So apparently James Mercer and Danger Mouse met each other few years ago while both playing the Roskilde Festival. (I’d like to imagine while watching Iggy and the Stooges.) Since then, they’ve been exchanging ideas, recording and Broken Bells was born from this amicable indie union. They’re a must see for me at SXSW this year, playing showcases for both NPR Music and Dickies Sounds. Their debut album will be released next Tuesday, March 9th, but you can listen to the album streaming in its entirety right now on NPR.

Nashville-based Turbo Fruits (led by ex-Be Your Own Pet member Jonas Stein) are currently cruising all over the country opening for Surfer Blood. Turbo Fruits will be playing a handful of times at SXSW, including the Panache Showcase.

You can download three songs here and follow their shenanigans on their Turbo Blog.

I’ve never been real fond of SXSW rumors – there are a number of blogs that pick a bunch of really big bands that are touring, look at their tour schedules, and if those bands don’t have a date schedule during SXSW week, these blogs put these bands on a “well, they DO have the dates free” rumor list. For instance, last year neither Elton John nor The Faces had dates booked during SXSW and therefore made the rumor list.

That being said, Saturday night’s Stubbs schedule so far only lists The Drums and Minus the Bear. For those unfamiliar with Stubbs, it’s the big outdoor venue that the “big names” play during SXSW. Last year, Metallica was the secret show. Could Muse be the secret show this year? They are playing dates in Dallas (March 17) and Houston (March 18) which means they COULD potentially play in Austin on Saturday night. I’m not the only one thinking this – somebody on the Muse message board claims that their friend booked the band and crew at an Austin hotel that week.

Looks like the rumor has been on Twitter for at least a week. Somebody has mentioned that the Deftones will be on the Muse bill too.

Wait and see.

MP3: The Morning Benders – Promises

Ever wondered what it would be like if EVERYONE from the Rock Potluck worked on just one song? That’s what The Morning Benders did in their most recent video, congregating friends in San Francisco to record this track (“Excuses”) Phil Spector-style. Keep your eyes peeled for Chris Owens of Girls and John Vanderslice. Morning Benders will play the Rough Trade showcase in Austin along with Warpaint (who’ll be at The Summit March 6th).

The moment we wait for every year is upon us – SXSW has posted the day-by-day, venue-by-venue schedule for the SXSW 2010 Music Festival.

Check it out here.

We’ll continue our pre-coverage of SXSW 2010 by highlighting bands we think are worth your while to check out in Austin if you attend this year.

MP3: Race Horses – Cake

Welsh natives Race Horses claim they are bored with modern music. In their first full-length release Goodbye Falkenburg (released last month on Fantastic Plastic), they’ve managed to create quite the intriguing album sans computer editing. With enchantingly dark influences like Michel Gondry, Tim Burton and Where The Wild Things Are, they tell maritime tales of unruly sailors and sunken WWII ships while weaving the typical relationship/love themes. (Plus the songs that I cannot begin to comment on due to the inconvenient fact that I can’t speak Welsh.) The album was recorded over nine months in multiple settings including parties, an eco village and a chapel. Tracks include samples from a pig, zoo animals and a choir of dental trainees.

Race Horses currently have two performances scheduled at SXSW.

If you’re a sucker for clever Brit-rock like me, be sure to catch Gabriel Stebbing’s (ex-Metronomy) band Your Twenties this year in Austin. next time they’re stateside. Due to unforeseen circumstances they will be unable to attend this year’s festival. They’ve already had singles released on both Germs of Youth and Neon Gold.

As it turns out, The Drums did not open for Phoenix here in Columbus in December. Bummer. But that won’t keep you from enjoying their surf-pop from now til Austin.

MP3: Harold T. Wilkins or How to Wait for a Very Long Time

My own involvement with BenCo aside, I’m thrilled to announce that Fanfarlo will be coming to town to play The Summit on April 1st with Lawrence Arabia and Robert Francis supporting. (My previous thoughts on Fanfarlo here.)

From the press release:

Acclaimed U.K. five-piece Fanfarlo have announced more North American headlining dates for March and April with Lawrence Arabia and Robert Francis as support. The band whom are just finishing up a string of European headline shows will be back in America next week to make their national television debut on the Late Show with David Letterman Monday, February 15th.

Tickets go on sale Saturday. All tour dates, including SXSW appearances, after the jump. (more…)

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=102501078
For those planning on attending SXSW this year (or for those just curious about who will be there), I’ve been sifting through the extensive list as something of a countdown until the festival.

Today’s video is from Los Angeles-based Local Natives, who will be releasing their record Gorilla Manor on Frenchkiss February 16th.

MP3: Doubting Comforts

While perusing the SXSW 2010 band list (yet again), I was reminded that Blue Roses will be playing. This is the project of singer/musician Laura Groves from Shipley, Yorkshire whose influences range from Tears For Fears to Debussy. Combining years of practice on the piano and guitar with days of interest on other instruments, she’s managed to compose some heartbreakingly darling folk tunes. “I like writing songs for instruments I can’t play yet and making choirs out of my voice” says Groves. She released her full-length Blue Roses last July and EP Does Anyone Love Me Now in December, both on XL.

Columbus band Six Gallery inked a deal with German label Superball Music (Trail of Dead). The label, along with label InsideOut, recently announced that they will be cooperating with Century Media Records and EMI Music to distribute their artists’ music worldwide. The official press release will be out soon, but I decided to talk to Six Gallery’s singer/guitarist Daniel Francis (former Pirate) first.

How did this deal with Superball come about and how much time has passed since the beginning stage?
The entire record deal probably took about two months worth of conversation. We emailed someone. He was completely disinterested. We kindly asked him if there was anyone he might know who would like it and here we are..

So I understand SG’s record Breakthroughs in Modern Art will be the first record released on the Superball in 2010?
As far as I know, that is correct.

And it will be distributed in Hollister stores in the US and Canada? What are your thoughts on this?
There’s no reason to not distribute your music as widely as possible. I’m too cool for Hollister? No, I’m not too cool. There’s nothing keeping people who shop there from being uneducated in music. People find bands they like in stranger places.

(more…)

Over the last few months, via the musical grapevine, the band Fanfarlo has kept reappearing on my radar. But it wasn’t until visiting the UK in October that I actually heard them for the first time. I was able to catch them at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds, where I was initially only there to catch opening act First Aid Kit. After settling on the fact that I could walk away completely satisfied after their set, Fanfarlo took the stage. While on record they sound a bit harnessed and calculated, their live show illuminates their talent enthusiastically. Created by ex-Swede Simon Balthazar, the six-piece band is based out of London and has been actively touring Europe and the US on their debut record Resevoir throughout 2009. They also just played CMJ and have again been added to the SXSW 2010 roster.

Balthazar sings with a sweet and bold voice (similar to that of Beirut’s Zach Condon) and is backed by an amazing group who each play multiple instruments to form a big full sound, reminding me of the Arcade Fire. Have a listen, but more importantly, check out some live footage.

Fanfarlo has recently been recording a number of “Laptop Sessions” where they perform covers. You can find those here, as well as some music videos.

Picture this. You’re a musician. You’re in a local band that’s created a steady fan base. You want to test the waters of your talent, so you accept a challenge that matches you randomly with four other people to form a band. You then have 8 hours to come up with two original songs and one cover with these people whose musical limitations are potentially a mystery. Following the minimal time spent conjuring up and practicing these songs, you must perform them in front of a full audience of your Columbus peers. Oh, and on top of all that, this year you get filmed every step of the way. Nervousness ensues, the pressure’s on. Welcome to the Rock Potluck of ’09.

In its 5th year of existence, the Potluck continues its raw artistic event, boasting a roster of 41 musicians from 41 Columbus bands. Though both the challenge and combination of personalities thrown together seem like an equation for an explosive reality TV show, there is an underlying positivity. The Potluck’s coordinator, Bobby Miller, feels that the event “helps bring the entire Columbus music community together in a very unique and supportive way. Each band creates a bond and ultimately the experience they go through and the music they make together is something really exciting to hear and watch and something they can all be proud of.” More than one band created within the event has continued to play out after the fact. Sandwitch, born in the ’03 Potluck (made up of Ron House, John Olexovitch, Brett Burleson, Bobby Silver and Zac Szymusiak) has put out a 7”, played at last year’s SXSW and will soon be releasing a full-length record on Columbus Discount Records. (more…)

I’m no stranger to Joey Stevens’ music, I used to work with his cousin Arlene and she was always happily passing along burned CD-Rs full of his stuff to me. Not really easy to describe what he was doing then (or is doing now with Rumspringa) but it’s sort of a mix of roots rock and freak folk with maybe some hip-hop tossed in. The band’s debut self-titled EP can be purchased physically through Amazon or digitally through iTunes and eMusic (among many others).

DOWNLOAD: “Goldmine”

(more…)