ERMASSE = HERMAS
May 28th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
We recently announced the addition of Ermasse to our artist roster, whose homespun guitar gems warmed our hearts. Up until now though, nothing has forced him to settle on the exact spelling of his name. A new passport, and the second century writing The Shepherd of Hermas, helped him settle his mind on "Hermas." Hermas Zopoula. Pronunciation is the same.
No matter how you spell his name, we’re very excited and honored to bring his music to you soon.
(For those of us who need this described in the dialect of indie rock gossip, assume he broke up as Ermasse and has reformed under Hermas. Twice.)
"Seigneur Apprend Moi" (Download)
MBD PLAYS SAN FRAN, OPENS NEW WEBSITE
May 24th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
My Brightest Diamond is gearing up to release their second full-length, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth, but you can catch some of those songs a little early live and in person tonight if you’re in the SanFran area. Pedestrian and A Weather are opening for MBD at The Independent. Doors open at 8:30, and tickets are $13. You can buy them by clicking here.
For those outside the Bay area, you’ll be happy to know that MBD just re-launched their website, replete with photo, video, "tweets," and all the wit and charm you’ve come to expect from MBD. Visit the site here.
Bonus! Pitchfork’s Forkcast column just posted an exclusive video of MBD, featuring Shara Worden and her guitar in Austin. View it here.
WEIRD WEEDS HIT ROAD
May 21st, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
If you haven’t heard Weird Weeds, may we be so bold to suggest that you’re missing out?
You can of course pick up our own Unusual Animals Volume 1, a 7inch with Shapes and Sizes on one side and Weird Weeds on the other. But you can also catch Weird Weeds on their newest tour, still fresh from their fantastic third album I Miss This. They’ll be passing through Tennessee, Kentucky, New York, Canada, and Ohio, among others. You can see details of the tour here, or pick up the 7inch for $6 (+S&H) here.
Weird Weeds, "Red" (I Miss This)
KARAOKE-A-LONG WITH CRYPTACIZE!
May 20th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Is Cryptacize tired, you might ask? They’ve released an album, embarked on many far and wide tours since that album. That would tire me, you might say.
To which Cryptacize would say, "We are not tired. We are tireless. But we do need your help." They are touring again, this time drawing a big circle of music around the United States: trekking across the Midwest (Chicago), then to NYC, down to Balt-ee-more, then to Knoxville, on to Texas, and back to California. If you’ve missed them on a previous tour, don’t think this will last forever! Cryptacize is rare and flighty!
"They said they need my help," you might remind us. It is true. To fuel their explorative journey across the United States, they are hoping that all peoples of the Internet join them in song, that is to say, karaoke. As their record label, we are happily sweetening the deal with cash prizes.
Record a karaoke version of "Cosmic Sing-a-Long" and email the mp3 to akcontest [at] gmail [dot] com, or post your video to YouTube or Vimeo and email the link to that same email. You can sing as a group or solo, make up new lyrics, choreograph dance, puppets, employ special effects and extensive CGI and/or stop-motion, or anything really. Points galore for creativity.
Deadline is June 7th. We’ll announce the winner on or around June 15th. Get karaokeing!!!
Click here to view the video in Vimeo, or click more to view. And click here to download the Karaoke MP3, or here for the original.
THE COSMIC SING-A-LONG CRYPTACIZE KARAOKE CONTEST from Asthmatic Kitty on Vimeo.
AK STUFF UP FOR GRABS
May 16th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Tuneage, a recently launched music blog, is celebrating their 1000th "follower" (that means a large readership in non-internet language) with a fairly significant giveaway that includes several albums from the Asthmatic Kitty catalog and AK-related paraphernalia. All you have to do is create the perfect summer mix, using Muxtape.com. Easy right? Click here to see details on Tuneage, or here to listen to our very own muxtape.
ZACK BENT PRESENTS MORE OF HIS ART
May 15th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
You of course know Zack Bent from our Encyclopedia Asthmatica. Zack and his wife Gala designed not only the packaging, but also the meticulously stop-motion animated DVD menus.
Starting Saturday May 17 and ending June 15th, Zack Bent will be part of an exhibit at Seattle’s Henry Art Gallery, a culmination group show of 19 graduate students from the University of Washington. The opening is Friday May 23, from 7 to 9pm.
Zack recently spoke with Lost and Found Photos about his unique approach to visual art, which you can hear here, and he will be blogging at the Gallery’s webpage here for the next few weeks.
TENDRILS SCREENINGS AND LIVE CASTANETS
May 10th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
Raposa is magical. He can be in two places at once. Be sure to catch him on tour in Europe. This time he will bring his sounds as far east as Croatia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. Castanets will be performing as a two piece with Meg Noe accompanying Raposa on violin and voice.
And screenings of the DVD Tendrils will be happening around release date, including a One Week Only feature screening now, May 9th to May 16th on Pitchfork.tv if you can’t make it out in person. Click here to watch.
May 16th – Chapel Hill, NC – Nightlight w/ Barghest
May 17th – Indianapolis, IN – Big Car – w/ Actuel and Grampall Jookabox
May 20th – Austin, TX – End of an Ear
CANCELED – May 20th – San Francisco, CA – ATA – w/ Lazarus – CANCELED
May 28th – Bloomington, IN – Cinemat – w/ Resting Rooster (Sponsored by Landlocked Records)
May 29th – Athens, GA – Flicker – w/ Hope For Agoldensummer and The White Oaks
WELCOME WAGON PLAYS KNITTING FACTORY
May 8th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
You can catch a live show by pastor/wife duo The Welcome Wagon, who will be playing the Tap Bar in the Knitting Factory, NY, tonight, Thursday, May 8th. They’ll be opening a show for Ohbijou and Stars Like Fleas at 8pm. Doors open 7pm at the Knitting Factory and it’s just $7 advance, $8 at the door. The Welcome Wagon’s Vito and Monique will be joined by brothers Jay and Alex Foote on upright bass and electric guitar. It’s a family affair.
MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND RELEASES SINGLE, TOURS, PREORDER
May 7th, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
My Brightest Diamond’s second album, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth, is just a little over a month away from release. To whet appetite, the band is releasing its first single and announcing tour dates. We are also activating preorders for Shark’s Teeth, which you can make from SCDistribution here. Preorders will receive access to download an exclusive bonus EP to hold you over until release. Click more, below, for details and tracklist on this EP, or here to see MBD’s tourdates, which include a few European dates, LA, NYC, and Boston.
Already, the first single from the album, "Inside a Boy," has received an outpouring of internet love from bloggers and forum posters. The digital release of the single includes this track, as well as the beatbox-driven fantasy tapestry rock "I Had A Pearl." Also included is a cover/remix version of album track Black and Costaud by friend Tim Fite (Anti-) and a remix of Inside A Boy by Son Lux (Anticon).
You can buy Inside a Boy from iTunes here for $1.99, or at your favorite digital music store.
This downloadable bonus EP is a fully realized collection of alternate versions of the album tracks plus one album outtake. Orchestrated and complex, yet spacious and direct, these versions are a rewarding listen for the opportunity to hear how the songs have mutated into their final form. It also provides a sneak peek into what is bound to become one of the standout releases of 2008.
Tracklist of 1KST Bonus EP
1. Apples (alternate version)
2. Bass Player (alternate version)
3. To Pluto’s Moon (alternate version)
4. If I Were Queen (alternate version)
5. The Diamond (alternate version)
6. Music Box (outtake)
I HEART LUNG HIT GROUND, RUN
May 2nd, 2008 , by Asthmatic Kitty
We just signed seven new artists, but they aren’t wasting any time. I Heart Lung is the first out of the tour gate with a week long mini-tour of the western coastal board, with stops in L.A., Long Beach, San Francisco, Eureka, Tacoma, and Portland. Electro-acoustic duo ellul will be their traveling companions (see below for mp3). This will be perfect time to catch the first of this new Asthmatic Kitty crop. Click here for tour details.
ellul, "world’s most dangerous woman" (cover of a song by The Curtains) (Download)