A Great Big Pile of Leaves Shows Coming Up!

We actually missed this, but A Great Big Pile of Leaves played a show in Manchester (I think) last weekend. This weekend though they are going to be in Brooklyn at a not-so-secret house party to kickoff a new diy venue me and a couple friends put together. It's mainly a friends and friends of friends of friends event, but if for some reason you're around just rsvp.

For those not in Brooklyn, A Great Big Pile of Leaves will be in at The Space in Hamden, Conn. next Wednesday, April 29th. And then back in NYC at the Lit Lounge at the end of May. As we've said before, check out their MySpace if you want to download the two EPs they released last year (for free!). 

The Dodos Cancel For Tomorrow

The show scheduled to take place in Northampton, Mass. tomorrow has been canceled. Same goes for the secret show they planned on playing tonight at Death by Audio in Brooklyn. One of them is sick, it seems. Sad face.

The Dodos won't be found in our neck of the woods until December 16th in Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple opening up for The Walkmen. The Walkmen just released (Aug. 19) their fourth full-length, You & Me. The track "Red Moon" is one of my favorites off the album and is currently on their MySpace so definitely check that one out to gauge interest.

Wish this Was in Brooklyn

(Or I guess in your case, Connecticut)

MySpace

Venue

Download:

Pin Me Down - Cryptic (Phones Materialisation Mix)

Diesel's Worldwide Party, Possibly NSFW Promo Vid

The Diesel xXx party recently released a pretty amazing promo video to hype up their worldwide party, which will be coming to New York on Oct. 11. Well, all the parties are actually happening on Oct. 11 and the artists range from N*E*R*D to Mr. Oizo, Mark Ronson and so on.

New York is getting M.I.A., along with Hot Chip, N*E*R*D and O Fracas, but chances are none of this matters to us. I assume tickets will be expensive for those who really want to go, but I'm sure this is more of an industry event. Either way, there will be a live broadcast (if you have nothing else to do on a Saturday evening).

The important thing is their promo video. They do a fantastic job drawing over old porn to make it look like these fine folks from the 70s and 80s are doing something else. There's no nudity or anything so it's not really NSFW, but figured I would give you the heads up.

Edit: Video is a tad too big for the blog, so here's the link.

What I'm Doing Tonight

You asked, right?

We already know what Ed and Melissa are doing. There is an art festival happening near my work in DUMBO tonight, but that means I'd have to drink from 6-7 and convince people to meet me out here. And no one wants to come to DUMBO. However, Deli Magazine is putting on a free show/exhibition/party as part of Art Under the Bridge on Saturday, which is more tempting.

Fuck, I just confused Mixel Pixel with Boy Crisis. That's sad. Mixel Pixel is playing The Bodega (1089 Broadway) tonight. Not nearly as cool as Boy Crisis, but might as well mention it. Boy Crisis is playing with MGMT, Amazing Baby, Violens, and Francis & the Lights at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Oct. 31st though, which is quite amazing and quite sold out.

Alphabeta (70 Greenpoint Ave.) has a dance party/art opening/remix collective going on tonight thanks to Finger on the Pulse. Again, tempting, but I think I like what Alphabeta is doing Saturday more.

I think Bell at SoundFix wins. It's free, but early. So I guess I could fit in Alphabeta tonight too. For those who don't know Bell, imagine a version of Bjork that I don't hate. To take that comparison further, Bell actually covers "It's Oh So Quiet" AND I like it. I'm a pretty big fan of glitchy blips and they fit really well here. I'll be stopping by on my way out to the bars.

Edit: Just bought tickets for the Mets game tonight. Guess I lied.

The Muslims in NYC all Week. Songs for Download

I'm going to be in the city on the 16th for some job stuff, so as I was looking around for things to do I came across The Muslims show at the Mercury Lounge. Then I noticed they are playing everywhere in New York for the next week.

They had a self-titled 12-inch out, but they sold out of them. However, you can find them again come next month. So be on the look out. In the meantime you can read this description of the album, check out the tour dates below and finally head over to their MySpace and download some tracks from the stream. Enjoy.

"Recorded with Jon Greene and Andrew Miller in San Diego, this seven song 12" was mastered with Paul Gold and includes a CD copy of the album featuring bonus tracks 'Nighlitfe,' 'Bright Side,' and 'Extinction.' The vinyl jackets and sleeves were silk screened by us, inserts are hand typed, and the jackets were shot by a former New York City Police Officer."

No word yet if the next printing will be shot too.

6.13
@ Cakeshop
w/ The Browns, So So Glos, Air Waves

6.15
@ Dunderdon
w/ The Browns

6.16
@ Mercury Lounge

6.17
@ The Market Hotel
w/ The Browns, So So Glos

6.19
Vice Party
@ Santos Party House

6.20
@ Union Pool
w/ Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson

6.21
House show
@ The Castle in Hell
w/ HTR

New The Hold Steady Out July, Streaming Now

I never really understood the hype and love surrounding The Hold Steady's 2006 release Boys and Girls in America, but many of you loved it. At least those of you who write reviews did (91 AV Club, 90 Paste, 100 The Guardian).

Well, the band is back again with Stay Positive, their fourth studio release due out July. Before you have the choice to drop some money on the album though you can listen to the whole thing on their MySpace. I'm actually going to give this a real try, but only a couple songs in and I'm still left unimpressed.

The Hold Steady will be playing at the McCarren Pool for a free show as part of JELLYNYC's Pool Parties on June 29 (site doesn't look like it's been updated since last year). You can find a schedule of events (free and otherwise) for the summer at the McCarren Pool site. Death Cab is actually playing today, but for $42.

Tapes n' Tapes on Conan Tonight

Tapes n' Tapes must be pretty busy.

They just released Walk It Off yesterday and tonight they will be on Conan O'Brien (check your local listings!). I was going to link to a review I thought Ed did, but apparently someone else did. And he said it sucked and despite me only listening through the album a handful of times I'm going to have to respectfully disagree.

You can't call Tapes n' Tapes an annoying band name either when 1. what? and 2. there's 100x worse band names out there. Does It Offend You, Yeah? anyone? I will link you to this Rolling Stone review because I couldn't find anything else.

Tomorrow the band kicks off a nice and long tour in Minneapolis and will actually be coming our way a bit.

4/17 - Paradise Rock Club - Boston, Mass.
4/18 - Fillmore New York - Irving Plaza - New York, NY
4/19 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY

Time Running Out On Tapes 'n Tapes Stream

You have until 2 p.m. tomorrow (if you're on the East Coast like us) to check out a full stream of the latest and greatest Tapes 'n Tapes album. The band's second album, Walk It Off, will be out on April 8th, but the limited stream and (oops) the leak allow for a sneak peak until then.

From what I've heard Tapes 'n Tapes return for another solid outing of indie rock with a slight psychedelic feel. I think of Band of Horses and Modest Mouse here, so if you need a reference use that one.

If you miss the stream, you can find "Hang Them All" on their MySpace or you can find them at a venue near you in April.

April 17 - Boston, Mass. - Paradise
April 18 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
April 19 - Brooklyn, NY - Musical Hall

Someone's Kid Sister is Playing New York

We know Flossatradamus, the duo from Chicago, IL, but the beats have transferred, at least for now, to DJ J2K's Kid Sister.

Kid Sister, which is actually a group made up of big brother DJ Josh Young (J2K) and rapper Kid Sister Melissa Young, kind of came out of nowhere with the single "Pro Nails" featuring Kanye West. The remixed version came out on West's "Can't Tell Me Nothing" Mixtape in May, just before Graduation dropped.

While previously on with Koko B. Ware--the label that also signed Flosstradamus--Kid Sister is now with Fool's Gold Records and has recently released her "Control"/"Damn Girl" single and it's available now.

The remix now titled "Pro Nails Happy Funtime Hour" by Bag Raiders can be found at her MySpace in addition to a handful of other songs.

Kid Sister will be stopping by N.Y.C. for three dates, though two are already sold-out. Then again, scalpers are always around.

Jan. 25 - Kid Sister and A-Trak at the Museum of Natural History
Jan. 26 - Kid Sister and Chromeo at the Bowery Ballroom (sold-out)
Jan. 28 - Kid Sister and Chromeo, Bowery Ballroom (sold-out)

According to Mark, Kid Sister is "like Lil' Mama if she wasn't part joke," which, I guess, is a compliment. There is no solid news on an album coming out, but check back here for details later.

Two-in-One: Bag Raiders has just put out a self-titled E.P. It's a band out of Sydney, Australia and they're synth-heavy like Justice.