Hey Bands! Come Open For Us, Signed Yelle.

For all the musicians out there who have ever seen an opening act at a live show and thought they could do better, now is your chance to prove your skills! French electro-popsters,  Yelle, is launching a contest to find an opening act for each of their upcoming shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and New York.  If you think you have what it takes to share the stage with Yelle, send some music and info about yourself to yelle.contest@gmail.com.

The dance-pop trio also enlisted London-based producer Second Date (a.k.a. Henry Birkbeck) to remix “Comme Un Enfant,” off their latest album Safari Disco Club (V2/Cooperative Music USA/Downtown Records). His production places emphasis on intricate beats, warm bass, poppy vocals and arpeggiating piano - the latter of which has become Second Date's trademark.

Yelle have also released a trailer for the upcoming worldwide Safari Disco Tour;-  watch it and get ready to dance the night away in a city near you!

Yelle US Tour Dates:

11/10: Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern

11/12: San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine

12/02: Miami, FL @ Fillmore

12/03: Orlando, FL @ Social

12/04: Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits

12/05: Atlanta, GA @ Loft

12/07: Baltimore, MD @ Sonar

12/08: New York, NY @ Webster Hall

12/09: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall

12/10: Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

UK Soul Ambassadors The New Mastersounds Announce the Breaks from the Border Tour

The ambassadors of the Northern England Soul scene, the New Mastersounds are hitting the road this November in support of their new record Breaks from the Border, their first album recorded on U.S. soil.

The New Mastersounds funk powerhouse includes Eddie Roberts (guitar), Simon Allen (drums), Peter Shand (bass) and Joe Tatton (keys). On tour the set will include cuts from "Breaks from the Border" the seventh studio recording from NMS released August 9th on Tallest Man Records. “Breaks” marks a new era in the bands sonic landscape by topping their unique syncopated grooves with group vocal stylings. This break from convention was met with enthusiasm from fans and critics alike.
Known for their power packed and dance inducing live show the New Mastersounds have been motivating hips to sway and rears ends to shake all over the world. This past year the New Mastersounds played not one, but two sets at Fuji Rock, when they were asked to step in to take Buddy Guy's spot, wowed crowds at the world famous Red Rocks, the North Coast Music Festival, Gathering of the Vibes, Moe.Down, Summer Camp and more.

Tour Dates

Oct 29 Honolulu, HI Hallowbaloo Festival
Oct 31 Maui, HI Paia Charley’s
Nov 02 Austin, TX The Parish
Nov 03 Houston, TX House of Blues - Parish
Nov 04 New Orleans, LA Tipitina’s
Nov 08 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge
Nov 09 Chattanooga, TN Rhythm n Brews
Nov 10 Savannah, GA Loco’s
Nov 11 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
Nov 12 Live Oak, FL Bear Creek Music Festival
Nov 13 Live Oak, FL Bear Creek Music Festival
Nov 16 Charlottesville VA Jefferson Theatre
Nov 17 Baltimore, MD Soundstage
Nov 18 New York, NY Highline Ballroom
Nov 19 Philadelphia, PA Blockley Theatre
Nov 20 Boston, MA Royale Theatre
Dec 31 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre w/ Tedeschi Trucks
Jan 01 Deland, FL Bondfire Festival
Jan 08 Boca Raton, FL Revolution
Jan 09 Ft Lauderdale, FL Jamcruise 10

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Add National Dates Supporting New LP "Am I The Enemy"

Three years since their last full album and with nearly 2 million records sold worldwide, Am I The Enemy is the sound of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus in fighting form (available on iTunes).  The single "Reap" was the first song written for the new LP - and in the words of frontman Ronnie Winter, "I think it's one of the best, because it pretty much spawned the entire sound for the new record."

"We have always supported various charities like To Write Love on Her Arms and the Take Action tour, which promote awareness against teen suicide and offer peer to peer counseling. 'Don't Lose Hope' is a direct message to those who feel like no one else cares," Winter reveals. "God does, and always has."

Recorded with producer John Feldmann [Goldfinger], the effort explodes with 12 hard-hitting rock tracks released via Collective Sounds. 

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Tour Dates

Oct 13 - The White Rabbit - San Antonio, TX
Oct 14 - Trees - Dallas, TX
Oct 15 - Scout Bar - Houston, TX
Oct 17 - The Rock - Tucson, AZ
Oct 18 - Martini Ranch - Scottsdale, AZ
Oct 19 - House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
Oct 22 - Oakland Metro Opera House - Oakland, CA
Oct 24 - Wow Hall - Eugene, OR
Oct 25 - The Venue - Boise, ID
Oct 27 - Club Sound - Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 29 - Manny's - Billings, MT
Nov 3 - The Hayloft - Mt Clemens, MI
Nov 6 - Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA
Nov 8 - The Studio at Webster Hall - New York, NY

Nov 10 - Mr. Smalls Theatre - Milwale, PA
Nov 11 - The Canal Club - Richmond, VA
Nov 12 - Amos South End - Charlotte, NC
Nov 13 - Exit / In - Nashville, TN
Nov 15 - The WorkPlay Theatre - Birmingham, AL
Nov 17 - Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
Nov 18 - The Varsity Theatre - Baton Rouge, LA
Nov 19 - Floyd's Music Store - Tallahassee, FL
Nov 20 - State Theatre - St Petersburg, FL
Nov 23 - Freebird Live - Jacksonville Beach, FL

Mates of State Climb High on "Mountaintops"

Mates of State
Mountaintops
Barsuk (2011)

So what do we have here in the new Mates of State offering, Mountaintops?

Honestly, something so confectionary and fun on the ears that I almost can’t stand it, but what do you expect from the seemingly impossibly in love husband-and-wife duo of Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner?

Drums and keyboards surrounded by a shiny gauze of he/she pop harmonies at an almost celestial level? Yes. Complementary is an understatement as only some seriously like-minded individuals can pull this stuff off and make it so you don’t feel the unrestrained urge to hurl. Mountaintops smacks three back-to-back-to-back pop gems that are air on the tongue and light to the visuals: opener “Palamino” goes aerial with its chorus, and at its literal half point grounds itself in Hammel’s percussion, “Maracas” is that thing that should be a pleasure of guilt but then you yell “Fuck that!” because it’s so damned well done, and “Sway” simply does.

Where Mates of State excel is probably where others fail (Matt & Kim); while gleefully earnest throughout, there is no lack of depth and true lyrical poignancy in their indie/pop craft. Because it’s not all sunshine and seashells on Mountaintops; it’s just that Hammel and Gardner are delightful enough to make it feel like so. In "Basement Money", where the struggle of where art meets financial compensation is tackled, the urge to groove is no less present than in "Total Serendipity" which is a crash course in noise-pop (yes, that's brass you hear in the rear); somewhat jangly, but emotionally upwardly mobile. When the mood tempers, some of the human trials and tribulations of married and music making-life are excavated: “Unless I’m Led” has an almost lullaby quality, and the album closer, “Mistakes”, leaves something slightly unsettled in hearing the lyrics “"I need you, but it's not normal if I refuse to be by myself." 

All things in Mountaintops compose an album that sounds like a genuine partnership of fun and artful confessional upon their usual sound canvas of harmonies, subtle textures, and pretty pictures are painted. Nothing to rock out to here, folks, but plenty to make the head and heart bob.