in a mere 22 minutes! Sounds more like an E.P. already doesn’t it? Well, that’s just the beginning. Vivian Girls is a lo-fi album with inaudible lyrics, shabby sound quality and what seems to be more of an effort for “getting famous” rather than a record holding meaning or substance. That being said, there’s still somewhat of an appreciation for what it is: a record that’s all play and no work, instead of the other way around. And honestly, isn’t that what punk has always been about; letting the world know that anyone can make music?

In fact, once you stop trying to analyze Vivian Girls, the record starts showing its fun side. The sound is “creative” although definitely not original, carrying a vibe at times that’s reminiscent of some old, old songs like “Dance this Mess Around” or “Planet Claire” by The B52’s. Lyrically though, it’s hard to even say. The Vivian Girls were definitely going for a more hypnotic sound this time around; which definitely gets your attention, but at the same time doesn’t share any qualities that specifically stand out either.

Of course, the problem could very well lie in its production. Vivian Girls seems sloppy because all the songs blend together after awhile and often stop too soon, and just when they are getting good. The single “Tell the World” is definitely the album’s more solid track, closely followed by the pretty hum of “Where Do You Run.” However, the majority of the record is summed up by its use of repetitive and frantic cymbal-clashing with washy guitar and whiny vocals. And with luke-warm songs like “Wild Eyes” and “All the Time” spanning the majority of the record’s time, it just gets a little boring.

Vivian Girls is not something for everyone and might not even be worth checking out. After all, the record only works solidly if you’re in the right mood for it, which really isn’t enough sometimes. However, this record is just the beginning of something that could turn out to be really great. We know the Vivian Girls are a new hot band right now, but if they manage to work a little harder in the studio next time around, I think they could really have something here. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Check Out: