The 2012 Pitchfork Music Festival announced the first batch of artists that will be performing at the annual retreat, taking place in Chicago’s Union Park on the weekend of July 13-15.

Vampire Weekend
Feist
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Hot Chip
AraabMUZIK
A$AP Rocky
The Field
Liturgy
Kendrick Lamar
Grimes
Cloud Nothings
Tim Hecker
Willis Earl Beal

Vampire Weekend’s prominent placement on the list makes sense, especially considering Pitchfork’s early support of the group, not to mention the fact that they have a (gasp) new record coming late this year. Other standouts include Dr. Dre protege Kendrick Lamar and hometown hero Willis Earl Beal, the promising XL Recordings signee. The festival will be announcing more than 30 additional acts in the coming months.

Tickets are a refreshingly reasonable $45 for single day passes, with a limited number of 3 day passes being sold for $110.  They go on sale Friday, March 9th at 12 PM CST on the festival’s website.

Tuck the Darkness In – Bowerbirds

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Formed in 2006, Bowerbirds (@thebowerbirds) are an American folk band rooted in Raleigh, North Carolina. Once a trio, the group is now comprised of five members and led by Philip Moore (vocals, guitar) and Beth Tacular (vocals, accordion). The band, which includes Mark Paulson (vocals, multi-instrumentalist) and the addition of Yan Westerlund (drums) and Leah Gibson (vocals, synth, cello, keys), brings together the beautiful, almost haunting, sound of harmonies layered over strings, keys and drums. Their 2007 debut album, Hymns for a Dark Horse, was well received, and their 2009 album Upper Air, with its resonating track, “Northern Lights”, brought them even more recognition within the indie rock genre.

The release of Bowerbirds’ third album, The Clearing, follows a period of personal trial for band members Phillip Moore and Beth Tacular — a sentiment perfectly expressed through the first track “Tuck the Darkness In”. While the two ended their relationship during the three year break following Upper Air’s release, they managed to continue working together. Later on, though, Tacular became seriously ill, which led she and Moore to rekindle their relationship and helped them refocus their efforts to write and record new Continue Reading

A few weeks back when I posted “Simple Song”, the first single from The Shins’ upcoming LP Port of Morrow, I said that it was “pretty damn good”.  My gosh was that an understatement!  I’m Continue Reading

Today, February 9, we’re bringing together four of our favorite bands for a night of amazing music at the great New York City rock club Pianos.  If you’re looking to see Snowmine again soon, you are in luck as they currently have a residency at Pianos Continue Reading

We Got It Wrong – St. Lucia // Buy

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Beginning a month long residency today at Pianos and Santos Party House, St. Lucia (@stlucianewyork) is perhaps most interesting considering the history of Jean-Philip Grobler, the man behind the project’s unique sound. Originally from South Africa, Grobler spent most of his youth traveling and performing with a local boys choir. Despite the classical education he received, his true musical calling arrived in the form of Radiohead’s OK Computer – a far stretch from anything he had heard before and a healthy escape from the structured life he was leading. Inspired to leave home and learn more, he studied music in Liverpool before ending up in New York to write and record his first EP. Continue Reading

What joy we festival lovers received today! Aye, the line-ups for two of the best festivals of the summer, Sasquatch and Primavera Sound, were released, and are they ever a gift from the festival deities on high. Both are absolutely stuffed with bands that we love Continue Reading

Pop (borderline indie?) trio Miike Snow have teamed up with fellow Swede Lykke Li to bring us “Black Tin Box,” another taste of what’s to come from their forthcoming LP Happy To You, due out March 26th. No stranger to collaboration, Ms. Li has added her talents to plenty of other projects, including Bon Iver and Peter Bjorn and John, but her presence here is so Continue Reading

Yesterday, Andrew Bird (@andrewbird) revealed a stream of “Eyeoneye” the first track off of his new album Break It Yourself set to be released on March 6th via indie label Mom + Pop Records. “Eyeoneye” is uniquely stunning, combining the exotic tone of Middle Eastern rambling guitars with the familiar indie pop/rock sound of Bird’s evocative, soaring vocals. Recorded and produced by Bird along the Mississippi River, this release will mark the 12th studio album from the prolific Chicago-bred multi-instrumentalist. Continue Reading

News like this makes my day. One of my absolute favorite bands, Washington-natives Death Cab for Cutie (@dcfc), are going on tour this spring with stops slated in New York, Maryland, Texas, and beyond. The band was last in our fair city this past summer for a breathtaking show at the Williamsburg Waterfront, and yet, I’m somehow more excited to see them at the famed Beacon Theatre in Manhattan. Oh, and did I mention they’re visiting with a full orchestra! This isn’t the first foray into the indie music world for San Fran’s Magik*Magik Orchestra. They have previously collaborated with not only The Dodos and The Walkmen, but also Mike Patton, and John Vanderslice. Continue Reading

Heavy Metal – White Rabbits

Mid-west Brooklyn boys White Rabbits (@white_rabbits) are hitting us with a new album Milk Famous on March 6th via TBD Records. Produced by Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Alberta Cross, Dead Confederate), the band’s third album will continue the Continue Reading