Vivian Girls Go Wrong

Vivian Girls' self-titled debut was a cannon blast into the indie scene, the New York trio trio emerging with sassy, garage power packed into two-minute tracks and a 22-minute album. Low-fi and brilliant, the junkyard beats are by bolstered baby-doll harmonies, kick-down bass and tinsel-strewn guitar; the trashy hooks sweetened by the trio's vocals.

Everything Goes Wrong, the sophomore album from Vivian Girls, will be released on September 8, led by the single, "When I'm Gone." A nationwide tour is currently underway.

Everything Goes Wrong
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 on tour
Sat-Aug-29 Champaign, IL Cowboy Monkey +
Sun-Aug-30 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle +
Mon-Aug-31 Minneapolis, MN 7th St Entry +
Tue-Sep-01 Fargo, ND The Aquarium +
Fri-Sep-04 Missoula, MT Union Hall +
Sun-Sep-06 Seattle, WA Bumbershoot Festival
Mon-Sep-07 Portland, OR Berbati's Pan +*
Wed-Sep-09 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop - CD Release Show! +
Fri-Sep-11 Los Angeles, CA The Echo +
Fri-Oct-09 Honolulu, HI Loft Gallery and Lounge
Tue-Oct-13 Phoenix, AZ Modified Arts
Thu-Oct-15 Dallas, TX The Cavern
Fri-Oct-16 Austin, TX Red 7
Sat-Oct-17 Jackson, MS Hal and Mal's
Sun-Oct-18 Pensacola, FL Sluggo's
Mon-Oct-19 Tallahassee, FL Club Downunder
Tue-Oct-20 Tampa, FL Czar
Wed-Oct-21 Lake Worth, FL Propaganda
Tue-Oct-27 Asheville, NC The Milestone
Wed-Oct-28 Charlottesville, VA Outback Lodge
Thu-Oct-29 Washington, DC TBA
Fri-Oct-30 Storrs, CT University of Connecticut
Sat-Oct-31 Brooklyn, NY Ridgewood Masonic Temple

+ = w/ The Beets
* = w/ Eat Skull

Learn:
Vivian Girls Online

Listen:
Track 1 - When I'm Gone

Buy:
In the Red Records

The Pains of being inspired

Photo by Annie Powers

The Pains of Being Poor at Heart have released one of the most talked about debuts of 2009, and it is becoming clear that there is a fertile wellspring of talent in this New York quartet.

A mere seven months since its eponymous debut hit the streets amid critical acclaim, The Pains of Being Poor at Heart have announced the September 22 release for a follow-up EP, Higher than the Stars. With one foot wading in the New Wave of the '80s, another in the fuzzed-out shoegazing of the '90s, and a 21st century mindset, the quartet has a adept situational awareness and a sound that is warmly familiar, nearly to the point of nostalgia, but with a modern metropolitan approach, a soundtrack for city streets.

To preempt the release of Higher than the Stars, the group has unveiled the title track, accompanied by a tour itinerary beginning in early September and leading the band across the U.S. and Canada. Supporting acts include the Depreciation Guild, as well as emerging act Cymbals Eat Guitars.

Higher Than the Stars EP (Slumberland - Fortuna Pop - 2009)
1. Higher Than the Stars 2. 103 3. Falling Over 4. Twins 5. Higher Than the Stars (Saint Etienne Visits Lord Spank Mix) - CDEP version only

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart on tour:
Sep 05 2009 Middle East Downstairs, Boston, Massachusetts &+
Sep 06 2009 La Sala Rossa Montreal, Quebec &+
Sep 07 2009 Horeshoe Tavern Toronto, Ontario &+
Sep 08 2009 Logan Square Auditorium Chicago, Illinois &+
Sep 09 2009 Stage Door at the Orpheum Madison, Wisconsin &+
Sep 10 2009 The Slowdown Omaha, Nebraska &+
Sep 12 2009 Monolith Festival Morrison, Colorado
Sep 13 2009 Kilby Court Salt Lake City, Utah &+
Sep 14 2009 Neurolux Boise, Idaho &+
Sep 15 Neumo's Seattle, Washington &+
Sep 17 2009 MFNW / Doug Fir Portland, Oregon &+
Sep 18 2009 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, California &+
Sep 19 2009 Troubadour Los Angeles, California &+
Sep 21 2009 Casbah San Diego, California &+
Sep 22 2009 Club Congress Tucson, Arizona &+
Sep 24 2009 Lola's Fort Worth, Texas &+
Sep 25 2009 The Mohawk Austin, Texas &+
Sep 26 2009 One Eyed Jacks New Orleans, Louisiana &+
Sep 27 2009 Club Down Under (Florida State University) Tallahassee, Florida &+
Sep 28 2009 The Earl Atlanta, Georgia &+
Sep 29 2009 Local 506 Chapel Hill, North Carolina &+
Sep 30 2009 Black Cat, Washington DC &+
Oct 01 2009 Ottobar Baltimore, Maryland &+
Oct 03 2009 New York, NY Webster Hall &+
Oct 05 2009 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, Pennsylvania &+

& = w/ The Depreciation Guild
+ = w/ Cymbals Eat Guitars

Learn:
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart online

Listen:
Track 1 - Higher than the Stars

Buy:
The Pains store

Wild Beasts Find Moderation

Photo by Tom Beard

Wild Beasts 2008 debut, Limbo Panto, wasted little time unveiling frontman Hayden Thorpe's dramatic falsetto, supported by orchestral indie-pop that was inviting, even welcoming. However, the singer's wild swoons and animated vocal acrobatics often overshadowed the distinct instrumental beauty of the music; the spanning range, from soaring heights to grinding depths countering the elegant, countering the understated new wave poise.

With its sophomore release, Two Dancers, the Leeds, UK quartet has found moderation; the limber balance between the banshee vocals and phantom sharp instrumentation defines the maturity of Wild Beasts. More importantly, Thorpe, bassist Tom Fleming, guitarist Ben Little, and drummer Chris Talbot haven't fully wrung out the startling eccentricities of Limbo Panto. Instead, they have assumed control of one of the more unique styles on the scene today - their own.

Wild Beasts recently gave a sneak peek into Two Dancers with the lead off single, "All The King's Men." They have also announced three New York City dates to correspond with the albums September 8 release.

September 8 - Joe's Pub, New York, NY
September 10 - Mercury Lounge, New York, NY
September 11 - Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY

Learn:
Wild Beasts on Myspace

Listen:
Track 1 - All the King's Men

Buy:
Domino Records

Or, The Whale Breaks the Surface

Photo by Amanda Lopez

Or, The Whale are an expansive collective, with an ever-expanding sound. The San Francisco-based septet covers the musical landscape from folk to rock, layering tangible harmonies over succinct, catchy melodies.

In 2007, the band broke through with its debut, Poles and Pines. But it is the follow-up that promises to set Or, The Whale in lights. The eponymous sophomore disc (out September 22 on Seany) is painted with harmonies, broad strokes of vocal ingenuity. The compositions swell and flow with force, shaking the rust off of tried-yet-true song constructions that hearken to the roots of rock and roll.

Learn:
Or, The Whale Online

Listen:
Track 1 - Datura

Buy:
Or, The Whale Store

Crocodiles: Crawling Cross-Country


Crocodiles have released one of the most eerily cool albums of the year with Summer of Hate, a smattering of fuzz, subversive vocals, and lyricism that burrows into the darker reaches of sunny San Diego, California, the duo's home. And the band doesn't hide their ruthlessness; the coursing, fire-fueled compositions that comprise Summer of Hate boast unapogoletic themes, and titles more befitting of Slayer than a couple of indie upstarts.

In September, Crocodiles will hit the road for a national tour with The Horrors, bringing the underbelly of pop music to the masses, where jagged guitars and unsavory themes make dancing even more of a guilty pleasure.

Crocodiles on tour
Sep 15 Paradise Rock Club - Boston, Massachusetts
Sep 16 Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sep 17 Bowery Ballroom - New York, New York
Sep 18 Sonar - Baltimore, Maryland
Sep 19 Black Cat - Washington DC
Sep 21 The Earl - Atlanta, Georgia
Sep 22 One Eyed Jack's - New Orleans, Louisiana
Sep 24 Walter's On Washington - Houston, Texas
Sep 25 Granada Theatre - Dallas, Texas
Sep 26 Emo's - Austin, Texas
Sep 28 The Clubhouse - Tempe, Arizona
Oct 10 Turf Club - St. Paul, Minnesota
Oct 11 Double Door - Chicago, Illinois
Oct 12 Magic Stick - Detroit, Michigan
Oct 16 Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, New York

*All dates with The Horrors

Learn:
Crocodiles Online

Listen:
Track 1 - I Wanna Kill
Track 2 - Summer of Hate

Buy:
Fat Possum Records