Tis’ the season for tour announcements. There are so many that have got me all excited, I nearly… nevermind. Anyway, back to tours, Merge Records announced tonight new tour dates with a few stops in North Carolina! (Thanks Cats Cradle and Local 506!!!) Which makes me really happy.

Camera Obscura
Mar 18th Austin, TX @ Antone's
Mar 20th Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
Mar 22nd New York, NY @ Knitting Factory

Destroyer
Mar 22nd Minneapolis, MN @ 400 Bar
Mar 23rd Chicago , IL @ Abbey Pub
Mar 24th Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig
Mar 25th Toronto @ Lee's Palace
Mar 26th Montreal, QC @ El Salon
Mar 27th Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Underground
Mar 28th New York, NY @ Avalon Nightclub
Mar 29th Washington, DC @ Black Cat
Mar 30th Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
Mar 31st Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
Apr 12th Vancouver @ Richard's on Richards
Apr 14th Victoria, BC @ Lucky Bar
May 21st Camber Sands United Kingdom @ All Tomorrow's Parties

Annie Hayden
Mar 3rd Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell's
Mar 17th Austin, TX @ Antone's

Robert Pollard
Feb 10 Columbus, OH @ Little Brothers
Feb 11th Newport, KY @ Southgate House
Feb 24th Los Angeles, CA @ The Knitting Factory
Feb 25th San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
Feb 27th Portland , OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Feb 28th Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe
Mar 17th Austin, TX @ Antone's
Mar 30th Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Mar 31st Chicago , IL @ Metro
Apr 1st Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews
Apr 20th New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Apr 21st Boston, MA @ Paradise
Apr 22nd Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts

While on the subject of tours I’m excited about… Casey Dienel, one of my favorite voices of today announced a few shows recently. None are near me, which makes me really sad. They need to bring that beauty down south for a while and let her taste some sweet tea.

Feb 19 Toronto, ON @ Holy Joe's at Big Bop
Feb 20 Rochester, NY @ A | V art sound space
Feb 21, Montreal, QC @ TBA
Feb 22 Jamaica Plain, MA @ House Show @ 135 Paul Gore St. Apt. .3
Feb 23 Cambridge, MA @ The Zeitgeist Gallery
Feb 24 Bennington, VT @ Bennington College


There is rumor you may now pre-order Hope for a Golden Summer’s highly anticipated (for me at least) album. I have also heard that if ordered now will include a compilation of other unreleased songs!

mp3's
Here are a bunch of bonus mp3’s I have been spinning over the past week or so. Some are from all over, so I can’t take credit for them on the whole!

[mp3] johanna kunin - blueberry
[mp3] johanna kunin - phantom
[mp3] johanna kunin - bowline
[mp3] johanna kunin - bound to fall
[mp3] johanna kunin - waves

I been spinning Amestory. It is currently on repeat. =] SixEyes taught me about this sweet little indie-rock-emo-melodic-pop-and-chamber musicish band.
[mp3] - constants
[mp3] - north
[mp3] - perfect blocks
[mp3] - in the back
[mp3] - They're telling you you have been alive
[mp3] - seuldans lair
[mp3] - 06 (same goes for this one too)

I have to thank YANP for tuning me into Bishop Allen and their song Corazon. I have been spinning this SOOOO much! Their songs have been pumping out of my tiny little iPod buds since I downloaded the mp3. I bet I have heard Corazon nearly 200 times. That’s like…16 hours!!

Their music is sooooo awesome! In case you don’t know the deal with Bishop Allen, they are doing an EP for every month of the year. Their first, January is pretty good for the ears. Might want to check it out!

[mp3] corazon (Highly recommended!)
[mp3] things are what you make of them
[mp3] busted heart
[mp3] eve of destruction

That's all for tonight!
-Matt