The Murfreesboro, Tenn. rockabilly foursome Those Darlins just released their animated music video for their trailblazing single, “Red Light Love” today. The clip was directed and illustrated by Jessi Darlin and animated by band friend, Teddy Gage. Additional artwork was done by Nikki Darlin and drummer Sheriff Lin. The cute hand-drawn video is in the style one of those ‘70s Hanna-Barbera cartoons. The band gets into some freewheelin’ hijinks, bed some fellas and hit the open road. Those Darlins is out now on CD and vinyl via Thirty Tigers. Also, the gals are touring the States from August through October. Dates include a concert with Charlie Louvin in a cave, Dr. Dog support shows, various folksy festivals and a Halloween bash with The Meat Puppets.
Felt
“Protagonists” MP3
Aug 17, 2009
Murs and Slug back at the Felt game again with the third installment of their tribute series. They just leaked the first track, “Protagonists,” through Myspace. Rumors be it that this is dedicated to Sarah Palin and Aesop Rock will be handling the production instead of Anthony Davis (aka Ant). Regardless of the particulars, “Protagonists” is one slickly produced cut. Watch out internet rappers, this stuff is legit.
Headlights
“Get Going” MP3
Aug 17, 2009
Headlight‘s third full-length, Wildlife, may have sprung out of a “difficult” recording situation the Illinois group net some major sunshine on its first single, “Get Going.” The summery track eases into the fall mood over its 2:39-minute running time, so maybe the rest of the LP is darker in tone. Take a blissful nap in a meadow and listen to this strummy number. As the song says, “summer’s no time to get bent out of shape / with parties at night and at day.” Wildlife is out October 6th on Polyvinyl. (Via RCRD LBL)
Roofwalkers
“They Think They Own the Place” MP3
Aug 15, 2009
Washington, D.C. natives Roofwalkers (formerly the alt-rockers Pagoda) Their self-titled album is out August 25th on Taps and Dies). Before changing to Roofwalkers, the band released an album (Dearly Departed) and an EP (Seven Nights) under the name Pagoda. “They Thing They Own the Place” is a prime example of their bright guitar pop, reminiscent of The Clean, The Smiths and Big Star.
This disembodied track and the rest of the debut were produced and engineered by Chad Clark (Beauty Pill, Dismemberment Plan, Fugazi) and Roofwalkers member, TJ Lipple (also of Aloha and Mary Timony’s new band, Soft Power). In addition to the impending release, Roofwalkers will be playing D.C.‘s Writer’s Center on Friday, September 18th, as part of the ongoing series called Story Stereo. This special event will match two literary authors with Roofwalkers. Based in Bethesda, MD’s arts and entertainment center, WC is a non-profit supportive community for writers.
Osso
“Enjoy Your Rabbit” MP3
Aug 14, 2009
As we reported earlier, it was Bryce Dessner who first contacted Sufjan Stevens about re-arranging the 2001 Chinese Zodiac song cycle Enjoy Your Rabbit for the New York-based string quartet Osso. The group has an experience in indie rock-classical crossovers since they did the string arrangements for Illinois and My Brightest Diamond‘s Bring Me The Workhorse. Various composers (excluding Stevens) reinterpreted the tracks, fashioning the new string-laden instrumental collection, Run Rabbit Run. In addition to the Run material, several Osso concerts are schedule, with some nights showing a screening of The BQE (with pre-recorded soundtrack). Take a listen to the “Enjoy Your Rabbit” piece above, as rearranged by Michael Atkinson.
Run Rabbit Run is out October 6th via Asthmatic Kitty. You can currently grab tickets for the opening NYC date at 92YTribeca. The complete schedule is below:
10/24 - New York, NY @ 92nd St. Y Tribeca * 10-26 Cleveland, OH - Cleveland State University # 10-27 Holland, MI - Hope College * 10-28 Chicago, IL - Schuba’s * 10/29 - Minneapolis, MN - Southern Theater * 11-01 - Indianapolis, IN - Toby Theater (Indianapolis Mus. of Art) * 11-02 - Lexington, KY - The Dame (in the Reserve) * 11-03 - Cincinnati, OH - Country Club # 11-04 - Pittsburgh, PA - Warhol Museum # 11-06 - Medford, MA - Tufts University #
Where The Horrors’ 2007 debut album, Strange House, was largely draped in black this year’s Primary Colours opts for more Technicolor (or Technicolour). The British indie rock quintet seem to be playing from inside of a kaleidoscope on the video for the MBV-like “Mirror’s Image.” We interviewed The Horrors in the Spring issue. According to their Myspace, they’re also on tour until the apocalypse ends.
Calvin Harris
“Ready for the Weekend” (on The Humanthesizer) Video
Scottish synthpop musician Calvin Harris may have a better track record as a producer than a solo artist but this internet sensation is pretty cool regardless of the music. Harris and cover 15 scantily clad women in green ink to use them in sort of Weird Science-like wet dream/musical project with London’s Royal College of Art. Phil Clandillon and Steve Milbourne at Sony Music, Columbia Records and a group of masters students from the RCA’s Industrial Design Engineering aided the video as well. The human synthesizer or as Harris puts it, “The Humanthesizer,’ played a short clip of his new single, “Ready for the Weekend.” Pretty neat stuff. There’s also a a less-hot making of documentary here. Ready for the Weekend comes out digitally on August 17th and in physical form October 6th. Both will be via Harris’ Fly Eye. [Popjustice]
The epic London duo The Big Pink don’t mess around. They inject tons of their infectious melodies into destructive shoegaze on upcoming debut LP, A Brief History of Love. Rinse. Repeat. Call it a day. No funny business. The excellent debut is out September 14th in the U.K. and September 22nd in the U.S., via 4AD.
One of their recent singles, “Dominos” is already stadium-ready. You could be totally smashed and still be able to blare out “these girls fall like dominos!”
Check out the track’s Tim Saccenti-directed clip (which features explosive ice sculptures) above. Big Pink’s hitting the road this fall.
Murs
As we 
