The AGP Review Board


The High Dials - Moon Country
Self Released

It was the winter of 2005 when I first heard Montreal's The High Dials, the band were receiving loads of critical praise and making it onto a lot of year end lists for there superb 2nd album The War of The Wakening Phantoms. Four years have passed, the band has since parted ways with there then label Rainbow Quartz and this time around have decided to release there latest album on there own.

Moon Country was recorded in a stone cottage in Sligo, on Ireland's west coast and in the bands hometown. Weather it was the location for witch they chose to record or a the natural progression from there last record The High Dials have delivered a pristine and powerful pop record and one of the most addictive song cycles I've heard in years. The psychedelic sounds they showcased on there 1st two releases are still present,however they're balanced with power pop in the vein of Big Star and Teenage Fanclub for there most focused and accessible album to date.


The album pays homage to the days of the LP by dividing it into two sides complete with a short track of silence in between Seagull Blues and Open Up The Gates. Just like those old black circles we used to play in our bedrooms as kids. Wait a minute I better be careful not show my age like that. One of the things I really like about this album is that it's the perfect blend of the bands strengths. On the first half of the album The High Dials deliver jubilant power pop and the latter half they let there psych tendencies run wild. The results are psych pop perfection.

Moon Country was released by The High Dials in Canada last September with assistance from Fontana Distribution. Although there are no plans for an official US release I highly recommend you seek this album out at one of the several digital shops currently offering it.

I am pleased to be able to offer the Moon Country full album stream. I'll keep this up as long as I can, and as long it's OK with the band and there management.




Buy this album:
Zunior.com
Mapple Music
Apollo Audio

The High Dials/myspace

Free Grizzly Bear Download
Veckatimest has already become one of the years most talked about albums and we're still two months away from it's official release, May 24 via Warp. Luckily the band has decided to offer up a free download of the album track Cheerleader at grizzly-bear.net. I just listened to it for the 5th time in a row and I have to say it's pretty great!



Listen Grizzly Bear - Cheerleader

Grizzly Bear will play the Berkley Performance Center on June 3rd.

Set Guitars to Kill

I thought I'd dedicate some time this St. Patrick's Day to one of Northern Ireland's finest bands. And So I Watch From A Far formed in Antrim in 2006 and have since relocated to Belfast in order to be closer to the Belfast music scene. Since that move the band has received well deserved critical praise and have been dropping jaws with there Live gigs throughout Ireland and the UK.

Hot on the heels of there superb debut EP This is Our Machine and Nothing Can Stop It, ASIWFAF are preparing to release there 1st proper full length. On April 14 the bands label Smalltown America will release And So I Watch From A Far. I can only hope a trip stateside is in the cards for the boys from Antrim.


.

And So I Watch From A Far myspace Page

Love is a Wave
According to Slumberland Records Crystal Stilts will release new music on March 31st in the form of The Love is a Wave 7" single. The release will also feature the b-side Sugar Baby. Considering how I've made public my love for the bands excellent debut Alight of Night, new music from Brooklyn's Crystal Stilts is a welcome find. Not to mention that the A side is a fuzzed out dream pop gem.

Listen: Crystal Stilts - Love is a Wave

Live Dates
Mar 14 2009 8:00P Music Hall w/ Blank Dogs+ Brooklyn
Mar 15 2009 8:00P DC9 District of Columbia
Mar 16 2009 8:00P Al’s Lexington, Kentucky
Mar 17 2009 8:00P Milsap’s Jackson, Mississippi
Mar 18 2009 8:00P Rudyard’s Houston, Texas
Mar 19 2009 8:00P SXSW Buns

Crystal Stilts Myspace

Regurgitation
Welcome to the 1st installment of a new feature here at The AGP that features content found elsewhere. In other words I may not have broken the story, but It's too good not to share. In this inaugural edition I am pleased to be able to share some performances from last weeks Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco.

Just a quick note:
The Deerhunter set is missing the encore, however you get to hear four new songs! Stephen Malkmus' solo performance of Pink India ends abruptly, but that does not detract from it's awesomeness.









For more performances from Noise Pop 2009 check outWolfgangsvault

Deerhunter Official Site/Blog
Port O'Brien
Ra Ra Riot
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

A Site Update and New Music from Swan Lake

Over the past two and half years I have been using the screen name Evil Speakers for all of the posts and content that appeared on this blog. At first I thought it would be a good way to hide while I became comfortable with the idea of putting my two cents out there. I enjoy writing, although I don't claim to be any good at it. I hope you the reader has found something worth while from time to time on this page. I've dropped the name but my URL will not change, so Evil Speakers will go on.

In other AGP news I have plans to bring more reviews and audio content to this page, so stay tuned for that and as always thanks for reading.



In music related news and an excuse to share some new music this Friday, I'm eagerly awaiting the release of Swan Lake's Enemy Mine on March 24th. The new album was recorded in Victoria, British Columbia and once again features Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade/Sunset Rubdown), Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes), and Dan Bejar (Destroyer/New Pornographers). Enemy Mine is the bands second release and is said to be a more collaborative affair this time around.

The bands label Jagjaguwar are offering three tracks for free download, while you're there you might as well check out the pre-order information as well.

Swan Lake- A Hand at Dusk from Enemy Mine.

Show Alert:
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart



This Sunday night Brooklyn's The Pains of Being Pure at Heart bring there noise pop goodness to The Middle East upstairs. The band is touring in support of there self titled debut full length out now on Slumberland Records. I've been trying not to let the newness of this album get the better of me, but after a month of steady listening The Pains debut just keeps getting better and better with each subsequent listen. It's been a while since I've heard an album this good all the way through. Not just that, every song is a sure fire hit, in a different time of course.

Doors are at 8:00 with support from Pants Yell!, Shrinking Islands, and fellow New Yorkers Depreciation Guild.

Another Year End List For The Fire

Punctuality has never been my strong suit, just ask anyone who knows me and they're bound to tell you I'm always a few minutes late for everything. So the fact that I'm just getting around to posting this list should come as no surprise.

In 2008 the small staff at The Ash Gray Proclamation had a few eureka moments thanks to some great releases from Deerhunter, Times New Viking, TV on The Radio, and the pop rock gold found on the debut from Boston Spaceships.

As far as the list goes, these are merely our favorite records of 2008. I've assigned numbers to give this list some kind of order. I started with a simple criteria for witch an album must qualify for this list.

1. The album was released and purchased in 2008
2. No re-issues
3. No greatest hits
4. Spins- how often an album was played

Although I've been doing these lists for a number of years in some form or another, this is only the second year that the list has been made available on this blog. This year I've added some audio links, most of those are single track streams, in some cases full album previews are available. I also added links for purchasing all of these fine releases that saw the light of day in 2008.

Honorable Mention:
Some albums worth mentioning but were not included on this years list.
Elbow-The Seldom Seen Kid
Fucked Up- The Chemistry of Modern Life
Circus Devils- Ataxia
The Mountain Goats- Heretic Pride
The Magnetic Fields- Distortion.


The AGP Top 20

20. Sloan- Parallel Play (Yep Roc)

Listen: Parallel Play full album stream
Buy it at the Yep Roc Store.

19. Crystal Stilts - Alight of Night (Slumberland Records)

Listen: Crystal Stilts- Shattered Shine
Buy it from Slumberland

18. Spiritualized- Songs In A & E (Fontana/Spaceman)

Listen: Spiritualized- You Lie You Cheat
Buy It at Newbury Comics.

17. Times New Viking - Rip it Off(Matador)

Listen: Times New Viking- (My Head)/R.I.P. Allegory
Buy It from the Matador store.

16. Nada Surf- Lucky (Barsuk)

Listen: Nada Surf- See These Bones
Buy It from the Barsuk shop.

15. Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed(Arts & Crafts)

Listen: Los Campesinos!- We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Buy It from Arts & Crafts.

14. Silver Jews- Lookout Mountain Lookout Sea (Drag City)

Listen: Silver Jews- Strange Victory, Strange Defeat
Buy It from Drag City.

13. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins (Jagjaguwar)

Listen: Okkervil River- Lost Coastlines
Buy It from the Jagjaguwar store.

12. Super Fury Animals- Hey Venus (Rough Trade)

Listen: Super Fury Animals- Run Away
Buy It from the Beggars Group.

11. Portisehead- Third


Listen: Portishead- Machine Gun
Buy It from the Island store.

10. Robert Pollard- is Off To Business (Guided By Voices, Inc)

Listen: Robert Pollard- Gratification to Concrete
Buy It from Rockathon.

09. Wolf Parade- At Mount Zoomer (Sub-Pop)

Listen: Wolf Parade- Language City
Buy It from the Sub-Pop store.

08. No Age - Nouns (Sub-Pop)

Listen: No Age- Teen Creeps
Buy It from the Sub-Pop store.

07. Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Continues (Kranky)

Listen: Deerhunter- Nothing Ever Happens
Buy It from Kranky.

06. Los Campesinos!- Hold on Now, Youngster
(Arts & Crafts)

Listen: Los Campesinos!-Death To Los Campesinos!
Buy It from Arts & Crafts.

05. TV On The Radio- Dear Science (DGC/Interscope)

Listen: Dear Science Full Album Stream
Buy It from Cinder Block.

04. Sigur Ros- Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (EMI/XL)

Listen: Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust Full Album Stream
Buy It from Sigur Ros shop.

03. Boston Spaceships- Brown Submarine (Guided By Voices, Inc.)

Listen: Boston Spaceships- Go For The Exit
Buy It from Rockathon.

02. Frightened Rabbit- The Midnight Organ Fight (Fat Cat)

Listen: Frightened Rabbit- The Modern Leper
Buy It from Fat Cat Records.

01. The Walkmen - You & Me (Record Collection)

Listen: You & Me Full Album Stream
Buy It from Merch Lackey.

The Rake Song

I'm hard at work trying to complete the belated list of our 20 favorite albums of 2008, so I'll keep this brief.

The forthcoming album from The Decemberists The Hazzards of Love will be released on March 24 via Capital Records and right now you can download The Rake Song form the album free or charge. Just pay a visit to decemberists.com.

It's time to get back to work, I must get this list done before February strikes.

The Decemberists- The Rake Song

Show Alerts for MLK Weekend


This weekend is choc full of quality Live shows. Sure the tempertures are in the negative, you could read that book by the fire or you can get out and catch some great bands playing your town this Martin Luther King Weekend.

Tonight finds The Paradise hosting three of Boston's finest, Faces on Film, AGP favorites Hallelujah The Hills and Aaron Perino's Dear Leader.

Saturday brings North Carolina's The Rosebuds to The Middle East, downstairs with support from The Love Language and Boston's popsters Fatal Flaw.

This Sunday marks The return of Selkirk Scotland's Frightened Rabbit to Boston. The band has continued to recieve critical acclaim for there sophomore album The Midnight Organ Fight, deservedly so. You may have noticed that they've been named in just about every year end list worth a damn. Frightened Rabbit play Great Scott with David Karsten Daniels and Pants Yell!. The Show is sold-out so if you're lucky enough to hold a ticket enjoy.

Frightened Rabbit - Heads Roll Off Live on WOXY.com



Finally on Monday the weekend will be put to rest with a band who has me reliving my Hardcore days as of late with there excellent The Chemistry of Common Life. Toronto's Fucked Up play The Middle East Upstairs with Clouds and Viva Viva

The book and your DVR will still be there on Tuesday I promise.

January Goes Pop


The New Pornographers frontman Carl Newman aka A.C. Newman is set to return with his second solo album Get Guilty. The album's release is set for this Tuesday, Inauguration Day via Matador. Get Guilty was recorded last summer at Brooklyn's Seaside Lounge with Phil Palazzolo. Some notable guests show up on the new album including Jon Wurster (Superchunk), Nicole Adkins and Mates of State. Newman is streaming two of the albums tracks, Submarines of Stockholm andThere are Maybe Ten or Twelve over at his Myspace page.

On February 20th A.C. Newman will kick off a tour in support of Get Guilty in Vancouver before playing two Boston area shows in March.

A.C. Newman Tour Dates
* 2/20 Vancouver, BC The Biltmore*
* 2/21 Seattle, WA Neumos*
* 2/22 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge*
* 2/24 Sacramento, CA Harlow’s*
* 2/25 San Diego, CA Casbah*
* 2/26 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour*
* 2/27 Santa Barbara, CA Club Mercy*
* 2/28 San Francisco, CA The Independent*
* 3/1 Eugene, OR John Henry’s*
* 3/10 Ithaca, NY Castaways*
* 3/11 Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace*
* 3/12 Montreal, QC Il Motore*
* 3/13 Providence, RI Club Hell*
* 3/14 Boston, MA Paradise*
* 3/15 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom*
* 3/17 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s**
* 3/18 Washington, DC Black Cat **
* 3/19 Chapel Hill, NC Cat’s Cradle**
* 3/20 Atlanta, GA The Earl**
* 3/21 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge**
* 3/22 St. Louis, MO Blueberry Hill**
* 3/24 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar**
* 3/25 Chicago, IL Logan Square Auditorium**
* 3/26 Pontiac, MI The Pike Room at The Crofoot**
* 3/27 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop**
* 3/28 Pittsburgh, PA Andy Warhol Museum**

* with Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele
** with The Broken West


A.C. Newman performing Like a Hitman, Like a Dancer from Get Guilty on Pitchforktv

Merriweather Post Pavillion

Animal Collective - My Girls

On January 20th Animal Collective will release there new album Merriweather Post Pavillion. To say there's a bit of a buzz building around this release is putting it mildly. With a 9.6 review over at Pitchfork and Stereogum hailing it as a masterstroke, bloggers and critics alike are working themselves into a lather with excitement over an album that won't see the light of day for two more weeks. Animal Collective are a band that have lived up to there hype in the past and judging by My Girls, the track streaming over at there Myspace page they're poised to do it again and quite possible exceed all expectations.

The vinyl enthusiasts will get first crack at hearing the new album as it was released this past week in limited quantity. When I stopped by local Newbury Comics they had not received any copies of the album. I guess that's the price I pay for living in the sticks.

Here's the run down from the bands label,Domino Animal Collective’s 9th full length album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, will be released early on deluxe 2xLP 180 gram gatefold vinyl with full album download (WAV or MP3) January 6th, 2009 in North America. The CD & digital release date will remain January 20th (Jan. 12 UK/Europe).

News from Northridge
Six releases in 12 months, maybe more


It's fitting that our first post of the new year is an update on not only our favorite artist but the namesake of this blog, Robert Pollard.
We also have some audio to share, a sneak preview of two tracks from the upcoming releases.

According to our friends at Magnet Magazine Pollard has six albums in the can and set for release this year. Things will get started later this month with the release of his new solo album and coming in May we will be treated to Cosmos Jar of Jam Ton of Bricks a postal collaboration with Richard Davies (Cardinal & Moles). As per the norm with these collaborations Pollard provides lyrics and melodies over the Davies supplied instrumentation. We can also expect hear Davies providing vocals on four of the albums tracks. Let's just say were awful excited to hear these, but were especially giddy about the soon to be released 2nd album from Boston Spaceships The Planets Are Blasted.

6 Robert Pollard Releases for 2009 (so far)
January 20th Robert Pollard The Crawling Distance
February 17th Boston Spaceships The Planets Are Blasted
April Circus Devils Gringo
May Cosmos Jar Of Jam Ton Of Bricks
June Robert Pollard Elephant Jokes
September Boston Spaceships Zero To 99
All releases will come via Pollard's Guided By Voices, Inc.

Check out these sneak previews from Boston Spaceships & Circus Devils!

“Canned Food Demons” from Boston Spaceships’ The Planets Are Blasted:

“Every Moment Flame On” from Circus Devils’ Gringo:

Thanks to Nina Sabatino for the use of her Live shot of Boston Spaceships.

Christmas Eve


It was shortly after being introduced to U2 when I first heard Driving to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. A friend had given me a cassette copy of this recording and it instantly became a tradition to play it every Christmas Eve. Usually my brother and I would lock ourselves in our room, wrap gifts and press play on the tape deck. The years have passed pretty quickly and we have our own families and traditions to keep up with, but this year I found myself thinking of those Christmas Eve's. It always brings back great memories when I hear this recording. After a little searching I was able to find a digital copy because that old cassette is long gone, probable lost in the great basement flood of 1991. Merry Christmas to you all and as always thanks for supporting The Ash Gray Proclamation.

On this rare track Bono recites a poem by John F. Dean. Recorded for Dublin radio and first broadcast on December 31st 1983.

Driving To Midnight Mass On Christmas Eve mp3
Five-thousand million years ago, this earth lay heaving in a mass of rocks and fire
Wasting, burdened with its emptiness
Tonight, when arthropods and worms and sponges have given way to dinosaurs
And dinosaurs to working, wandering apes
Homoerectus have given way to sapiens, and he to
Homosapiens(alias Paddy Mack)

Look down on Dublin from the hills around
And lights could be a million Christmas trees
Still firs standing, while in the sky a glow as if of dawn
This day a light shall shine on us
The Lord is born within our city

Look along to the river toward O'Connell Bridge
The lights, the neon signs, all stream on water like breathed-on strips of tinsel
All is still...

Eleven-thirty, pubs begin to empty
Men stop to argue, sway and say the name of Jesus
For those who have known darkness
Who have now seen a wonderous light
Those who have dwelt on unlit streets
To them the light has come

Tonight, few cars go by
The blocks of flats with windowed-plastic trees
And fairy lights stand, watching for a miracle
Here are no dells where fairies might appear

Out from the dark an ambulance comes speeding
Sickly blue lights search in siren-still
The mystery of the night ticks slowly on
It will pass and leave memories of friends and small, half-welcomed things

In Him was life
In Him, life was the light of man
For neither prehistoric swans nor trilobites, the mesozoic birds
Neanderthal, nor modern man had ever dreamt or seen what was our God

The shops are gay with lights and bright things
All save funeral homes, they dare not advertise their presence
As midnight peels and organs start to play
Two cars meet headlong in a haze of drink
The crash flicks into silence
Pain crawls like a slime through blood and into limbs
God is revealed, a baby naked, crying in a crib

In the church porches and out along the grounds
Teenagers laugh and swear, smokin', watchin' girls
So, once more, Christmas trails away
Its meaning moves back into the mist and the march of time

written by: John F. Dean

Micro-news

In this edition of Micro-news we go a bit old school with news from two artists we grew up as well as an update from a band that continues to impress us. In this edition we catch up with The National, Morrissey, and The Cure. I'll try to keep this brief as I need to use this day to get my ass to the stores to start and finish my Christmas shopping.



According to a recent fan club e-mail The National are in the early stages of writing there next record. The band plans on entering the studio in April to start recording. The follow up to last years acclaimed Boxer(our #1 album of 2007) is expected to be released sometime in 2010.

In other National news Aaron and Bryce Dressner have produced a charity record for the Red Hot Organization. Dark Was The Night will be released on February 17th via 4AD. All profits from the sale of the record will go to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The album features 32 exclusive tracks and will be released as a double CD and on triple Vinyl. The National wrote and recorded a new song for the album called So Far Around The Bend. The Dressner brothers have assembled an impressive line-up for the album that includes tracks from The Decemberists, Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, Ben Gibbard (DCFC), Spoon and that's just a partial list.

The National will play The 19th Annual Tibet House Benefit Concert on February 3rd at Carnagie Hall.



Morrissey is set to release his first new recording since 2006's Ringleaders of The Tormentors. Years of Refusal will be released on February 17th via Atack/Lost Highway here in America. The Moz will be supporting the albums release with a US tour that will include rare club appearances. The tour kicks off on March 1st in Orlando, FLA. For more tour information be sure to check out itsmorrisseysworld. There is no sign of a Boston area show, but we'll be sure to post an update if that changes.

The Cure have been making the rounds on the late night TV circuit over the past couple of weeks promoting there new release 4:13 Dream out on Geffen with recent appearances on The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live as well as another on tap tomorrow night on Last Call with Carson Daily.

Also on Friday tune into your local NPR affiliate to hear The Cure's World Cafe session. Here in the Boston area you can catch the program on WUMB from 7pm to 11PM.

The Cure - The Perfect Boy on The Tonight Show 12/11/08

I've been home sick for the last two days and I've seen as muchLaw & Order as one man can take. So I thought I'd type. I really need to get focused on our year end list, but for now I'll share some news. I for one will be looking forward to two releases from Robert Pollard in early 2009.



The Crawling Distance will drop on January 20th. The album consists of 10 tracks, most of which clock in at between 3 and 4 minutes. All instruments and production were provided by Todd Tobias with Bob providing vocals. The Crawling Distance is the follow up to the 2008 solo offering Off to Business.

Robert Pollard - Imaginary Queen Anne mp3

On February 17th Boston Spaceships will release The Planets Are Blasted. Five months after releasing there sparkling debut, Boston Spaceships are set to return with another set of Pollard classics.

On December 30th Boston Spaceships will release the first single from there sophomore album. The Headache Revolution 7" single features 3 non album tracks. This release is limited to 500 copies and are only available at Rockathon.

Headache Revolution B- Sides
1) Demntia Is Rising
2) Take That Off (And Put This On)
3) 7 Is The Hot Noose

Both albums will be released via Guided By Voices, Inc.
Pre-order information for The Crawling Distance and the Headache Revolution 7" can be obtained at rockathon records

"Pollard is sort of the Grateful Dead equivalent for people who like Miller Lite instead of acid." - The Washington Post

Show Alert
Band:Crystal Stilts
Date: Tonight



Tonight Brooklyn's Crystal Stilts bring there gloomy garage pop to Great Scott in Alston. The band is out on tour supporting what can only be described as my sleeper album of the year. Alight of Night is equal parts Velvet Underground, Joy Division, Jesus & The Mary Chain as well early Flying Nun bands like The Chills. A dark brooding pop record and one hell of a debut.

Formed in 2003 by Brad Garret and JB Townsend, Crystal Stilts recorded there first single as a duo. However over the past couple of years they've expanded the line up adding Kyle Forrester (Keyboards), Andy Adler (Bass). Alight of Night is the follow up to the self titled EP and is the first to feature new drummer Frankie Rose formally of Vivian Girls.

Crystal Stilts - Crystal Stilts (2:56).
Crystal Stilts- Shattered Shine (2:51)
Streams courtesy of Last.fm

Take a look at the band performing in New York back in October.

crystal stilts at 92Y tribeca (nyc) october 11th, 2008 from marshmallowacid5 on Vimeo.

Crystal Stilts Myspace
Slumberland Records

Wilco Down Under

I thought I'd share a quick post before the mass exodus begins. Weather it's tofu turkey or the real thing the small staff at The Ash Gray Proclamation wishes you a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Just one quick news update before we punch the clock.
As Wilco continues to tour the country supporting Neil Young the band has reported that In December Jeff Tweedy, John Stiratt, and, Glen Kotche will travel to Auckland, NZ to record at Roundhead Studios with Neil Finn's Seven World's Collide Project with proceeds from the album going to Oxfam International. The album will also feature appearances by Radiohead's Phil Selway, and Ed O'Brien, as well as Johnny Marr and Liam Finn.

Wilco will play The DCU Center in Worcester on Saturday December 13th.

Micro-news
A long overdue visit to the news department has hatched a new edition of Micro-news. In this long overdue update we catch up with Los Campesinos, Belle & Sebastian, Animal Collective, and Margot & The Nuclear So & So's.

The Welsh seven piece Los Campesinos are about to release there 2nd full length of the year. We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed will be released in the US on next Tuesday November 27th.We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed will be a limited release. The band has posted the details of this release as well as the bonus material on there official site, loscampesinos.com.

Here's the rundown:
- There will be no singles released from this RECORD.
- This RELEASE is going to be limited. There will be one, worldwide run of CDs, and then it will be out of print. Done with.
-The package comes in a 14cm by 19cm by 2.5cm two-piece card box. That makes it rectangular in shape.
- The CD will be accompanied by a self-made DVD documentary of our weekend at Oya festival and SummerSonic in August of this year.
- It also includes a 30+ page 'zine, including the record's lyrics and contributions by artists including Xiu Xiu, Grandaddy, Tender Forever, Menomena, Parenthetical Girls and Paul Heaton, based around the title 'We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed'.
- Also each box comes with an exclusive poster drawn for us by Jeffrey Brown.

WAB,WAD follows up the bands excellent debut Hold On Now, Youngser, released back in February. Both releases come via Wichita Recordings and Arts&Crafts. Los Campesinos will play The Paradise on February 13th. While we wait for the new disc to drop take a look and listen to one of my favorites tracks from Hold On Now, Youngster

Los Campesinos- Death To Los Campesinos



I'm glad to see a little activity out of the Belle & Sebastian camp. The just released BBC Sessions compiles tracks from the bands in studio sessions recorded at the BBC between 1996 to 2001. An obvious must have for the B&S obsessive. The expanded version of this release includes 4 tracks recorded in 2001 that never saw release on any subsequent album and the last to feature former vocalist Isobel Campbell. The BBC Sessions also includes the 2001 Christmas gig in Belfast. It's going on three years since the band has released new material. Lets hope the activities surrounding this release will spark the band to get back in the studio.

Belle & Sebastian have posted this interview to mark the release of The BBC Sessions. Stevie Jackson and Chris Geddes, with their recollections of the various trips to Manchester and London to perform at The BBC.


















On January 20th Animal Collective will kick of the year of the ox, otherwise known as 2009 with there next long player Merriweather Post Pavilion. The bands label Domino Records recently sent out an angry letter to music writers that recvieved advance copies of Merriweather Post Pavilion when they were informed that one those writers was responsible for leaking three tracks from the album to the internet. No more advances for you dude!

Merriweather Post Pavilion Track Listing
In The Flowers
My Girls
Also Frightened
Summertime Clothes
Daily Routine
Bluish
Guys Eyes
Taste
Lion In A Coma
No More Runnin
Brothersport

Animal Collective-Brothersport @ The Gargoyle St. Louis, MO 9/24/07



Indianapolis, In's Margot & The Nuclear So & So's released two albums last month and there both receiving equal playing time around here. The band had to delay the album's release due to some disagreements with Epic over what material would be included on there next album. Animal is the bands preferred version of the album and is available only on vinyl and digital format, Not Animal is Epic's version and is available on CD, Vinyl, and digital formats. Confused yet? You can learn more as well as hear both albums by visiting the bands site Margot & The Nuclear So & So's. The band asks that you listen to Animal before the major label approved Not Animal.

Margot & The Nuclear So & So's- As Tall As Cliffs (Not Animal version)

Tickets to Give
Due to a work commitment tonight, I will be unable to attend the Deerhunter show with Times New Viking and Vivian Girls at The Paradise. So I figured I would spread some good will. The first person to send an e-mail to ashgrayproclamation@yahoo.com will win a pair of tickets to tonights show. Please send all entries by 4PM.
Good Luck.