Over the last two decades, both Juliana Hatfield and Matthew Caws have carved out long-lasting — and strikingly independent — careers within a dependably fickle music business, Caws with his now 20-year-old New York City group Nada Surf, and Hatfield with the Boston-reared Blake Babies, the Juliana Hatfield Three, Some Girls, as well as a number of releases under her own name. They first worked together in 2008 when he added vocals to the song Such a Beautiful Girl from her album How to Walk Away. She quickly returned the favor, singing on the Nada Surf b-side I Wanna Take You Home. It was clear from these brief encounters that their voices and sensibilities are almost preternaturally harmonious — or, more accurately (as illustrated throughout their new album Get There, recorded under the name Minor Alps), it can be difficult at times to distinguish between their voices, or to know where one’s ideas might end and the other’s begin. As Hatfield declares, “In certain ranges, the tones of our voices are so similar I can’t tell which is which. I haven’t experienced that with any other singer.” It’s as if they were always meant to perform together, and the pair has, luckily for us, finally realized it.
 
Tracklist:
 

 
1. Buried Plans

2. I Don’t Know What To Do With My Hands

3. Far From The Roses

4. If I Wanted Trouble

5. Maxon

6. Wish You Were Upstairs

7. Mixed Feelings

8. Radio Static

9. Lonely Low

10. Waiting For You

11. Away Agai

The post minor alps // i don’t know what to do with my hands appeared first on The Earology Dept..

menomena  //  co-headlining fall tour with the helio sequence

 
Barsuk Records is excited to announce that Menomena is touring this fall in support of their latest album Moms. The co-headlining tour with fellow Portland duo The Helio Sequence starts on September 28th 2013 at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco and ends on October 25th at Urban Lounge in Salt Lake City. Full tour dates are below.

Moms is the Portland-based band’s fifth album, and their first as a duo. The album has been receiving wide praise, with Pitchfork proclaiming “Moms is without doubt the most aggressive record Menomena have ever made” and calling the lead single “Heavy Is As Heavy Does” “gloriously morose.” Rolling Stone likewise hailed the track as “an emotive outburst of a song that expertly sidesteps melodrama – confessional rock thrills without the cheesy aftertaste.” Paste remarked that the record is “the most candid and personal Menomena release to date,” while Under the Radar called Menomena “one of the most well thought-out bands working today, never sacrificing structure or composition in the name of delivering a series of power chords.” Alarm declared that Moms “is arguably Menomena’s best effort to date.” Peace.
 

 

 Menomena tour dates:

9/28 – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA

9/29 – Echoplex – Los Angeles, CA

9/30 – Constellation Room – Santa Ana, CA

10/1 – Pub Rock – Phoenix, AZ

10/2 – Plush – Tucson, AZ

10/4 – Mohawk – Austin, TX

10/5 – TBA – Denton, TX

10/7 – Club Downunder – Tallahassee, FL

10/8 – Bottletree – Birmingham, AL

10/10 – Terminal West – Atlanta, GA

10/11 – Visulite – Charlotte, NC

10/12 – TBA – Raleigh, NC

10/13 – Black Cat – Washington, DC

10/15 – Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA

10/17 – Webster Hall – New York, NY

10/18 – Sinclair – Boston, MA

10/19 – The Haunt – Ithaca, NY

10/21 – Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL

10/22 – Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, MN

10/24 – Bluebird – Denver, CO

10/25 – Urban Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT

The post menomena // co-headlining fall tour with the helio sequence appeared first on The Earology Dept..

The new Christopher Hainey-directed video for the song Old Ash by Maps & Atlases is fresh out the barbershop! The album Beware and Be Grateful, is out now on Barsuk Records. Nothing like having a song to shave too, huh? Peace.
 
mapsandatlases.com
barsuk.com
fat-cat.co.uk
 

 
LYRICS
in the beginning of the old ash
that helmet night of many openings
you wore your sharpened pistol mask
I don’t know why you wore that useless thing
I didn’t know you let them call you that
the crudest terms are all encompassing
but I know why you didn’t fight back
we’re both afraid of public things

just because all the rocks are overturned
and the worms are all baking
doesn’t mean all the animals are gone
there’s a new breed in the making.

The post map & atlases // old ash appeared first on The Earology Dept..

NYC’s band Ra Ra Riot is known for penning intelligent wistful song with the capacity to stabbed you in the bulls-eye of you soul. The new single release “When I Dream,” fits the bill. The track is taken from their upcoming full-length “Beta Love,” due to drop January 22, 2013 on Barsuk Records (USA / Europe), Hostess (Japan) and Arts & Crafts (Canada). Peace.

The post ra ra riot // when i dream appeared first on The Earology Dept..

you know him as the indisputable voice of the postal service and death cab for cutie. but, now you may call him benjamin gibbard. whatever you call mr. gibbard he has a new debut solo album titled ‘former lives‘, it is out now via slang records and barsuk records respectively. after the jump listen to a couple of the tracks and enjoy. peace.

The post benjamin gibbard // a hard one to know appeared first on The Earology Dept..

the perennial shape-shifting band yellow ostrich has been in the studio working on new material, check out the first single, “ghosts” released via barsuk records. subsequently the band’s forthcoming album takes it title from this very song. you can expect a digital release of the 6-song mini-lp on the 22nd of october. also, you catch the band’s fall tour kicking off later this month. and as a gift to fans the track “ghosts” is available for free download. check out tour dates and listen to “ghosts” after the jump. peace.

 

 
fall tour dates
 
the band is excited to announce their fall tour dates including a performance at fun fun fun fest in austin, texas and additional dates supporting sharon van etten.
 
yellow ostrich tour dates:
 
10/26 – Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA

10/27 – Black Cat – Washington, DC

10/28 – Kings Barcade – Raleigh, NC

10/29 – Caledonia Lounge – Athens, GA

10/30 – Club Downunder – Tallahassee, FL (w/ Sharon Van Etten)

11/1 – Fitzgerald’s – Houston, TX (w/ Sharon Van Etten)

11/2 – Fun Fun Fun Fest – Austin, TX

11/3 – Trees – Dallas, TX (w/ Sharon Van Etten)

11/5 – Hi-Tone Cafe – Memphis, TN

11/6 – Zanzabar – Louisville, KY

11/7 – The Gramophone – St. Louis, MO

11/9 – The Bishop – Bloomington, IN

11/10 – Brillobox – Pittsburgh, PA

11/11 – The Haunt – Ithaca, NY

11/12 – The Garrison – Toronto, ON

11/13 – Casa Del Popolo – Montreal, QC

11/14 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY

The post yellow ostrich // ghost appeared first on The Earology Dept..

I want to take Sarah Barthel on a date, take her someplace nice and show her a really good time; Josh Carter you can even chaperone, just so you can pinch me from time to time. Agreed? At times when someone does you a solid (like release a great EP) a thank you is in order, no? If you want to know why I’m so enamored (and thankful) just take a moment to listen to Ms. Barthel’s voice and the not pithy swarm of music surrounding it. Her voice, the music – combined it is a thing of beauty no doubt, and it is on full display throughout their sexy mini-album Nightlife. Head over to their myspace page and listen to more of Phantogram. Its just a click away and the reward? BIG! Peace.

And of course I have to leave you with something to stare at adoringly while you vibe out, set your peepers on the video for “When I’m Small.”

The post Phantogram – Don’t Move appeared first on The Earology Dept..