Album I'm looking forward too:smokin'

I really love the sound Devendra Banhart is developing further in his fourth album 'Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon' with 'Seahorse' being the first single or official mp3 or something, anyway it starts off with Banhart's uniquely understated vocals and guitar before building into what can only be called a jazzy number before morphing into rock territory without sounding in the least bit contrived, but in fact keeping his trademark organic yet freaky sound or as he calls it 'space reggae' which can defnitely be applied to 'The Other Woman' another great slice (think a folky version of 'Ghost Town' and you may be close to how this song sounds) of the upcoming album which can be heard here along with 'Samba Vexillographica' which is a folky-jazzy-samba number sang in Spanish (that is so Banhart) anyway I'm looking forward to it.

MP3: Devendra Banhart-Seahorse
Pre-Order: Devendra Banhart-Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon

Album I'm looking forward too:limelight on blacklight

So previously it was the upcoming New Pornographers album, but today it is the return and reinvention of Rilo Kiley, returning with from what I can tell a part funky rock ("The Moneymaker") and part folkish ("Silver Lining") so quite possibly something of a reinvention which is pretty refreshing with perhaps too many bands taking a "if it ain't broke..." sort of approach which can be good and even excellent depending on the band (although it could actually be broken and they just end up flogging a dead horse) but can get a little waring after a while, so this album could be a hit or it could fall, either way it should be pretty entertainining and hopefully a great album.

MP3s:Rilo Kiley-The Moneymaker
Rilo Kiley-The Frug

Pre-Order: Under The Blacklight (released 20th August)

Album I'm looking forward too:possibly a new feature

I've been a fan of The New Pornographers since the release of Twin Cinema ("hang on a minute that was their last album your not a real fan" etc) and they have become one of my absolute favourite bands (honestly joint 4th place with Bob Dylan on my last.fm profile). I just love their sound particularly the meshing of their different members vocal talents (most obviously Neko Case, A.C Newman and Dan Bejar, all of whom have excellent solo stuff too of course) they are highly skilled musicians all round and their three albums so far have been uniformly superb, I actually can't think of a 'filler' track on any of them, if all that wasn't enough they formed in Vancouver a place I'd love to visit some day, they are signed to Matador a record company with a load of great bands and artists (boy I'd love a promo copy of this album right about now) and they are the most potentially embarrassing band to reccomend to any uptight friends and/or relatives. So needless to say having heard a couple of tracks from their upcoming release 'Challengers' I am greatly looking forward to it, and so should you, thats right you sitting there in front of your computer and if you lift up that cup in front of you you should see the Jack of Spades (if it actually happened that would be freaky). I haven't yet seen them live so hopefully they will be shortly touring the UK (and hopefully coming to Brighton as well hint, hint) but for those lucky lot in North America they are touring and here are the dates:

7-29 Toronto, Ontario - Rogers Picnic
09-13 Victoria, British Columbia - McPherson Ballroom #&
09-14 Seattle, WA - Showbox #!
09-15 Seattle, WA - Showbox #!
09-16 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom #!
09-17 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre #!
09-18 San Diego, CA - House of Blues #!
09-19 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater #!
09-20 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater #@
09-21 Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre #@
09-22 Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater #@
09-24 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater #@
09-25 Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot #@
09-26 Boise, ID - The Egyptian Theatre #@
09-28 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom #!
10-11 Edmonton, Alberta - Edmonton Event Center $
10-12 Calgary, Alberta - MacEwen Hall $
10-13 Calgary, Alberta - MacEwen Hall $
10-14 Missoula, MT - University Theater $
10-15 Winnipeg, Manitoba - Garrick Center $
10-16 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue $^
10-17 Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theatre $^
10-18 Chicago, IL - The Metro $^
10-19 Chicago, IL - The Metro $^
10-20 Buffalo, NY - Riviera Theatre $^
10-21 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix Concert Theatre $^
10-24 New York, NY - Webster Hall $^
10-25 New York, NY - Webster Hall $&
10-26 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero $&
10-27 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club $^
10-31 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues $&
11-01 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live $+
11-02 Dallas, TX - House of Blues $+
11-03 Austin, TX - Fun Fun Fun Festival
11-05 Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre $

(& with Immaculate Machine
# with Lavender Diamond
! with Fancey
@ with the Awkward Stage
$ with Emma Pollock
^ with Benjy Ferree
+ with Spoon)

as if that wasn't enough you can also buy the album early and get it now if you live in North America. Anyway aside from that tune in to 6music from 4pm to hear Richard Hawley on Steve Lamacq's show, and until the next post be careful out there (your supposed to say good hunting).

MP3s: The New Pornographers-My Rights Versus Yours
The New Pornographers-Mass Romantic
The New Pornographers-Twin Cinema

Per-Order (UK style): The New Pornographers-Challengers