Ryan Adams is set to release his next album Easy Tiger on June 5. Here's the tentative tracklisting and a small taste via some live tracks.

Easy Tiger
Goodnight Rose
Everybody Knows
The Sun Also Sets
Halloween Head
Off Broadway
Two Hearts
Tears of Gold
These Girls
Two
I Taught Myself How to Grow Old
Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.
Rip Off
Pearls on a String


Ryan Adams Live at Bush Hall on 2006-09-18 (September 18, 2006)
Ryan Adams Live at The Norva on 2006-07-22 (July 22, 2006)

UPDATE : See the cover art here
The Music Slut: We're Awesome!: New Ryan Adams Album Cover: Love It Or Hate It?#comments

5/16/07 Another update for all of you Ryan fans that have been stopping by(and theres a LOT of you so BIG THANK YOU ! and special thanks to those of you who have linked here)
Download the Easy Tiger version of Halloween Head here
and stream the Easy Tiger version of Two here
(thanks Idolator & myspace)

[WEBSITE]

Who Reads The Directions Anyway ?

Just a mix of a bunch of the newer songs that I've been into lately, plus a few from last year that had sort of slipped through the cracks.

First up a couple of the songs that were the main inspiration for my Brian Eno History Lesson post a couple weeks back. She's A Rejector, a guitar laden new wave-ish hip shaker from the new Of Montreal disc, and Strange Lights, a reverb drenched fuzzed out dirgey rocker from Deerhunter. (antichrist television blues) is one of my favorites from Neon Bible, the soon to be released Arcade Fire disc. It's a blistering rocker of a song thats owes as much to Springsteen as it is does to the Velvet Underground. The reunited Dinosaur Jr returns to form, although unless he's singing I can't say I really hear Lou Barlow's being back in the fold influencing these new tracks much. The Kaiser Chiefs second disc picks up right where Employment left off, Everything Is Average Nowadays is one of the catchier songs on the new one. The next two will have you up and dancing for sure LCD Soundsytem doing Watch The Tapes from the forthcoming Sound of Silver and the Macromantics new one which uses a formula similar to Lily Allen but cranks it up another notch.

Winding it up with a handful from last year that I just recently picked up, if Fleetwood Mac ever decided to go alternative you'd have Midlake. Roscoe is Rhiannon for Alterna-Rockers. Silversun Pickups shows what can happen if you take all of those 80's and 90's influences like Pixies and Sonic Youth and put them to good use. Lazy Eye is one catchy song. And last but not least Sparks show they can still pull it off when they want to, Perfume is a bouncy hypnotic fun little ditty that is classic Sparks.

MP3: Of Montreal - Shes A Rejector
buy Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer ?
MP3: Deerhunter - Strange Lights
buy Cryptograms
MP3: Arcade Fire - (antichrist television blues)
buy Neon Bible
MP3: Dinosaur Jr - Almost Ready
buy Beyond
MP3: Kaiser Chiefs - Everything Is Average Nowadays
buy Yours Truly, Angry Mob
LCD Soundsystem - Watch The Tapes (link removed by request of label)
buy Sound Of Silver
MP3: Macromantics - Scorch
buy Moments in Movement
MP3: Midlake - Roscoe
buy The Trials Of Van Occupanther
MP3: Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye
buy Carnavas
MP3: Sparks - Perfume
buy Hello Young Lovers

Concerted by Jonathan Fischer - www.myspace.com/concertedcomic

Willie describes his music as "Nod Your Head Beach Rock"!, a mix between Weezer & Jack Johnson. Harder than Jack, but softer than Weezer. I'd say he's pretty much nailed the essence of it one sentence. His latest disc Cohgie Never Landed is classic alternative power pop music with an unmistakeable West coast flair. It's pretty easy to imagine these songs blasting from boomboxes at beach parties or out of a car stereo in a convertible with the top down cruising down the coast. If you liked the sounds of the super hot blogger buzz band The Broken West that we recently featured, you'll like this too. Put on your shorts and sunglasses, turn it up , kick back and party.

MP3: Willie Herath - Shake It Up Baby
MP3: Willie Herath - So Perfect

many thanks to Mona @ MLC PR for the songs

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [iTUNES] [CDBABY]

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Next up from the mailbag we have Greg Sears and his home recording project called Greg Sears and The Only Honest Ones Left. Greg has created all of the songs in his bedroom using the Garageband program. I especially liked the list of instruments he says he used for percussion - "pencil,pen,turtle(glass, don't worry, no animal cruelty)". The songs are earnest Conor Oberst style vocals over unmistakebly lo-fi music. It works especially to the advantage of his song Anarchy Man,where the ramshackle shuffle of the instrumentation is providing its own anarchic chaos beneath the vocals. Hear more songs on his myspace.

MP3: Greg Sears and The Only Honest Ones Left - Anarchy Man
MP3: Greg Sears and The Only Honest Ones Left - War On Love

[MYSPACE]

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Some other things this week...

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The lovely Audra Mae has been named the K'nise Connection's Music Maker Of The Week!
~K'nise says : "What a voice. Wow. "Turn Around" is amazing. If you really want a jaunt of a song, listen to "Bottom Of Up". Wow again! "

[K'NISE MYSPACE] [AUDRA MAE MYSPACE]

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This Wednesday February 28th The Swimmers wrap up their Wednesday night residency at the Khyber In Philadelphia and move it to Sunday nights next month at Pianos in New York City. If you haven't yet, get out and see them. Fighting Trees is by far one of best albums I've heard this year. Hear the whole thing at their website. Many more upcoming tour dates on their myspace page including DC,Chicago and Detroit amongst others.

Ahh the approach of springtime, one of the best times of the year for beer. And like a great song, a great beer sings to your senses. Today's 5 on A Friday features five fine double bocks or dopplebocks as the Bavarians call it for your imbibing enjoyment.

A short history of Dopplebocks courtesy of John Haggerty Brewmaster at New Holland Brewing Co.:

Brewing for many centuries was the domain of monastic orders located throughout
the European continent. Much of this commercial endeavor was pursued in order to
help provide jobs and income to local citizens as well as a means to help raise
funds in order to help various charities that the church supported.

Since the monasteries' members were not only monks but also brewers they
produced beer that, on occasion, served their specific needs. This is the case
with Dopplebock. Dopplebock beer originated as a means for the monks to provide
themselves with nourishment during the Lenten season when their vows forbid them
from taking solid food. The high residual sugar content gave the beer a
nourishing aspect not found in many other types of beer. It is also responsible
for the sweeter flavor profile of this particular style of beer.

The
name Dopplebock is derived from German meaning "double goat." The word dopple
literally translates as double, while the word bock translates as goat.
Although, Dopplebocks are not actually twice as strong as regular bock beers the
word dopple is applied to signify the fact that they are stronger in alcohol
content. The use of the word bock is a bit more obscure. Some claim that it can
be traced back to a regional dialect when saying the name of the town of Einbeck
– beck sounded like bock and Einbeck was a center for the manufacture of
stronger beers at the time. Some people claim that it simply signifies that the
beer has an alcoholic kick similar to that of a billy goat. Regardless, in the
world of beer Dopplebock is one of the long standing styles that has found its
way from the old world to the new.

Dopplebocks are always a darker beer
generally a deep red or brown color. Typically they contain 7 – 7.5% alcohol by
volume but can be as strong as 12%. They are typified by a sweet, nutty flavor.
Bready aromas and flavors are not uncommon as well as those of some darker malts
such as chocolate or black malt. However, the most common malt flavors are
derived from various caramel and Munich malts.

1: Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
[WEBSITE]

2: Samuel Adams Double Bock
[WEBSITE]

3:Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock
[WEBSITE]

4: New Holland Blue Goat Dopplebock
[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

5: Spaten Optimator Doppelbock
[WEBSITE]

For more information on Dopplebocks and other beers I highly recommend BeerAdvocate.com

Boys and Girls in America was one of best albums of 2006. The Hold Steady are currently one of the hottest rock and roll bands in the world right now and they want to let you in on the party. So break out those video editing skills and make them proud. Here's the details:

Film Us a Music Video and WIN BIG!
When Boys & Girls in America was released in October, we challanged the Boys & Girls in America to share their own tales of the ups and downs of love, life & the stories of being yourself. Now, the Boys and Girls in America & the rest of the worlds are invited to take your best shot and shoot/animate/create your own video for one
of the songs from Boys & Girls in America. The rules are simple and you could find yourself with a wad of cash and some great prizes too!

Just go to the Boys and Girls in America website - and upload your original music
video!

Grand Prize for the winning video include $1000 cash prize, $1000 in JBL products, a free 6 month membership to eMusic.com, a Hold Steady Merch Pack and the chance to have your video on FUSE TV. First Prize includes: $500 cash prize, iPod Shuffle, 3 Month Membership on eMusic and a merchandise package of all of the greatest Hold Steady stuff. A runner –up prize consisting of a $250 cash prize, 1 Month eMusic membership and band merch pack insures that there are plenty of chances to win.

All you need to do is create a music video of any song on Boys and Girls in America.

Here's a sample to get you thinking

The Hold Steady - First Night

For the rules, prize listing & to enter visit: BoysAndGirlsInAmerica.com

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [iTUNES] [EMUSIC] [HYPE]

On Dylanesque, Bryan Ferry brings his love for Bob Dylan to a full album's worth of covers. You're probably thinking why a full disc of Dylan covers. Ferry's Dylan bent is nothing new, his first post Roxy Music solo single back in 1973 was a cover of Dylan's A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall and his 2002 album Frantic included covers of It's All Over Now Baby Blue and Don't Think Twice It's Alright. The new album has long been a dream, saying "I just thought it would be great to make a whole album of Dylan songs. And at the end of last year, finally, it happened." The whole thing was recorded in a week with his touring band, and captures a much more live feel than most of his recent work. Some special guests on the disc include Brian Eno on If Not For You and guitar virtuoso Robin Trower on All Along The Watchtower. Bryan plays it pretty safe by sticking with mostly well known selections, which sometimes hurts, as in the case of a song like Watchtower where there are much more definitive versions out there, but in other cases like Tom Thumbs Blues or Positively 4th Street Bryan gives them a smooth new spin. In all likelihood it won't seriously increase either artist's fan base, but it makes for a nice easy going listen. The album is being released in the UK on March 5 and hits US shores on April 3rd.

Dylanesque Track listing :
1. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
2. Simple Twist Of Fate
3. Make You Feel My Love
4. Times They Are A-Changin'
5. All I Really Want To Do
6. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
7. Positively 4th Street
8. If Not For You
9. Baby Let Me Follow You Down
10. Gates Of Eden
11. All Along The Watchtower

MP3: Bryan Ferry - Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
MP3: Bryan Ferry - If Not For You

[BUY IT] [iTUNES] [WEBSITE] [FAN SITE]

YouTube Tuesday special Mardis Gras edition for Fat Tuesday. I'll show you mine if you show me yours, so here's some New Orleans style video goodness to watch while you're feasting on the traditional fastnachts today.
Fire On The Bayou - The Neville Brothers on Letterman


Professor Longhair - Tipitina


Dr John - The Night Tripper 1970


Kid Thomas -Preservation Hall 1962


The Meters - Cissy Strut

Today I'm starting a new Monday feature. Every week I'll feature the newest installment of the Concerted comic by Jonathan Fischer from Seattle. In Jonathan s' words:

Concerted is basically about being in a large crowd for live music. The focus is entirely on the audience, and it's never once described what band or music event the characters are attending- interaction is based upon the universal experiences we've all had at a live show. Whenever an obscure artist is mentioned, you can practically see eyes roll back into the heads of the unaware. By staying ambiguous, Concerted remains relevant and appealing to everyone; I hope you'll agree.

I found very insightful and entertaining, I hope you will too. So without further ado, here's this week's feature : Bulls On Parade.

Concerted by Jonathan Fischer - www.myspace.com/concertedcomic

Asssembly Of Dust sounds like more the name of a heavy metal band you're likely to see at the all Ozzfest than on the jam band circuit, but that's just where you'll find them. Formed by Reid Genauer after leaving the band Strangefolk in 2002, Assembly of Dust's third album third studio CD, Recollection, is being released March 6. Telling Sue is the first song form it and conjures a sound similar to the Grateful Dead but with more of a country twist.

MP3: Assembly of Dust - Telling Sue

[BUY IT] [WEBSITE] [EMUSIC] [MYSPACE] [LIVE TRACKS]

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Some other goings on this week...

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K'nise Connection's Music Maker Of The Week is Robert Harris

[MYSPACE]

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On Wed 2/21/07 The Swimmers continue their February residency at The Khyber in Philly
This week it's with guests Elevator Parade and Creeping Weeds
The Khyber 56 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106

Also listen Wednesday night for a full live set on Jon Solomon's Radio show on Princeton's 103.3 FM WPRB
Listen via the web at at wprb.com

[MYSPACE] [WEBSITE]

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Jo Wymer brings her Blues with Attitude to you a couple times this week. Be sure to check out her set of excellent originals and blues classics.

02/21/2007 08:00 PM - Orphan Annie's - Wine, Women and Song Series, Sterling, New Jersey - FREE
02/23/2007 08:00 PM - Green Planet Coffee Company , Pt. Pleasant, New Jersey -

[MYSPACE] [WEBSITE]

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On Saturday Feb 24th World Cafe Live's 4th beer tasting festival, Beats, Brews & BBQ
Featurng 30 local and regional breweries, food including Tommy Gunns American Barbeque and musical performances by The Rigbees and

MYSPACE] [WEBSITE]

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Update !
I almost forgot this one. After you get all loosened up at the beerfest keep the party going by heading on over to The Khyber for a powerhouse night of rocking with Jukebox Zeros, Beretta76, The Safes, and Foxycontin

I am a young man who records songs on his 4-track in his bedroom. - Desmond Reed from his myspace page

Some truly classic albums have been made by musicians holed up in a bedroom with their 4-track recorders, Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska and Cody ChesnuTT's The Headphone Masterpiece to name but a couple. Desmond Reed may not yet have created his classic, but he's been making some damn fine pop music there in his bedroom in Orange, Massachusetts. Imagine if you put Fountains of Wayne or Nada Surf and The Barenaked Ladies in a bedroom with a 4-track and told them to whip up a batch of songs. Now you have an idea of what Desmond's songs sound like. Lyrics with a sense of humor and enough melodic hooks and harmonies to make Brian Wilson proud. Check it out. Dance. Laugh. Sing along. Enjoy the ride.

MP3: Desmond Reed - About Me
MP3: Desmond Reed - Who I'd Like To Meet
MP3: Desmond Reed - Summer Vacation

[myspace]

A trio of songs in the spirit of Valentine's Day, that special Hallmark holiday. So go buy your baby roses and chocolates and dinner and champagne and keep your fingers crossed for that night of nights.

MP3: Drive By Truckers - Feb 14
from A Blessing And A Curse
MP3: The Replacements - Lovelines
from Hootenanny
MP3: Greg Garing - My Love Is Real
from Alone

plus a special bonus track for the morning after

MP3 :Outkast - Where Are My Panties
from Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

The Police Reunion At The 49th Annual Grammy Awards 2007


After what I would call an okay but nothing special performance on the Grammy's Sunday night, The Police announced the first dates of an extended world tour. At the "bargain" ticket prices of $225,$90 & $50. Does anyone really feel the need to pay $225 to see them ?
Does anybody really care ? Puts new meaning in the word sting.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR ITINERARY 2007

DATE: CITY: VENUE: ON SALE DATE:

28-May Vancouver, BC GM Place Saturday, Feb. 17

06-June Seattle, WA Key Arena To Be Announced
09-June Denver, CO Pepsi Center To Be Announced
15-June Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena To Be Announced
16-June Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Festival To Be Announced
18-June Phoenix, AZ US Airways Arena To Be Announced
26-June Dallas, TX American Airlines Center To Be Announced
30-June New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena To Be Announced

02-July St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center To Be Announced
22-July Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre Saturday, Feb. 17
25-July Montreal, PQ Bell Centre Saturday, Feb. 17
28-July Boston, MA Fenway Park Tuesday, Feb. 20

01, 03-Aug New York, NY Madison Square Garden Tuesday, Feb. 20
*both shows on sale

Additional North American concert dates in Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Edmonton, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Tampa, San Francisco’s Bay Area, Minneapolis/St. Paul and the Washington/Baltimore area will be announced in the next few weeks.

Additional cities and venues to be announced soon.

Go to bestbuy.com for presale info to be the first to have a chance to spend too much on tickets.

For complete tour & ticket information, fan club memberships and more visit:
www.thepolicetour.com

Thanks to everyone who has stopped by, read, left comments,or sent messages or music. I really appreciate it. I hope you all found something to take away, whether it's a new favorite song, an old forgotten gem, or just something to think about during the day.

Today in honor of reaching the 10,000th visitor to Bag Of Songs, I'm doing my first contest. Just leave a comment here, and next Sunday I'll put all the entries in a hat and pick a winner at random. It doesn't get any easier than that. The lucky winner will receive a copy of the remastered 10,000 Maniacs greatest hits & rarities set, Campfire Songs.

Good Luck ! Comment away ! and don't forget to include an email or some way I can reach you if you win.

While you're typing here's a little taste of what's up for grabs.

MP3: 10,000 Maniacs - Candy Everybody Wants
MP3: 10,000 Maniacs - Every Day Is Like Sunday (Smiths Cover)

Posting a little later than ususal today due to a hectic work week. Today's 5 On A Friday is from the 5 great bands I saw live this week. Four from the first night of The Swimmers month long Wednesday Night Residency at The Khyber in Philadelphia and one from the legendary Jonathan Richman who played Philly's best new club Johnny Brenda's last night. I highly recommend seeing any of these bands when they play near you. Check out the links to their websites/myspaces pages for tour dates and such.
My apologies to the Canon Logic, I didn't get to take any photos of them.

1: Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers - I'm Straight
[WEBSITE]
2: The Swimmers - St Cecelia
[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]
3: Illumina - You Used To Have Mileage
[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]
4: The Jealous Girlfriends - Something In The Water
[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]
5: The Canon Logic - Delia
[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

Ring in the summer, with some free ringing in your ears courtesy of Ozzfest !
from www.ozzfest.com

So I'm perusing a bunch recent and upcoming new indie releases, Deerhunter, Of Montreal, Clap Your Hands.., etc. looking for some new sounds to bring your way and the strong sense of deja vu pointed me in the direction of a history lesson for today instead. Back in 1973, years before most of today's self professed indie hipsters were even born, Brian Eno left Roxy Music and released his first solo disc, Here Come The Warm Jets. In doing so, he laid down a blueprint for modern music that's still being used today, more than 30 years later. Distorted yet shimmering guitars layered with intricate sounds and textures, topped off by quirky yet solidly melodic vocals. Give a listen to the relentless driving pop of Needles In The Camel's Eye, the surrealistic simmering Baby's On Fire with it's blazing Robert Fripp guitar work, or the quintessentially quirky Cindy Tells Me and you'll hear why a lot today's indie upstarts pale in comparison. Been wondering why Coldplay tapped him to produce their next disc ? Take a deep look at Brian Eno's Here Come The Warm Jets.

MP3: Brian Eno - Needles In The Camel's Eye
MP3: Brian Eno_Cindy Tells Me
MP3: Brian Eno - Baby's On Fire
MP3: Brian Eno - Blank Frank
MP3: Brian Eno - Here Come The Warm Jets

[BUY IT] [iTUNES] [WEBSITE(FAN)] [HYPE]

Watch it while you can because YouTube will probably pull them before the day's end.
Enjoy !
Part 1

Part2

Part3

Somme


The two piece band has already become almost cliche in today's indie rock scene. Well, The Somme are not just another White Stripes or Black Keys wannabe peddling rough and raunchy blues based tunes. They go for a more epic wall of sonics in their purely instrumental songs. There's enough intricacy going on that you'll forget you're just listening to one guitar and drums.

In their own words from their myspace:

THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME

The 1916 Battle of the Somme was one of the largest battles of the First World War. With more than one million casualties it was also one of the bloodiest battles in human history.

2007. Nearly half a decade has passed now since the mighty duo Somme first emerged from a
Chicago basement, endlessly cultivating, refining and rebuilding the ferocious guitar/drum offensive that's since become their signature sound. Their debut EP, Weight, recorded in one day at Steve Albini's legendary Electrical Audio Studios with revered engineer Greg Norman (High on Fire, Pelican, Mclusky, Magnolia Electric Co.), is a massive battle cry, at once reflecting the bloodsoaked triumphs of the allied forces and the thousands floating dead in the crimson River Somme on the day that remains, 87 years later, the British Army's goriest onslaught in history.

Somme is guitarist Daniel Medina, a 20 year-old chemical worker who spends his afternoons in a gas mask at a nearby plant hauling hazardous and contaminated materials, and drummer Kenny Preski whose mammoth drum sound is the explosive foundation and structural framework of
Somme's epic colossus.

Laid to tape in January 2007, with Norman at the decks, Weight is the first of a two-part series of sister recordings, the second of which is planned for release later this year. Due to the band's intense working dynamic, it was essential that their music be captured live to analog equipment. The result is a spectacularly ambitious sonic marvel, owing as much to key influences Spacemen 3, Jesus and Mary Chain, and Slow Riot-era Godspeed You Black Emperor as to the spectres of that brutal 1916 holocaust.

Upcoming Shows
March 4 2007 8:00P The Canopy Club Urbana, IL

MP3: Somme - Massless
MP3: Somme - Forge

[MYSPACE]

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Awesome Color
Thanks to Adam for the tip-off on these guys. Awesome Color is a New York City via Ann Arbor, MI trio that blends the raw power of Iggy and The Stooges with Goo-era Sonic Youth. It's pretty obvious why Thurston Moore signed them to his Ecstatic Peace label and partly produced their self titled debut disc.
Check out this video for the cooking garage rocker Free Man.

Awesome Color is:

Derek Stanton - Guitar, Vocals
Michael Troutman - Bass
Allison Busch - Drums

Upcoming Shows
02/11/2007 09:00 PM - BAR New Haven, CT w/ Calla
02/12/2007 08:00 PM - Glasslands Brooklyn, New York w/ Demons and Religious Knives
02/14/2007 08:00 PM - Academy of Music Northampton, Massachusetts W/ Sonic Youth and Wooden Wand
[BUY IT] [iTUNES] [WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [HYPE]

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Some other things you'll want to check out this week:

The Slip is making their live performance debut on network television this coming Monday on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
[BUY IT] [iTUNES] [WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [HYPE]

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At the Blue Bar and Rack Room in Nashville, Me and the Machine Records is holding its very first album release party. Josh Preston, Nick Shelton and Brad Sweitzer will each perform. And it's FREE so get on down there.

Me and the Machine Records First Album Release Party
Tuesday February, 6 2007 6pm Blue Bar and Rack Room 1911 Broadway, Nashville, Tennessee
[BUY IT] [WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

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Bag Of Songs favorite the lovely and talented Chelsea Elizabeth Taube plays
Tuesday February, 6 2007 at The Modern Exchange Southgate, Michigan
[MYSPACE]

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For the East Coasters, another Bag Of Songs favorite The Shrinking Islands also play their smart jangly pop this week
Tuesday February, 6 2007 at Bullfinch Yacht Club w/ Tom Thumb & The Latter Day Saints Boston, Massachusetts
[BUY IT] [iTUNES] [WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

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The Swimmers start the first night of their every Wednesday in February residency at The Khyber in Philadelphia. It's still early in the year but I'm going to make a bold statement and say their new record Fighting Trees is pretty much a shoo-in to make many best of 2007 lists at the end of the year. Check out a few songs on their myspace or stream the whole thing at their website.
[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [HYPE]

Happy Groundhog Day ! Hey it's February 2nd that famous day of the year where depending on whether or not the groundhog sees his shadow we'll either have six more weeks of winter or spring will be here in about a month and a half.


1: Joni Mitchell - Shadows And Light
From : The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

2: Oasis - Cast No Shadow
From : (What's The Story) Morning Glory?

3: Rufus Wainwright - Shadows
From : Poses

4: Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli - Chasing Shadows
From : Django Reinhardt -The Gold Collection

5: The Four Tops - Standing In The Shadows Of Love
From : Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971

It's been out since last July in the UK, but Lily Allen's Alright,Still just saw US release this past Tuesday. Somehow I managed to avoid hearing any of it until a couple weeks ago. It's probably not as good as the hype surrounding it, but it would make a damn good, summer,windows down, cruising in the car disc. About two thirds of the songs fall back on a basic reggae/ska formula that wears a little thin after a few listens but the other third take some chances on the rhythms and sound sources and really jump out as great singles. Knock 'em Out with its samba cha cha beat easily being the album's shining star. There's also a smooth sixties pop feel running through a lot of it, kind of like Petula Clark on steroids. It's not all great but there's plenty here that'll have you hitting the repeat button.


MP3: Lily Allen - Knock 'em Out
MP3: Lily Allen - Alfie

UPDATE : Some Lily Allen live info for you

Lily Allen live video on the AT&T Blue Room

Catch Lily on this week's(2/3/07) Saturday Night Live and again on 2/13/07 on Late Night with Conan O’Brien

Upcoming MTV DISCOVER & DOWNLOAD - Lily Allen Tour Dates
2/5/07 Los Angeles, CA Henry Fonda Music Box
2/6/07 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
2/8/07 Chicago, IL Metro
2/10/07 New York, NY Webster Hall
2/12/07 Philadelphia, PA Theatre Of Living Arts
2/16/07 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
2/18/07 Boston, MA Axis

[BUY IT] [iTUNES] [WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [HYPE]