US / THEM: May 2010

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

L.A. noisy-pop faves The Happy Hollows announce summer headlining tour dates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 19th, 2010

L.A. noisy-pop faves The Happy Hollows announce summer headlining tour dates

“A killer hybrid of Kim Deal, PJ Harvey and Emily Haines. Negahdari has the guitar chops, explosive energy and winning sense of humor that should make The Happy Hollows one of the more interesting bands of our new millennium’s next decade.” -- Wired Magazine

"Flecks of heavy stoner fuzz and wafts of breezy modern rock blow in and out of Spells, but at its core, it's a ripper. Most of the credit goes to Sarah Negahdari; she's a powerful but economical guitarist, jutting in and out of the tracks like a jagged saw." -- Pitchfork

"A pugilistic mix of stinging guitars, turbulent rhythms, and shouted vocals. Alternates between childlike experimentation and ferocious firestorm.” -- Los Angeles Times

L.A.'s charismatic power-trio The Happy Hollows have announced summer headlining tour dates in support of their highly acclaimed debut album, Spells which was released earlier this year. The band's explosive live performances have earned The Happy Hollows a devoted following and it's now poised to spread even further. Some might recognize the young group's infectious and irreverent noise-pop from MTVu's regular rotation of the clever animated video for "Death To Vivek Camp", others may recall the band's sly performance coup in this ubiquitous Samsung commercial.

The Happy Hollows' upcoming dates include a performance at the NXNE festival in Toronto, ON with Japandroids and Wavves. Please see complete dates below.

Spells is a culmination of their work with producer and former Mighty Lemon Drops guitarist David Newton (The Little Ones, The Blood Arm), who also produced the group’s 2008 EP Imaginary. A brand new digital-only EP of bonus tracks from the Spells sessions is available HERE. Check out the stunning new video for "Big Bad Wolf" directed by Ryan Reichenfeld HERE.

The Happy Hollows' vocalist/guitarist Sarah Negahdari wields ominous riffs and finger-tapped arpeggios while singing with a cherubic-yet-mischievous grin. Meanwhile, the agile rhythm section of Charles Mahoney (bass/vocals) and Chris Hernandez (drums/vocals) vault and lunge with precision. Over a very short time, the band leapt from playing small shows in restaurants and laundromats to packed headlining performances in its home base, as well as scoring coveted appearances on major network television, MTV, Sirius and XM radio airplay.

The Happy Hollows' catchy yet dissonant sound is influenced by genres as disparate as 90's college rock, garage punk, art rock, and 80's pop. The band combines innovative song structures, surreal lyrics, and fiercely adept instrumentation to recreate reality into a jagged panorama of vibrant, kaleidoscopic collage. Listening to their music, one cannot help but see visions of a place oddly askew from the world we experience everyday, a parallel universe that is at once whimsical, demented, and ferocious.

The Happy Hollows live:
06/14 Washington, DC @ DC9 w/ Pocahaunted
06/16 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen w/ GROOMS
06/17 Toledo, OH @ Micky Finns w/ GROOMS
06/18 Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace w/ Japandroids, Wavves
06/19 Montreal, QC @ Jupiter Room w/ GROOMS
06/21 Boston, MA @ O’Briens
06/23 New York, NY @ Pianos
06/24 Brooklyn, NY @ Littlefield
06/26 Philadelphia, PA @ M Room
07/08 Los Angeles, CA @ Hammer Museum

Artist: The Happy Hollows

Album: Spells

Label: Autumn Tone
Release Date: January 26, 2010

01. Faces (MP3)

02. Death To Vivek Kemp (VIDEO)

03. Silver

04. We Will Find You

05. Lieutenant

06. Father Time

07. Monster Room (MP3)

08. High Wire (MP3)

09. Turtle and Hare

10. DeLorean

11. The Stein (VIDEO)

12. Tambourine

13. A Man, A Plan, A Canal

14. Second Lieutenant

On the web:

http://thehappyhollows.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/thehappyhollows

http://thehappyhollows.bandcamp.com/

http://twitter.com/happyhollows

# # #

The Happy Hollows are available for interviews. For more information, please contact Dave Clifford at dave@usthemgroup.com

Friday, May 14, 2010

Fang Island to tour with the Flaming Lips, US headlining dates throughout May

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 14th, 2010

Fang Island to tour with the Flaming Lips,
US headlining dates throughout May

"Honest and life-affirming and infectious, and it's that rare concentration of directness and simplicity that makes Fang Island so uniquely and wonderfully inclusive." Best New Music -- Pitchfork

Brooklyn's high-fiving guitar-anthem optimists Fang Island have announced dates supporting indie-rock legends the Flaming Lips in July. Prior to that mega-tour, the band embarks on US headlining dates beginning May 15th in Phoenix, leading to a triumphant NYC homecoming on May 29th with Dan Deacon to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Cake Shop. The quintet also plays Chicago's Green Music Fest in June. Please see below for complete dates.

Fang Island recently taped a performance for Fuel TV's "Daily Habit" to air soon. Many more video appearances and special events are planned to follow in the coming months.

Pitchfork recently hailed Fang Island's Sargent House debut album, naming it a Best New Music pick. Before that, the site debuted the quirky video for "Daisy" directed by Carlos Charlie Perez (Li'l Wayne, Vampire Weekend). A second clip, also directed by Perez, followed for the song "Life Coach".

Fang Island's self-titled debut album hit shelves on February 23rd via Sargent House amid a wealth of praise from press, with many writers declaring it one of the Best of 2010, just two months into the new year. A digital EP featuring the popular album track "Daisy" backed with Chris Keating of Yeasayer's remix of "Absolute Place" off their Sky Gardens EP preceded the full length in January.

Its finger-tapping guitar lines, chanted vocals, triumphant harmonies and overall perky songs hearken to the sort of "Total Music" of the Jay Reatard, Ponytail, Kraftwerk, Marnie Stern, Thin Lizzy, et al. But, perhaps more so, its songs are like the music in your head at that moment when everything feels just right: that first kiss, that high score on the video game, buying your first small nation in cash... you know, good stuff. Check out MP3s for two tracks, "Daisy" (MP3 HERE) and "Life Coach" (MP3 HERE).

Fang Island began, oddly enough, as an art school project while the band members were attending the prodigious Rhode Island School of Design (also the foundation for Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Les Savvy Fav, Six Finger Satellite, Lightning Bolt and some band called the Talking Heads.) According to guitarist Jason Bartell, the goal was to "make music for people who like music." That is, music without irony that harnesses its uplifting qualities. Just like a classic rock song or classical symphony can stir us emotionally, Fang Island exists to unlock that spirit.

Fang Island is guitarist Jason Bartell, bassist Michael Jacober, guitarist Chris Georges, guitarist Nicholas Andrew Sadler, and drummer Marc St. Sauveur. They all share collective group vocal harmonies and the occasional hand claps. While Sadler is also known for his role in the debauched rock band Daughters, it is only his fretboard skill that translates between the two groups.

Fang Island live:

05/15 Phoenix, AZ @ Trunk Space

05/17 Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory

05/18 Austin, TX @ Emo's

05/19 Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves

05/20 San Antonio, TX @ Ten Eleven

05/21 Houston, TX @ House of Blues

05/24 Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn

05/25 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506

05/26 Baltimore, MD @ Golden West Cafe

05/27 Philadelphia, PA @ Barbary Coast

05/29 New York, NY @ CakeShop (w/ Dan Deacon)

06/26 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean

06/27 Chicago, IL @ Chicago Green Music Fest

Fang Island with The Flaming Lips:

07/04 Atlantic City, NJ @ Showboat Casino

07/07 Montreal, QC @ Metropolis

07/08 Toronto, ON @ Molson Ampitheater **

07/20 Pittsburgh, PA @ Ampitheater at Station Square

07/22 Lewistown, NY @ Artpark

07/23 Canadaigua, NY @ Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center #

07/24 Holyoke, MA @ Mountain Park

** Also with Spoon, Tokyo Police Club

# Also with The Black Keys

Artist: Fang Island

Album: Fang Island

Label: Sargent House

Release Date: February 23, 2010

01. Dreams of Dreams

02. Careful Crossers

03. Daisy (MP3) (VIDEO)

04. Life Coach (MP3) (VIDEO)

05. Sideswiper

06. The Illinois

07. Treeton

08. Davey Crockett

09. Welcome Wagon

10. Dorian

Hi-Res photos, cover art and bio:

http://sargenthouse.com/fangisland_assets.html

On the Web:

http://www.myspace.com/fangisland

http://fangisland.com

http://digital.fangisland.com/

Fang Island is available for interviews. For more information, please contact Dave Clifford at dave@usthemgroup.com

Monday, May 3, 2010

Air, M83 collaborator and singer/composer Lisa Papineau releases Red Trees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 3rd, 2010

Air, M83 collaborator and singer/composer Lisa Papineau releases Red Trees

"Ms. Papineau's music... clearly shines through on this debut solo disc from the Air and M83 guest vocalist. Softly hewn vocals, combined with synth elements and computer bass echo those of Mia Doi Todd or other post-post-modern stream-of-consciousness songstresses caught up in the technological flow." -- XLR8R

"Papineau uses the spare arrangements to deliver endearingly optimistic performances.... Reveals a deep love for continental pop and world music without ever sounding precious or overly labored." -- Magnet

"She is pouring out her bleeding heart and holding it right out to you." -- Venus

The highly-accomplished singer/composer Lisa Papineau releases her Sargent House debut, Red Trees this week on Tuesday, May 4th. The album is the second solo venture from the active collaborator known for her vocal contributions to Air and M83, as well as writing with The Mars Volta bassist Juan Alderete de la Peña in Big Sir. The ever-active Papineau also works with soundtrack composer Tyler Bates, Japanese artist Jun Miyake, The Anubian Lights, Bron Tieman's Crooked Cowboy and countless other projects. Red Trees was recorded with French musicians Matthieu Lesenechal and Johan Guidou, and features guest vocals from singer/songwriters Matthieu Boogaerts and Mark Eitzel of American Music Club.

Listen to the MP3 for "White Leather Pants" HERE.

Unfortunately, her live dates in the U.S. last month were cancelled due to the volcano debacle, but makeup shows will be announced soon.

Remarkably, contending with multiple sclerosis in recent years hasn't slowed down Papineau's creative output. Having relocated to France in the middle of the last decade, the myriad challenges she confronted served as inspiration to her muse. "Since I got sick," she explains, "there have been times when I can’t speak, can’t see very well, can’t walk well, and am in pain that is so singular, there is no thinking that goes along with it, just being. It reminded me a little bit of what it was like when I first moved to France, of the very tunnel-like feeling I had not understanding most of what was being said, not being able to communicate in the flow in which I was normally accustomed. One leans harder into the connections with other people when you can’t take the modes of expression for granted."

That sense of vulnerability helped inspire the sound and semi-lyrical approach of Red Trees. "I wanted to take a little leap off," Papineau says. "Something that felt more like being a newcomer who doesn’t yet have the local language, or the person who struggles to get his tongue to work."

Beginning in multimedia performance art, Papineau's career has been filled with countless highlights. To see her entire bio of accomplishments, click HERE. She relocated to Los Angeles from the east coast and soon began a collaboration with the composer Tyler Bates (soundtrack composer for Watchmen, 300). The project was lovingly dubbed Pet. Coming to the attention of Tori Amos and her manager/ collaborator Arthur Spivak, Pet was the first signing to their imprint label with Atlantic Records, Igloo. After considerable touring, critical acclaim and appearances on the soundtrack of The Crow II and, on the Rock For Choice benefit album Spirit of 73, Pet split up.

Papineau and Alderete formed Big Sir in ensuing months, issuing its self-titled debut album and a remix disc in 2000 and 2001 respectively. During this time, the two musicians continued their collaborations with other artists. Papineau lent her vocals to such diverse projects as the last two Air albums (10,000 Khertz, Talkie Walkie), P.O.D’s The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, Scapegoat Wax’s Okeeblow, Farflung’s Belief Module and NinePin Body, and the Dimension Mix tribute album to electronic sound pioneer Bruce Haack (featuring Beck, Stereolab, Eels, etc.) with The Anubian Lights, while also rocking synths and mic for a Japanese tour of The Rentals. In 2005, Papineau sang two tracks on the M83 Before the Dawn Heals Us release.

Around that time, Papineau moved to Paris and there, began to write the songs that were to be the body of her first solo album Night Moves. The album made its debut in the USA in July 2006, on LunaticWorks (Sony/BMG). Back and forth between France and the US, the past few years have found Papineau hard at work on several projects, and spending a good deal of time on the road performing live. In 2007, Big Sir released Und Die Scheiße Ändert Sich Immer via Gold Standard Labs.

The song “Rene Thomas” from Red Trees was included on Brownswood Recording’s Brownswood Bubblers 4, the latest album in the compilation series assembled by BBC DJ Gilles Peterson to present his newest musical discoveries. In March 2009, she appeared performing ambient vocals on the Tyler Bates score soundtrack of the film Watchmen. Now writing and recording for the newest Big Sir album, Papineau has also begun to create material for new collaborations with Jun Miyake, Tyler Bates, Matt Embree and her own newest solo album.

Red Trees is available May 4th, 2010 via Sargent House.