SXSW and Jimmy Kimmel Live Performances Confirmed

Settle Down EP Out Now

Warner Bros. Records artist Kimbra will be supporting Gotye on his US spring tour. The nationwide run kicks off March 22^nd in Washington, DC and will continue through April 12^th in San Francisco, CA. Prior to joining the tour, the 21 year-old singer and songwriter will be performing at the SXSW Music Conference in Austin, TX.

Originally from Hamilton, New Zealand, Kimbra has been performing her jazz-inflected pop since she was 14. Her Australian debut, Vows, spawned three hit singles, is certified platinum, earned her a “one to watch” rave from Rolling Stone Australia and won Kimbra the ARIA (Australian Grammy) for Best Female Artist. Several of the songs on Vows are included on her current US EP Settle Down, which was released in October 2011. The title track is already getting airplay on KCRW and the video, which has almost 5.5 million views, was recently selected as iTunes Video of the Week.

Kimbra’s haunting vocals and impassioned delivery on the Gotye track “Somebody That I Used to Know” have helped propel it towards becoming an international hit: the video for the song has over 54 million views and it is climbing the US radio charts. Kimbra will join Gotye onstage for the US television debut of “Somebody That I Used to Know” on Jimmy Kimmel Live February 1^st.

Kimbra is currently working on her debut album for Warner Bros. Records with such producers and songwriters as Mike Elizondo, Greg Wells, Greg Kurstin, and John Hill. The release is set for summer 2012.

Watch the official video for “Settle Down” here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHV04eSGzAA and purchase the Settle Down EP here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/settle-down-ep/id472114057

Kimbra tour dates are as follows:

March 13 – 17 – SXSW Music Conference – Austin, TX

With Gotye:

March 22 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC

March 23 – TLA – Philadelphia, PA

March 27 – Webster Hall – New York, NY

March 29 – House of Blues – Boston, MA

March 30 – Corona Theatre – Montreal, QC

March 31 – Kool Haus – Toronto, ON

April 2 – Pease Auditorium – Ypsilanti, MI

April 3 – Park West – Chicago, IL

April 4 – Varsity Theatre – Minneapolis, MN

April 6 – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO

April 8 – Vogue Theatre – Vancouver, BC

April 10 – Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA

April 11 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR

April 12 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA

Topshelf Records To Release Code Orange Kids Split EP w/ Full of Hell on April 17

Code Orange Kids have a lot going on right now. The band is currently on tour, just announced that they’ll be releasing their next full length album with Deathwish later in 2012 and now Topshelf Records is happy to announce that they will be releasing a Code Orange Kids/Full of Hell split EP on April 17^th.

Deathwish had this to say about them:

Fresh out of high school and with an average age of 18 years old, Pennsylvania’s Code Orange Kids remind us of our own embryonic days in the aggressive music scene. They do things their way, creatively cutting their own path through it all. Unconcerned with the direction of other artists, their brand of gritty hardcore/punk is simply refreshing to hear. Merging cryptic melody, dirty hardcore power, and intense dirges into their own uniquely inspired sound.

Code Orange Kids recently released their [seriously] fantastic Cycles 7” EP on Mayfly Records.

Lastly, Code Orange Kids are on tour now in the U.S. with Xerxes, dates are below:

• 01/26: Fresno, CA @ China Youth Center w/ Xerxes
• 01/27: Sacramento, CA @ The Dough Joe w/ Xerxes
• 01/28: Santa Rosa, CA @ Transient Lounge w/ Xerxes
• 01/29: Portland, OR @ Punk Tank w/ Xerxes
• 01/30: Tacoma, WA @ The Red Room w/ Xerxes
• 01/31: Boise, ID @ Studio 9 w/ Xerxes
• 02/01: Salt Lake City, UT @ TBA w/ Xerxes
• 02/02: Denver, CO @ Blast-O-Mat w/ Xerxes
• 02/03: Kansas City, MO @ Asshole Castle w/ Xerxes
• 02/04: Omaha, NE @ TBA w/ Xerxes
• 02/05: Cedar Fall, IA @ 1108 House w/ Xerxes
• 02/06: Peoria, IL @ Washington Illinois VFW w/ Xerxes
• 02/07: Chicago, IL @ Subterranean w/ Xerxes
• 02/08: Grand Rapids, MI @ DACC w/ Xerxes
• 02/09: Ashtabula, OH @ West End Art Space w/ Xerxes
• 02/10: Louisville, KY @ Chestnut House w/ Xerxes

We’ll have more info on the band’s split EP with Full of Hell soon! You can follow Code Orange Kids on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr & Bandcamp.

Read more and hear music at: http://topshelfrecords.tumblr.com/post/16648162604/topshelf-code-orange-kids.

Written by: Mike Cubillos

MEAN WHAT YOU SAY

In anticipation of their release next month, Tooth & Nail Records’ Sent By Ravens will be posting another new song today on their Facebook.

They’ll be streaming the title track “Mean What You Say.”  Check it out here.

ABOUT MEAN WHAT YOU SAY –

With their sophomore effort Mean What You Say, Sent By Ravens have taken their driving modern rock sound and rounded it out, expanded its diversity while staying true to a base of powerful vocals and soaring guitar tones. The new album was produced in Nashville with Rob Hawkins (Fireflight, Disciple) and mixed by Ainslie Grosser, is a polished collection of songs that contain moments that are sometimes delicate and sometimes raw. This album is a follow-up to their 2010 breakout hit, Our Graceful Words, which debuted at No. 34 on Billboard Heatseekers Chart.

https://twitter.com/SENTBYRAVENS

Love Out Loud’s newest release:

“Catch Me If You Can”

Love Out Loud has taken the next step to becoming the band with the biggest font on the posters. The release of their EP “Catch Me If You Can” brings a thrilling new side out, all-the-while, still keeping their pop/rock roots around. Tracks like ‘Crazy Over You’ jumps genres to a light-hearted-summer-love radio hit. The smooth acoustic lines and hook vocals are what would happen if Colbie Caillat hung out with Owl City, which turns out awesome! Turn the dial and you’ll hear ‘More (Ohh La La)’ on your favorite top 40 station. It’ll be the song you play to get amped up when you’re heading to the club because you know it’ll be the first song you hear inside. Giving credit to this track, it’ll make you want to throw a party just so you can play it for your friends.

Through the new genre skills they showed off in this EP, they didn’t forget to rock out and have fun with ‘Steady Aim’ and ‘Who I Am’. These last few tracks (including the inspirational ‘Not Alone’) are a more developed version of their pop/rock Reliant K-type roots. Catchy hooks, great lyrics, and the oh-so-important factor: “will I sing along with it?” are present in plenty.

Overall, what makes this EP cool is that it’s sort of a genre cocktail, giving you a bit of everything. Usually, when bands try to stretch their style into another genre it turns out messy and forgettable, but L.O.L. has done it quite well. They’ve grown up and gone from ‘fun band with potential’ to ‘legit artist’. So, if you loved L.O.L. before, don’t worry, they’ve still got what you need. If you’re new to the party, they’ve definitely got a track to make you stay.

Album Art

Track Listing:

1- Crazy Over You

2- More (Ooh La La)

3- Not Alone

4- Steady Aim

5- Who I am

http://www.facebook.com/xloveoutloudx

Written by: Jayson Webster

Band To Play w/ All Time Low March 1 And To Headline 5 Shows on the Pure Noise Records Tour

Washington Township, NJ pop punks I Call Fives will be releasing a teaser 7″ titled Someone That’s Not You on May 20^th via Pure Noise Records. The 7″ will include two new songs, an acoustic song, and a cover of Third Eye Blind’s “How’s It Going To Be”. The 7″ will serve as a teaser to the band’s upcoming full length record due out in June. Pre-orders will be up shortly. The art and track list can be seen below.

I Call Fives will be opening for All Time Low on March 1^st in Syracuse, NY and will be headlining 5 shows on the upcoming Pure Noise Records tour.

Band To Tour The US in March and April

Denver band The Lumineers are proud to announce the release of their self-titled debut album, out on April 3rd via Dualtone. The band’s style of emotive, powerful folk-rock has garnered comparisons to Edward Sharpe and Mumford and Sons, and is in line with Dualtone’s history of supporting talented folk acts. The album was produced and mixed by Ryan Hadlock (Foo Fighters, Ra Ra Riot, Metric) at Bear Creek Studios, with additional mixing by Kevin Augunas (The Black Keys, Cold War Kids, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros) at Fairfax Recordings, and follows the band’s eponymous self-recorded EP that was released earlier in 2011.

The Lumineers will be touring in support of the debut, beginning in March and playing through the end of April. The tour will start along the West Coast with stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle, and will run through other major markets including Chicago, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. For a full list of tour dates, please see below.

Off the strength of a self released EP the band was named one of the 20 best new bands of 2011 by Paste Magazine:

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/12/the-20-best-new-bands-of-2011.html

The band also played at World Café, which you can check out at NPR here:

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/09/144900622/the-lumineers-on-world-cafe-next

The Lumineers were formed by Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites in New York. Their story begins in 2002, the year Jeremiah’s brother and Wesley’s long-time best friend, Josh, died from a drug overdose at 19.  Amidst the loss and grief, Wes and Jeremiah came together and found solace in music, writing songs and playing gigs around New York. After battling the city’s cutthroat music scene and impossibly high cost of living, the two decided to expand their horizons. They packed everything they owned and headed for Denver, Colorado. It was less a pilgrimage than act of stubborn hopefulness.

The first thing they did in Denver was place a Craigslist ad for a cellist, and the first person to respond was Neyla Pekarek, a classically trained Denver native. As a trio, they began playing at the Meadowlark, a gritty basement club where the city’s most talented songwriters gathered every Tuesday for an open mic and dollar PBRs. Neyla softened Wes and Jeremiah’s rough edges while expanding her skills to mandolin and piano. And so The Lumineers sound took shape; an amalgam of heart-swelling stomp-and-clap acoustic rock, classic pop, and front-porch folk.

The Lumineers Tour Dates

Wed-Mar-21 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah

Thu-Mar-22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Café

Sat-Mar-24 – San Francisco, CA @ Café Du Nord

Sun-Mar-25 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Crepe Place

Thu-Mar-29 – Eugene, OR @ Axe & Fiddle

Fri-Mar-30 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios

Sat-Mar-31 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern

Sun-Apr-01 – Vancouver, BC @ Media Club

Wed-Apr-04 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux

Thu-Apr-05 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room

Fri-Apr-06 – Bellvue, CO @ Misawaka Indoors

Sat-Apr-7 – Boulder, CO @ Shug’s

Mon-Apr-09 – Ames, IA @ The Maintenance Shop

Wed-Apr-11 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry

Thu-Apr-12 – Madison, WI @ The Frequency

Fri-Apr-13 – Chicago/Evanston, IL @ SPACE

Tue-Apr-17 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Lounge

Wed-Apr-18 – Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse

Thu-Apr-19 – Fairfield, CT @ StageOne

Fri-Apr-20 – Berklee, MA @ Café 939 (festival)

Sat-Apr-21 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Sun-Apr-22 – Vienna, VA @ Jammin’ Java

Tue-Apr-24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas

Thu-Apr-26 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506

Fri-Apr-27 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement

Sat-Apr-28 – St. Louis, MO @ Blueberry Hill

Sun-Apr-29 – Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar

www.thelumineers.com

Written by: Jim Merlis

“God Undefeatable” Impacting AC/INSPO Now

More information on Todd Agnew:

Toronto-based quartet Young Empires has kicked off a run of North American tour dates behind their forthcoming debut EP, Wake All My Youth, set for a February 21 release. After several stand-out sets at last year’s M for Montreal Festival, SXSW, CMW, and the Juno Awards, the group will perform down the East Coast, returning to Austin for another year at SXSW. To see what’s in store for the upcoming live shows, watch the band perform their anthemic single, “Enter Through the Sun” at Toronto’s Sound Academy.

Young Empires’ formative years are marked by the release of early home demo recordings. A few of these songs ended up charting high on Hype Machine, and Germany’s FM4 Radio, ultimately igniting the group’s international acclaim. Since their lofty formation in October 2009, Young Empires’ self described genre of “world beat haute rock” has been featured on TV shows like Suits, The Jersey Shore, The Real World, Ringer, and Cougar Town, and has established crossover appeal with in the fashion industry. Their single “Glory of the Night” was released on Parisian fashion/music label Kitsune) and the track “Against the Wall” has been featured on a viral fashion video for NYLON TV.

Known for their fusion of infectious hooks and hypnotic synth lines, the band has performed live across the globe, including stops in London, Paris, New York City, Los Angeles, Stockholm, Bogota, Toronto, and Montreal. Their high-energy sets have complimented the live performances of Foster the People, Chromeo, Sleigh Bells, Girl Talk, Jamiroquai and more.

Young Empires In Concert

1/25 – Waterloo, ON – Starlight

1/26 – Peterborough, ON – The Historic Red Dog

1/27 – London, ON – APK Live

1/28 – Collingwood, ON – Casbah Bar

2/1 – Kingston, ON – The Mansion

2/2 – Guelph, ON – Club Vinyl / Jimmy Jazz

2/3 – Toronto, ON – The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern

2/4 – Hamilton, ON- The Casbah

2/9 – Montreal, QC- Divan Orange

2/10 – Quebec City, QC  – Le Cercle

2/11 – Ottawa, ON – Ritual Nightclub

3/1 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge

3/2 – Brooklyn, NY – Glasslands Gallery

3/3 – Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie

3/8 – Savannah, GA – Savannah Stopover Festival

3/10 – Atlanta, Georgia The Basement

3/14 – 3/18 – Austin, TX – SXSW

Wake All My Youth Tracklisting:

1. Rain  Of Gold

2. Enter Through The Sun

3. White Doves

4.  Against The Wall

5. Beaches

6. Let You Sleep Tonight

7. Final Call (Bonus Track)

Written by: Brooke Black Just-Olesen

New Album ‘Decadence’ Hits Stores in North America on February 28^th, 2012

Melodic progressive metal powerhouse NOTHNEGAL has posted a second Decadence album trailer for your viewing pleasure! Get a new glimpse of Decadence on Season of Mist’s YouTube channel. You can also download the song ‘Janus’ for free.

Decadence is available on Season of Mist’s e-shop as a limited digipak edition. Each copy from the first pressing of the album comes with a unique code that can allow you to win a trip to the Maldives! Check out more information at nothnegal.net.

NOTHNEGAL is set to release their new album Decadence internationally on January 20^th, 2012, but have recently delayed the release of their album in North America to February 28^th, 2012. Decadence is mixed by Greg Reely (Fear Factory, Machine Head, DevilDriver) and Ahti Kortelainen (Sentenced, Sonarta Arctica). Decadence marks the first official full-length release from NOTHNEGAL.

NOTHNEGAL will be performing select dates in India this winter. See below for all currently booked dates:

01 Feb 12 Pune (IN) Amanora Park Town w/ Poets of the Fall

03 Feb 12 Hyderabad (IN) One Flight Down

05 Feb 12 Bangalore (IN) Summerstorm Festival w/ Opeth

07 Feb 12 Male’ (MV) Lecute Halha w/ Opeth

For more information about NOTHNEGAL, please visit these websites:

http://nothnegal.net

http://facebook.com/nothnegal

http://twitter.com/nothnegal

http://myspace.com/nothnegal

Written by: Maria Ferrero

Southern California’s Forever Came Calling has officially started recording their debut full length with Sam Pura at The Panda Studios. The LP is expected to come out in May on Pure Noise Records. The band will also be supporting the entire Pure Noise Records Tour in Feb/March (see tour poster below for dates.)

www.facebook.com/forevercamecalling

http://purenoise.net

Written by: Mike Cubillos