JV is a lot of thing - incredibly kind, the owner of an incredibly awesome studio, and apparently completely and fully tireless. Ya see, John has been releasing records for a really long time, especially compared to most other dudes in Indie Rock, and you'd think by now he'd just want to stay at home for a while and garden for a while, but he doesn't. He wants to get into a van, and drive thous...
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John Vanderslice Announces Huge Tour
Chris Garneau Unveils New Album Title, Artwork, Tracklist
Here at HTFAF, we love us some Chris Garneau. It's really that simple, folks, and so it is with great pleasure that I bring you this bit of news: C.G. is releasing his way-too-long-awaited followup to Music For Tourists on July 7th via Absolutely Kosher. That' the album art up there, and the tracklist is below, no promo track at the moment but we'll keep you posted.Chris Garneau - El Radio1. Th...
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It's hot outside. Yay.
Call your friends, roll the windows down, cook your food outside, get plenty of ice, make sure to not wear sunscreen, etc, etc.Happy Summer, 2009. I'm looking forward to a few things that will accompany your warm breezes - Veckatimest (I've been holding out for the real thing like a good boy), the announcement of more Summer tours, a new Thermals record, a new Conor Oberst record, a new Wilco r...
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New (Old ) Sujan Stevens
Here is a song that the Suf-man decided to make public this sunny spring day - a song from "forgotten boxes, forgotten tapes, forgotten shelves, forgotten hard drives, etc." While this is somewhat maddening, since he's supposed to be penning heartbreaking ballads about North Dakota's Black Hills, and Georgia's roadside Peanut attractions, it's a lovely song in it's own right.According to the Su...
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Wilco + Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band = Classic (Indie) Rock Overload
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Artist:Conor Oberst
Whoa - Conor Oberst (and the Mystic Valley Band), who just released a totally free documentary on their world tour and subsequent recording of their second LP, announced some dates today in which they will be supporting Wilco.These shows will be made up about 72 percent of guitar solos, 9 percent of stage bantering, and 19 percent of other music. But seriously, these are going to be pretty awes...
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American Analog Set Release New Rarities Comp!
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Artist:American Analog
How could this be!? A new AmAnSet release?! Well, in a way yes - everyone's favorite slowcore-er's have decided to release a follow-up to Through the 90's, the prior rarities comp featuring material from 1990-1999, called Hard to Find (a clever reference to a fan favorite) - this one features mostly unreleased tracks, some released on limited edition vinyl, zine comps, etc, from 2000-2005.It's ...
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Pattern is Movement tour with St. Vincent
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Artist:
When I read the news that Philly-dudes Pattern is Movement would be opening for St. Vincent this summer I was happy for them - they're good dudes: nice enough to record a song for last years second volume of Peace on Earth for nothing in return, as a matter of fact. But that was the end of my excitement, as I was pretty sure St. Vincent wouldn't be coming here to Nashville.Turns out I was wrong...
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M. Ward is the Best at Everything
I don't like music videos. I think they're largely a waste of time and money (usually a lot more than you realize), and I find most of them to be boring and uninspiring - nothing special visually, just a scene-by-scene retelling of the song, etc., etc. In fact, I believe in the two-and-a-half years this site has been in existence I have posted exactly two music videos as their own news item - n...
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Devaluing Music Journalism, or "How Pitchfork is Creating the Bomb that Will Destroy us all"
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Artist:
Pre-text: I've gotten a lot of angry emails from you wondering why this blog has been so dormant, and frankly I'm flattered. You've inspired me to not be such a slacker, I promise I will resume regular content. That being said I'd like to shamelessly defend myself and say that I promise I've been busy with good and worthwhile things.Something happened sometime around the end of last year - peop...
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Bill Callahan - "Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle" Analysis
"Last night I felt your touch, gentle and warm, the hair stood on my arm. How, how, how? Oh, show me the way, show me the way, show me the way, to shake a memory." These are the most perfect lyrics that shape the first minute of the second track, the first single, off Bill Callahan's new record Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle. English professor-annoying title aside, there is very little humor...
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Good things happening this week
There are so many of them! This is not some new format for my blog, there's just so much to catch up on. Let me recount them for you -1.) Dr. Dog is going to play on Jimmy Fallon Thursday night! No clue what they're playing, but it doesn't matter, seeing as though Dr. Dog doesn't have any bad songs.2.) Bill Callahan will apparently be touring in April, as Grimey's annonced that he'd be in town ...
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I suck at blogging.
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Artist:
But I'm trying to change that, swear. The past month has been a whirlwind. I've moved out, moved in, gone to SXSW, and generally been busier than ever. I promise I'll try to do better.Here are a few exciting things that happened while I was gone:Where the Wild Things Are, the movie, as directed by Spike Jonze, has a trailer, and an Arcade Fire song. Watch it here.Conor Oberst's band of country-...
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SXSW Wednesday
12:50 PM : While preparing to head out for lunch before going downtown I utilize www.sched.org's excellent calender of day parties - at 5:00 I have to pick between trying to see The Wooden Birds at an Urban Outfitters party, M. Ward at a Paste party, and Beach House at a force field party - but then again, the M. Ward one will be impossible to get into, and the Wooden Birds one is at Urban Outf...
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SXSW Tuesday (The Pre-cursor)
9:30 PM : I arrived at the Austin airport around 9:30 Tuesday night to a hilarious stampede of dudes in skinny jeans rushing to find their flight cases and see if their guitars had been ruined by homeland security. There were 40-50 of these, 4 girls with massive upright bass cases that wouldn't fit through the automatic exit doors, and more smug dudes with technics backpacks on then you could i...
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I'm really excited for Bill Callahan's New album
There was a time when I didn't like Bill Callahan, or his long-time alter-ego Smog very much. The first time I tried listening to Smog was when I was 16, Smog is not the kind of thing most 16 year olds will get into. It's challenging, with an immediate feeling of density and shadow-filled spookiness. Bill's baritone is quite beautiful at times, quite hard to listen to at others, and other times...
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It's 70 Degrees today
I've been listening to these songs:[mp3] Bill Callahan - Syamore - BUY[mp3] Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Lower the Gas Prices, Howard Johnson! - BUY[mp3] American Analog Set - The Hatist - BUY[mp3] Apples in Stereo - Ruby - BUYWhat is it about beautiful weather that make melodies so much more lovely sing, air drums so much more fun to play, and bass lines so much harder to r...
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We're giving away a swanky, ltd. edition Thermals shirt
Designed by Bwana Spoons, exclusively available through Insound. The shirt is American Apparel, and there are only 50 in each size, which means not many other people in the world will have your shirt and you will totally get all the ladies and/or fellas.Here is what you need to do to win it:Email: Hardtofindafriend (at) gmail (dot) comSubject Line: "Thermals shirt!"in the body of the email, tel...
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Buy Cursive's new record for 2 dollars (today)!
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Artist:
The forward-thinking folks over at Saddle Creek have decided to buck Robert Smith's advice and go with a less-than-traditional pricing model for Cursive's really great new record, Mama I'm Swollen. You can buy it today for 2 dollars (since it's March second and all). You can buy it tomorrow for 3, the day after that for 4, and so on and so forth, until it finally hits it's final resting place o...
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David Bazan Announces New Album!
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Artist:
Finally, after several years of waiting, and countless emails and comments asking me if I knew anything, I can now tell you, via Barsuk records, that David Bazan's debut solo full-length will be released on August 25th, 2009. Curse Your Branches will be released by the Seattle Indie right in time for Summer's curtain call.Tracklist, artwork, promo mp3, etc have not yet been released, but we wil...
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Tell me who to catch at SXSW
Hello friends,I am going to SXSW. Lots of bands are also going to SXSW. Which of those bands should I see? This seemingly easy question will be a real mind-teaser for a week of sun, music, and burritos, and rousing games of "count the dummy glasses."My list so far kind of contains the following: Camera Obscura, Department of Eagles, M. Ward, Grizzly Bear, ST. Vincent, Cut Off Your Hands, Via Au...
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