Harlem Shakes as we know it were born in 2006, after an earlier incarnation of the band went to college and went nuts. Lexy still sings lead, and Brent still plays the drums (and drum machine), but now Kendrick plays keyboards, Jose plays bass, and Todd plays guitar. Everyone sings. Harlem Shakes have toured with Deerhoof, Vampire Weekend, and Beirut, and opened for Wire, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Arctic Monkeys, and various other famous bands with animal names. Burning Birthdays, the band's self-released debut EP, came out in 2007 to wide acclaim, earning generous praise from Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, SPIN, AllMusic, Stylus, The Village Voice, and the blogs. Pitchfork complimented their "frenetic clip of hooks," and sometime Magnetic Field-er LD Beghtol of The Voice called them "lethally charming" and one of "the Best of New York." The band is sure that all this good luck must come at some kind of lurking, damning cost.

After extensive touring and a bit of schooling, the band got back together with Chris Zane (Les Savy Fav, The Walkmen, Passion Pit, White Rabbits) to record their first full-length album, Technicolor Health. The result is one of the most quietly ambitious pop albums in ages. Much like Blur fused English pop traditions and contemporary sonics to forge Brit Pop, Harlem Shakes meld the Great American Songbook with unmistakably contemporary textures, creating what one might call "Am Pop." Influences as disparate as the Band, Randy Newman, Carlos Santana and Spank Rock inform the soundscapes, but the vibe is too coherent to be called eclectic. Technicolor Health invokes the synthesized Latin percussion that plays outside the band's apartments every night as they're trying to fall asleep, and the classic rock radio they listen to with hilarious regularity. These are social songs: instruments meander, trade off lines, and counter each other's rhythms and melodies, but ultimately they come together again on the chorus, or in an ecstatic outro or bridge, for a singalong family dinner. Harlem Shakes also have an unapologetically literary lilt; writers like Leonard Michaels, Wislawa Szymborska, and David Berman echo in Lexy's lyrics.

Ontario, Canada's Shadrach Kabango, more simply known as Shad, is releasing his sophomore release The Old Prince in the United States on EMI today, June 29th. You can download the single, "The Old Prince Still Lives At Home" for free.

In Canada, this album is already nominated for a Juno Award and world wide, his video for the title track has received over 735,000 views on YouTube. Shad has performed with Common, Lupe Fiasco and K-OS . Right now, you can catch him on the VANS Warped Tour all the way thru August 23rd.

Girl punk rockers, Mika Miko, stopped by the Chessvolt Studios for a energetic Luxury Wafers Session. Head over to Luxury Wafers to download 6 exclusive tracks, and read a primo write up of girls (and 1 dude) visit. There new record out on Post Present Medium is there best to date.

Akron/Family are gearing up for a North American tour that features a handful of summer festivals plus headlining club and theater dates. Just back from Japan (JPGs HERE!), Akron/Family will be joined by Wooden Wand for an east coast run and in September by very special guests Jeffery Lewis & The Junkyard and Slaraffenland. The Slaraffenland horns will join the band on stage each night (a la The Dodos or Megafaun before them) to form the Akron/Family big band.

Simultaneously, Akron/Family’s US label, Dead Oceans, will be releasing a series of Akron/Family 7"s. Side A will feature a track off their newest, most dynamic offering, Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free, and the flip-side will boast an exclusive, 7"-only track. These releases can be purchased at the band’s shows first before they will be made available to traditional retail outlets. The first in this series, "Everyone is Guilty,” is all but sold out - there are a few copies left at the band’s web store at akronfamily.com. The second 7" in the series, "River,” can be purchased during the September run and from traditional outlets in October. Details from the "Many Ghosts" single will be announced soon.

Akron/Family 7 Inchers:

7" #1 - Everyone is Guilty/Total Destruction
7" #2 - River/Morning on Michigan Ave
7" #3 - Many Ghosts/??!
Akron/Family

Tour Dates:
Wed. Jul. 22 Cleveland, OH @ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Thu. Jul. 23 Detroit Lakes, MN @ 10,000 Lakes Festival
Fri. Jul. 24 Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge w/ Icy Demons
Sat. Jul. 25 Calgary, AB @ Calgary Folk Festival
Sun. Jul. 26 Calgary, AB @ Calgary Folk Festival
Wed. Jul. 29 Steamboat Springs, CO @ Ghostranch Saloon
Thu. Jul. 30 Vail, CO @ The Sandbar
Fri. Jul. 31 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
Sun. Aug. 2 Liberty Park, NJ @ All Points West Festival
Tue. Aug. 11 Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel w/ Wooden Wand
Wed. Aug. 12 Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle w/ Wooden Wand
Thu. Aug. 13 Atlanta, GA @ E.A.R.L. w/ Wooden Wand
Fri. Aug. 14 Birmingham, AL @ BottleTree w/ Wooden Wand
Sat. Aug. 15 Asheville, NC @ Harvest Festival at Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall
Fri. Aug. 28 San Francisco @ Outside Lands Festival
Sat. Aug. 29 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater w/ Howlin' Rain, Lucky Dragons
Mon. Sep. 7 Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot Festival
Tue. Sep. 8 Portland, OR @ Baghdad Theatre
Thu. Sep. 10 Baltimore, MD @ Talking Head Club w/ Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard
Fri. Sep. 11 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's w/ Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard
Sat. Sep. 12 Monticello, NY @ ATP NY Festival
Mon. Sep. 14 Hudson, NY @ Jason's Upstairs w/ Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, Slaraffenland
Tue. Sep. 15 Williamsport, PA @ Site B w/ Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, Slaraffenland
Wed. Sep. 16 Ithaca, NY @ Castaways w/ Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, Slaraffenland
Thu. Sep. 17 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place w/ Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, Slaraffenland
Fri. Sep. 18 London, ON @ LOLA Fest
Sat. Sep. 19 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick w/ Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, Slaraffenland
Sun. Sep. 20 Louisville, KY @ 21C Museum Atrium Gallery w/ Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, Slaraffenland

Ben Kweller [ tickets ] is a tad embarrassed. Three weeks ago, he injured his foot when an amplifier case fell out of his tour bus and onto his flip-flop-wearing foot.

"I'm just limping everyday," Kweller said during an interview with LiveDaily. "I wouldn't really mind [the stabilizing boot], but playing in front of 1,000 kids on stage with one, it's kind of, like, embarrassing but funny at the same time."

He reported, however, that he's doing much better.

"It's amazing the difference between breaking something and not breaking it," he said. "I didn't break it. When they got the X-rays back, they said it wasn't broken. It was basically the worst bruise I've ever had--ever. It still really hurts when I walk, but it's really getting a lot better."

Kweller is touring in support of his country-influenced album "Changing Horses," and will wrap up the jaunt Saturday (6/27). He does, however, have one-off shows scheduled during the summer. See the itinerary below for more information.

Kweller spoke to LiveDaily about the inspiration for his latest album, the decision to include on "Changing Horses" the song "Homeward Bound," written by Willy Mason's parents, and what's ahead.

LiveDaily: Why did you decide to name the album "Changing Horses"?

Ben Kweller: I found the title a few years ago for, actually, my second album, "On My Way." I was in my sketchbook just writing down different album titles, and 'Changing Horses' was one that I read in a Mark Twain book, some book about destiny and fate. He was talking about how you better not change horses mid-stream or you may fall in and drown. I was like, "'Changing Horses' is a cool title." But I didn't end up using it for "On My Way." I made another album, my self-titled "Ben Kweller" album. But through those years, I would write these country songs and kind of save them on the side. I started making a list of these songs for an album that one day I knew I wanted to make. I thought, "Changing Horses' would be a good title for this album." I started calling this future country record that I would one day record "Changing Horses." I have like four sketchbooks over the years that have some kind of song list that says "Changing Horses" at the top of it. The album that I ended up making is totally different than any of those lists. They're kind of a work in progress. So that's it. It's definitely a change for me because it's an album where I just stick on one sound for the whole album. It's probably my most consistent album that I've made because it's one musical idiom, I guess, where all my other albums tend to be sporadic. It's got this down-home feel to it, Southern Americana country music. It feels good.

What inspired the album?

Well, just lots of things. All my music is really inspired by life and experience and things that I see or do or go through. All my songs are taken from that. What determines the way the song sounds, whether it's a pop song or a piano ballad, or a country song or a punk rock song, it's really something that just happens on its own. Like, when I'm sitting with the instrument, it's whatever mood you're in. Like, when you're in a mood to have banana pudding for dessert or, like, apple pie. You don't really know what inspires you to feel the way you do when you want apple pie versus banana pudding. It's kind of the same with like writing a song. It's just something that happens. So, I think, obviously, going back to me as a kid, country music being everywhere in Greenville, Texas, in the little town I grew up in, on the radio and in friend's trucks and stuff like that. That obviously had a great impact on me, so stylistically I guess I was destined to write songs that had that sound at some point. But lyrically, it's hard. I don't think there's a real lyrical theme to the album because the songs were written over such a long period of time. But they all definitely deal with real people and situations, kind of like characters that live in more of the shadows of society.

It must have been fun to make.

Oh yeah. It was a real blast to make. It was the easiest album I've ever made. We did it in 11 days. We recorded it in Austin. It was my first solo album to record outside of New York City. That was really fun. Just to be back in Texas where I grew up really made it fun. It was very free and easy ,and the musicians who played on it are incredible. It was really easy, which is how music should be.
Yeah, it shouldn't be a chore or a job.
Totally, exactly.

What was it like to produce the album yourself?

It was really fun. I love producing. It's something that I think I'm really good at, as far as arranging and song structure. The first producer I ever worked with was really such a mentor to me, from songwriting to production to performing. His name is Roger Greenawalt. He's in New York City. He kind of discovered me when I was 14 or 15 years old. He really taught me so many things. The art of producing records and recording is really important to me. I had the honor to work with so many of the great producers of my generation and [I've] taken a lot from them. I also feel like that, someone like me, we're so hands on from everything we do from the artwork to the sound to the lyrics to the music. That's a big reason why I'm a solo artist. My music is a complete representation of who I am. All the elements of my career have to represent me in some truthful way. I feel like I've been a co-producer in everything I've done, whether I've had credit or not. I know that somebody like Jeff Tweedy or Conor Oberst would say the same thing. It was really fun to take the reins and not have another cook in the kitchen for this album. Most of the producers I know I don't think they would have known how to make a record like this because they come from the indie-rock scene and wouldn't really understand a pedal steel solo as much. But at the same time I didn't want to get a Nashville country producer because that would have been too slick. I really just had to do my own brand of Texas music. I think it came out really well. I'm really proud of it.

How did you chose to include "Homeward Bound" on the album?

Oh man, that song is so good. When I was living in New York, I met this guy Willy Mason who is an incredible solo artist, singer/songwriter. We used to do a bunch of shows in New York together. He invited his mom up on stage one night and they sang that song. Afterward, I went up to them and said, "What was that song about who's going to carry it down, about the homeless junkie kid?" [She said] "Oh yeah. That's the song that me and Willy's dad wrote back in the '60s. We used to be a songwriting team for Famous Music Publishing and we wrote that song. No one ever wanted to record it. Our son Willy plays it a lot." I was convinced it was some hymn or something that I never heard before. It had never been recorded or covered. I already had "Changing Horses" as a concept. I already had three songs written for the album. This was back in 2004. I knew right then, I went home and I was going to cover that song and record it one day, and it's going to go on that "Changing Horses" album. That was one of the early candidates for the album. Around the same time, I was considering doing a lot of covers for this album. But I just continued to write and write songs that really fit the mood.

Have you started writing a new album?

Yeah, I'm almost done with the writing process. I want to write three more songs just to really have a perfect batch. I have like 15 together that I think are really strong. But I know if I push myself to write three more that are really good, or even if they're not really good, I least I know I went all the way out. I'll have almost 20 songs to pull from. There's even a few that could have really fit on "Changing Horses" that'll go on my next album. I'm also dusting off the electric guitars again. So that's going to be really fun. I think all my fans are really going to like this next album because it's going to be an album for everybody. "Changing Horses" kind of excluded a bunch of my fans, but also brought in a bunch of new fans. I think this next one will keep everybody happy. It's going to be cool.
Check out Kweller's tour dates at www.livedaily.com

The Dirty Projectors, from 4AD records has released a masterpiece. Their newest record is by far there most accessible to date and yet, most interesting. Check out the new video for "Stillness is the Move" and watch the girls frolic through a freezing forest!

John Butler is proud to announce the new line up to the ever-evolving John Butler Trio. Australian musician Nicky Bomba will feature as the new drummer and percussionist. Nicky has been a prominent member of the Melbourne music scene with his band Bomba and is a prolific songwriter, performer and producer in his own right. Nicky was also the principle drummer on JBT's five times platinum album 'Sunrise Over Sea'.
Sydney musician Byron Luiters will feature as the new bass player. Byron is a talented dynamic bassist who has been a member of the Sydney outfit Ray Mann Three.

John, Nicky and Byron commenced recording of the new studio album in early June and are thrilled with progress so far.

John Butler said today, "Over the last twelve years of the JBT, I have been blessed with some amazing individuals. All have left their legacy and have raised the musical bar of the band. With any new incarnation it has always been an honor and challenge to meet the benchmark the band has achieved artistically and take it to the next level. It's great to be playing with Nicky again and Byron brings a whole new level of melody, funk and Mojo to the Trio. Very exciting times."

On July 2nd John departs Australian shores for a solo overseas tour starting in the Northern Hemisphere. He has been invited to play, for the first time, at the prestigious Montreal Jazz Festival. He will also play at the Rothbury Music festival in Michigan alongside the likes of Bob Dylan, The Black Crowes and Ani Di Franco, and The Mile High Festival in Denver. In North America he has sold out headline shows in Toronto and LA. In Europe John is playing at the most famous music hall in Paris, the Folies Bergere and in London at the Union Chapel , a stunning old converted church situated in Islington. This show sold out within 24 hours of going on sale. He also plays Cannes, Amsterdam and Antwerp.

John will return from his overseas trip at the beginning of August, just in time to take part in the Cannot Buy My Soul Concert which is part of the Queensland Music Festival and takes place at the magnificent Brisbane River Stage on Saturday August 1st. It will be a very special evening with a long list of talented local musicians taking to the stage to reinterpret the wonderful catalogue of Kev Carmody, John will perform alongside the likes of Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins and Bernard Fanning.
Check details here

John will then head to Northeast Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory to participate in the Garma Festival of Traditional Culture which takes place from August 7th until 11th.
Garma is Australia's leading Indigenous cultural exchange event with a national key forum on Indigenous creative industries - for more info please go to www.garma.telstra.com

Expect the first taste of the new John Butler Trio album later this year and stay tuned to the website for updates as it becomes an 'album under construction' tool where you can get all the up to date news on the recording process. www.johnbutlertrio.com

John Butler solo shows - forthcoming international dates:

Thursday 2nd July - High Sierra Music Festival - Quincy, CA USA
Saturday 4th July - Rothbury Music Festival - Rothbury, MI USA
Sunday 5th July - Montreal Jazz Festival - Montréal, QC CANADA - SOLD OUT
Monday 6th July - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, ON CANADA - SOLD OUT
Friday 10th July - Folie Bergere - Paris, FRANCE
Saturday 11th July - Festival de la Guitare - Mandelieu, FRANCE
Wednesday 15th July - Tivoli de Helling - Utrecht, Holland, The Netherlands - SOLD OUT
Thursday 16th July - Riverrenhof - Antwerp, Belgium
Friday 17th July - Union Chapel - London, England UK - SOLD OUT
Sunday 19th July - Mile High Music Festival - Commerce City, CO USA
Tuesday 21st July - The Troubadour - Los Angeles, CA USA - SOLD OUT

You may know Suicide Squeeze record from our many posts on Minus the Bear over the years. Well they are back with one 2009's best and most underrated releases by Seattle's Cotton Jones.
The band stopped by the Chessvolt studios for a Luxury Wafers sessions. Enjoy!

VIDEO: "No Hope Kids" (Dir. by Pete Ohs)

This is the first official music video from WAVVES, directed by Pete Ohs, who has previously worked with The Arcade Fire, The Unicorns, Fiery Furnaces, Au Revoir Simone, etc. It was shot mostly on the band's first European tour. WAVVES has three US dates coming up.....

This summer Gang Gang Dance will be heading out on tour in North America in further support of their highly acclaimed album Saint Dymphna. Their live shows are not to be missed - visceral, intense, communal, downright joyous and, in the words of XLR8R “nothing short of transcendental.” In addition to dates across the country the tour will take in appearances at Lollapalooza and Bumbershoot.

Full dates are:
August 2nd at Pearl Street Nightclub in Northampton, MA
August 3rd at Bug Jar in Rochester, NY (with Hex Message)
August 4th at Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia, PA (with Hex Message)
August 5th at Ottobar in Baltimore, MD
August 6th at Circus in Columbus, OH (with Hex Message)
August 7th at Magic Stick in Detroit, MI (with Hex Message)
August 9th at Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL
August 28th at Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA
August 30th at Rickshaw Shop in San Francisco, CA
September 2nd at Depot in Arcata, CA (with Extra Golden)
September 3rd at The Works at Washington High School in Portland, OR
September 4th at Biltmore Cabaret in Vancouver, BC
September 5th at Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle, WA
Also in the works is a repressing of Gang Gang Dance's God's Money on LP. The album, which was released in 2005, has been out of print on LP for some time.This will be available to coincide with the tour.