Shame, Shame on Dr. Dog (MP3)

Philly indie rockers Dr. Dog have just completed their new album, entitled Shame, Shame.

It promises to be full of sunny melodies and tight-knit guitars, building on the band’s already impressive body of work. Set to be released on April 6, Shame, Shame ought to be a nice little dose of good vibes just in time for Spring.

To help wet your Dog whistle, the band has made the first single, “Stranger” (MP3) available as a free download.

Dr. Dog will also be touring extensively throughout April and May. A San Diego stop is conspicuously — and, dare we say, shamefully — absent, but we’ll just assume they’ll add that date later. Tour dates are after the jump. Continue reading

Interview: The Morning Benders

The Morning Benders are still coming down from the success of Talking Through Tin Cans, their 2008 album that earned them Alternative/Indie Album of the Year on iTunes.

For their sophomore effort, they have teamed up with Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear to create Big Echo. Taylor’s fingerprints are all over the album; instead of three-minute pop songs, the band has opted for more sprawl and experimentation. The result is a more mature album, both in its lyrics and musical composition.

The band is currently trekking across the country on a tour that includes a stop at The Casbah on March 26th. We recently had a chance to catch up with singer/guitarist Chris Chu to discuss what it was like working with Chris Taylor, and what we can expect from the new tunes. Continue reading

Review: Scout Niblett with Manuok; February 28th, 2010; Bar Pink, San Diego

Scout Niblett

With a name like a doggy treat and wearing an awesome pair of clogs, Scout Niblett took the stage at Bar Pink on Sunday in front of a few dozen people. To me it was satisfying to see that the singer, mousy and demure, actually does look and act like a “Scout Niblett,” if anyone ever could. Continue reading

RIP: Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse

Mark Linkous, the frontman of Sparklehorse, has committed suicide. Sparklehorse’s albums—particularly 2001’s It’s A Wonderful Life—are some of the saddest and most beautiful music you’ll ever have the pleasure of hearing. A reader named Alex from the Rolling Stone article sums up Linkous’ contributions wonderfully: Continue reading

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