Hit The Lights Set EP Release

Says lead singer Nick Thompson "we did this to give out fans a little something to hold them over until we drop a new record in 2010, it was a chance to try some new things. We hope everyone enjoys it as much as we enjoyed making it."

Entering the studio this time gave the band a chance to work with some producers they have greatly admired. The track "Pulse" was recorded with Mark Trombino (Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World) and the title tracks "Coast To Coast" was done with John Feldmann (The Used, Story Of The Year). Hit The Lights also chose a few covers "Drive Onto Me" by Elliot and "Snowbirds And Townies" by Further Seems Forever. "We feel like both covers are from bands we think everyone who listens to Hit The Lights should know" says Thompson. - more on this story

The Black and White Years Go Wireless

PR reports: Austin indie art rockers, The Black and White Years, will make their debut UK performance at London's Wireless Festival in Hyde Park. The band is scheduled to play both dates of the two-day festival with headliners Basement Jaxx on Saturday July 4th and KanYe West on Sunday July 5th.

The Black and White Years were the highlight at 2009's South by Southwest with four showcases including a performance with Devo, Tricky and Datarock; and were the recipients of five awards at the 27th Annual Austin Music Awards, the ceremony that kicked off the SXSW Music Festival.

The Austin, Texas four-piece were presented with SXSW trophies for "Best New Band" and "Best Song" for their single "Power To Change," "Best Performing Band – Rock" and "Best Bass Player" (John Aldridge). In addition, Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads, Modern Lovers) won the award for "Best Producer of the Year" for his work on the band's eponymous debut album. - more on this story

Darkest Hour Preview

PR reports: To celebrate the Summer Slaughter tour, Darkest Hour have posted a second song from their upcoming album, The Eternal Return. "Devolution of the Flesh" is available NOW on the band's official MySpace.

Guitarist Mike Schleibaum commented on the new song: "We're really stoked to release another track from The Eternal Return, 'Devolution of the Flesh.' We plan on playing this new song and 'No God,' as well as everyone's favorite DH songs on the Summer Slaughter Tour. We're really excited to tour the US, as it's been almost an entire year since our last tour around the country. This whole tour is a celebration of our new record for us, so if you see us BBQing out back, feel free to stop by for the party!"

Darkest Hour kicked off the Summer Slaughter tour with Suffocation and Necrophagist on Friday in Baltimore, MD The Eternal Return, due June 23, 2009 on Victory Records, is Darkest Hour's sixth full-length album. - Myspace link

The Idle Hands Debut set

PR reports: The Idle Hands are proud to announce the release of their debut full-length album The Hearts We Broke On The Way To The Show, due out September 8th on Pretty Kids Collective records.

The Minneapolis band made up of Irish ex-pats and Midwest natives have written an impressive record filled with songs about lust and longing, sordid affairs, brutal regrets, and the after parties that fuel them. Without even so much as trying their engaging first single "Loaded" managed to find itself on local radio, touted as "Song Of The Day" and entered into heavy rotation on the Twin Cities indie/alt leaning NPR station The Current.

The forthcoming release features tracks from the Loaded EP - recorded in L.A. with producer Mark Needham (The Killers, Bloc Party) - and new tracks mixed and produced by Tony Lash (the Dandy Warhols, Elliott Smith) and engineered by the likes of Erik Applewick (Tapes 'n Tapes) and Chad Weiss (Mason Jennings). The Hearts We Broke On The Way To The Show is akin to a familiar friend that keeps you on your toes, spanning glam, neo-New Wave, and disco with nods to everyone from Berlin-era Bowie to pre-Dig! Dandy's. - more on this story

Ancient Astronauts Cliche Filled New Release Announcement

PR reports: This Tuesday, June 9th, ESL Records will be dropping the Ancient Astronauts intergalactic [self-proclaimed]masterpiece and debut full length 'We Are To Answer'.

Marking a foray into new territory for ESL, 'We Are To Answer' drifts back to an epic era of experimentation within the world of hip-hop production.

A time when melody laced the beat, and tracks were journeys into the listeners subconscious. It was the Mo'Wax era, the Grand Royal era, a moment in musical history where worlds were audibly colliding on the turntables, headphones, and MPC 2000's of every bedroom producer and hip-hop head around the world. - more on this story

Free Twig

PR reports: Shape-shifting performer, song-sculptor, and actor, 20-year old Slim Twig is offering up a mixtape called 'Spit It Twig (Vol.1)' as a freebie download in support of his forthcoming full-length Paper Bag Records debut, Contempt!.

In the spirit of hip-hop mixtapes, it's a mishmash of Slim messing with samples from tracks he likes (old Wu Tang, etc), tracks remixed from the album, with Slim singing other lyrics over instrumentals, etc. He's printed up physical copies to give out at shows and has it up on his MySpace. Slim and his Mercy Mercenaries have a series of US dates in June (below) with Japandroids, and will be doing another run in August.

'Spit It Twig! (Vol. 1)' was conceived as a literal version of my Contempt! album. I thought it would be fun to take the initial concept of making a sample-based album ala Wu-Tang Clan combined with my own style of vocalizing to its most obvious conclusion: a mixtape of original lyrics over Wu-Tang (and similarly inspired) beats. In this way, it should play as a skeletal blueprint of the actual album. The idea of contributing my own take on mixtape culture at large in this instance was a great fit, since it shares an exuberance for re-appropriation that I hoped to achieve with Contempt!" -Slim Twig

Download Slim's 'Spit It Twig! (Vol. 1)' Mixtape as you contemplate how these hip hoppers comes up with such silly names. - Download it here

Ninetail Deliver Half Truths & Hand Grenades

MVD reports: With "Half Truths & Hand Grenades," The York, Pennsylvania-based metal monster known as Ninetail have taken their devastatingly intense variety of metal music to an entirely new level. This, their sophomore effort released by DRP Records, is faster, heavier and more technically complex than their previous release.

In anticipation of the album's national release, Ninetail toured the country on the 2008 Project Independent Showcase Tour from August 29th - November 2nd, 2008. The tour, which consisted of 58 performances in 33 different states, introduced Ninetail to metalheads all across the country, and gave the band a chance to connect with countless new fans.

Ninetail was established in the Summer of 2005. The band - with Don Belch and Chris Evan (guitars), J. William Heitmann (vocals), Griff (bass), Greg Weber (keys & samples) and Chris Appenzeller (drums) - has enjoyed a slow and steady rise to the forefront of the American underground metal scene. Having thrilled more than 200 audiences in 35 different states with its ultra-violent, high-energy live performance, Ninetail has built a fanatically loyal fan base across the United States. - more on this story

Masters Of Metal Tour

PR reports: Ignominious Incarceration will be headlining the Masters Of Metal tour with support from The Boy Will Drown, along with Bleed From Within and The Argent Dawn.

Ignominious Incarceration drummer Sam Bailey comments on the tour: "Masters of Metal tour is a combination of our favourite UK metal bands. Not to mention touring with amazing dudes, we are hitting some of our favourite venues in the country, which means the antics that will take place over this 7 day UK tour will be legendary.

"Everything will be recorded and documented over our YouTube page, from the pits and gigs to the drinking and antics. You seriously can't miss this tour!" - more on this story

A.R. Rahman Comedy Score

PR reports: It was announced today that Oscar-winning composer and internationally renowned musician A.R. Rahman will compose the score to the Universal Pictures' upcoming comedy Couples Retreat. Today's announcement marks Rahman's first foray into composing music for an American comedy feature film.

A.R. Rahman captured the international spotlight after winning two Academy Awards® for 'Best Original Score' for his work on Slumdog Millionaire and 'Best Original Song' for "Jai Ho" (Music by Rahman, Lyrics by Gulzar). Rahman also became the first Indian artist to win a Golden Globe for Best Original Score and took home numerous awards including the Critics Choice Award, Los Angeles Film Critics Award and a BAFTA for Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman's score and soundtrack received critical praise from publications including Rolling Stone, TIME, The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times.

A true artist who has redefined contemporary Indian music, A.R. Rahman is an icon in the world of cinematic scoring. He has been hailed by TIME as the "Mozart of Madras" and was included in 2009's TIME 100, which profiles the world's most influential people, as well as Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business. He has also earned the designation of being one of the world's top 25 all-time selling recording artists with sales of 100 million albums worldwide. - more on this story

. Anvil! The Story of Anvil

Im sitting in a small suburban movie theater just outside of Chicago and the audience is roaring with laughter, cheering at the screen, banging their heads, thrusting devils horn hands to the air and at select moments, shedding a few tears along the way - Read the full Anvil! The Story of Anvil review

. First Look: Hill Country Revue

Hill Country Revue is making strides in an overly dense indie arena and emerging as one of the few gems. Comprised of Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew from The North Mississippi Allstars, plus Kirk Smithhart, Ed Hot Cleveland and Dixie Dan Coburn. - Read the full First Look: Hill Country Revue review

Wait There is More!

Read Day In Rock Reports From Other Days
 

Submit news or a press release to the Day In Rock report