News

Doveman Plays Fancy Loft Party for CMJ, Touring With Swell Season - November 04, 2009

In case you haven't paid attention to our frequently updated shows page, Doveman's hitting the road with Oscar-winners The Swell Season. They kicked off the tour last night in Toronto and will make their way through the Northeast and West Coast. To see exactly where and when Doveman will land (pun alert, sorry!), click here.

Meanwhile, in somewhat more exclusive & shmancy news, Doveman gave an unofficial CMJ performance a week or so back to celebrate the release of The Conformist. Held at a friend's loft in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, he was backed by a string quartet and friends Sean Lennon, Charlotte Kemp Muhl, Jennifer Charles (of Elysian Fields), Justin Bond, Dawn Landes, C.J. Camarieri, and Bryce Dessner (whom we already know about). The gig received some very nice reviews, including "Highbrow/Brilliant" kudos from New York Magazine's scientific-ish Approval Matrix. Paper complimented both the album and the show, capturing the essence of lamp-rock as well as the show's relaxed vibe:

The Conformist...[is] a haunting, ethereal, and beautifully melodic album, and Barlett's airy voice is the undeniable show-stealer - which begs the question: does he really need all the help?...The creative camaraderie seemed too perfect to be true - and then the host revealed that Bartlett's first visit to the apartment had been for a musical salon held there. Suddenly, Doveman's come-as-you-will composition made a lot more sense.

Meanwhile, Time Out NY made a new furry friend at the show:

A black lab made the rounds, proud to be hosting such glamorous guests. As I suspect the dog would agree, it was the type of soiree that contemporary New York needs more of — unless, of course, these things happen every night, and people choose not to invite me.

Stereogum put some words together and collected some pictures, highlighting the room's intimacy as "a perfect foil for Doveman's candlelit Conformist material." BrooklynVegan also collected some words and images. Our favorites:

Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl perform with The Big D.

The crowd looks at the string quartet look at its sheet music.

Dawn Landes sings on the floor; Doveman sings on the piano bench.

Bryce Dessner rocks it Indian style.

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Buke & Gass Receive Press, Set Release Date, Tour in September - August 10, 2010

CLICK HERE FOR THE PRE-SALE of BUKE & GASS's MOST-EXCELLENT DEBUT LP RIPOSTE The latest member of the Brassland family has been out and about, playing shows, conducting interviews, and receiving press. We thought we'd compile some of the media attention for your convenience, starting with this interview at Village Voice, which provided the lowdown on "Medulla Oblongata" (it's about "the trials of miscommunication"), Aron's early instrument designs (thumb pianos, talking drums), and where to find a good lunch in Brooklyn (Calexico in Columbia Heights). TimeOut NY's piece on the band cross-referenced ....continue....

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Clogs Release "Last Song" Video and 3-Song EP - August 03, 2010

Last week, Clogs released a video for their latest single, "Last Song," on Pitchfork.tv. Directed by twin brothers Benjamin and Stefan Ramirez Perez, the video layers animation over traditionally filmed images to gracefully show a fragmented narrative in which two characters shift between isolation and interaction. The tune itself features The National's Matt Berninger (pictured at left with daughter Isla on the latest cover of Under the Radar), whose baritone enters a minute and a half in. You can watch the video below. In addition to the video, Clogs are releasing the digital-only Last Song EP. ....continue....

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The National on Colored Vinyl, $5 digital deal - July 18, 2010

The last few months have been exciting ones for The National, and we've been trying to match that excitement with plans for the back catalog. First off you can get their debut The National (s/t) right now as one of Amazon.com's $5.00 digital deals. It will be up there for the rest of July. More exciting is that are new pressings of the band's Brassland back catalog on vinyl. Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers vinyl will be available in stores on July 20th; The National (s/t) will be available in stores in the first week ....continue....

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Reports from the Road (not) by Bryan Devendorf (Glastonbury, Part 4) - July 02, 2010

In our past three news posts, The National's designated rhythm specialist Bryan Devendorf has given us a taste of what life is like working in a "mid level band" (his words, not ours). It involves NPR, car services, trans-continental flights, and an awful lot of rumination. Today, however, brings something new - namely, pictures. While Bryan chose to express himself through wry, stream of consciousness prose, guitarist Aaron Dessner and bassist Scott Devendorf took some snaps with their cameras. We thought we'd post some of our favorites - complete with pithy captions - for your viewing ....continue....

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