All Smiles, aka Jim Fairchild of Grandaddy and Modest Mouse fame, releases his second full-length, "Oh For The Getting And Not Letting Go" today (Small Aisles)!

Critics are already crowing about how great the record is--but, in the immortal words of LeVar Burton, you don't have to take their word for it. Thanks to the folks at MySpace, the album is featured smack dab on the front of their music page, so you can hear the entire thing there, or you can stream Jim's incredibleness on Spinner.com, as they're hosting a great listening party all week.

"It's the kind of album I wanted to share with everyone right after I first heard it.....Fairchild is incredibly talented in his own right."--NPR "All Songs Considered"

"....it's constantly in my head. Constantly....the record in question, Oh, For The Getting And Not Letting Go, comes out on June 30. It's crammed full of melodies and ornate arrangements, cinematic soundscapes and thumping beats." --Music For Robots

"...the album sounds like a warm audio scrapbook, evoking not just Grandaddy, but Elliott Smith in both hushed and full-blare modes, John Lennon's psychedelic Rolls-Royce, and the spiraling but pop-friendly guitars of Built to Spill. " --Portland Mercury

Let me know if I can get you anything--Jim is available for interviews, and you can grab his bio, photos, and more here. All Smiles also has a brand new, revamped website where you can buy the album, hear tracks and read Jim's wonderful words. In part of today's post, he says, "This new album deals with a few ideas. But it speaks a lot to making sure that we make damn certain the people around us know we love them. And somehow, once again, that seems more important than ever. Please enjoy the album. We hope you get as much out of it as we put in to it. There is a lot of joy in there. We hope that this message finds each of you well." Jim, we love you. Congrats.

SCREAMING FEMALES F'N KILLED IT DEAD LAST NIGHT OPENING FOR DINOSAUR JR.....

From the NY Press: "As I (quite skillfully) wormed my way through the crowd of a sold-out Music Hall of Williamsburg show, I began to wonder if this was going to be one of those shows where the hungry young opener devours the aging headliner.

Screaming Females' rhythm section, consisting of Jarrett Dougherty and bassist King Mike, laid it down heavy, playing danceable, dare I say funky, garage punk beneath driving octave fuzz riffs. I got to the stage just in time to see the ultra small-framed guitarist/singer Marissa Paternoster, rip a volcanic whammy pedal solo, one of many in an amazing set of what I can only describe as a 21st century freak-out. I almost think it's too easy to compare her at first glance, to other skillful female musicians: Carrie Brownstein and Karen O immediately came to mind, but perhaps is too limiting a statement to make. I heard Hendrix, Prince and, inevitably, some J Mascis in there too. "

From WisdomToof:

6/26/2009

ON SCREAMALES & ROCK RELEVANCE, ETC

(clearly a g-chat conversation between Ali & myself)

me: omg, i wish you could have seen screaming females last night it was SO EPIC.

me: like, so, so so epic

Ali: oh yeaaah

me: they play with these tiny amps but because it was in that place it was all mic'd up and they sounded so fucking heavy

me: it was like the perfect sound for them

me: best i've ever heard them

me: and the applause was insane i was like, holy shit, if people didn't like them before...

me: it was straight up insanity

Ali: that is awesome, how was dinosaur jr?

me: they were good, but seriously it was like, such a hard act to follow!

CHECK OUT THE PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT'S NEW VIDEO FOR "TALLYMARKS" (FEAT. THAO NGUYEN OF THAO WITH THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN"!

Folks (see: The Fader, Prefix) are already super pumped on this Clyde Petersen-directed slice of radness, and we know that you will be, too. Give it a gander, and spread it around!

OH, And don't forget to note Portland Cello Project's new tour dates!

7/66 - Jacksonville, OR @ Britt Festival - w/ Andrew Bird
7/22 - Portland, OR @ Portland Center for the Performing Arts
7/24 - Boise, ID @ Neurolux - w/ Loch Lomand, Blitzen Trapper
7/25 - Stanley, ID @ Sawtooth Music Festival in Pioneer Park
7/26 - Kennewick, WA @ The Red Room
8/7 - Portland, OR @ Northwest Dance Project Studio
8/8 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir - PCP Justified
8/14 - Portland, OR @ Washington Park
8/19 - Sandy, OR @ Meinig Park
8/23 - Lake Oswego, OR @ Millennium Plaza Park
9/16 - Portland, OR @ Berbati's Pan - w/ Damien Jurado, Will Sheff

BLACK WHALES.

Black Whales (black * whAYles), n. : Flowers on drugs, warm-hearted spaghetti-westerns, reverb-soaked, tubey riffs in the hay amidst an organized chaos of booming and danceable rhythms, honey-sticky melodics, jangly guitar hooks, tambourines, shaker magic.

Origins , the debut EP from Seattle, WA’s Black Whales will get you good. It will hit all of your sweet spots, it will surprise you with its seemingly effortless, effortlessly seamless songwriting. It will cause you, while in the middle of going through your pile of releases, to excitedly remember that brilliant bands that are just at the start of undoubtedly great journeys are indeed sometimes in said pile (this will happen because Black Whales is such a band).

The quintet officially formed in early 2008. With limited dough and loose song ideas, Black Whales entered Soundhouse Recording and Chroma Sound studios with producer Zack Reinig in early 2008 to record together for the first time, and the resulting fire, drive and intuitively addictive nature of their Origins EP both solidified each members’ commitment to and excitement about the band. Before, Black Whales were a good idea; a great project—after leaving the studio, Black Whales were a unit. A team. A Band with a capital B.

Thus, Origins’ thematic content is twofold: obviously, it’s the band’s recorded starting point. More importantly, however, it’s each member shaking off the past and everything that goes with it. As lead vocalist/guitarist Alex Robert explains, “No memories, no regrets, no heartbreak, no blood. The album is meant to sound wide-eyed and optimistic but with lots of ghosts and memories still hanging around. I guess that's as close as it gets to thematic.”

Indeed, on the title track (which starts with a bright, mellow guitar line that is then built upon with echoey toms that are then built upon with more deeply reverbed guitars that sound like they were recorded in a tank across the room), Black Whales’ refrain is “I don’t owe you anything./I don’t owe you anything.” They’re not being dismissive, just honest, confident, explanatory.

There’s so much darkness in their pop, and there’s so much brightness in their shade. Black Whales are far from being one-dimensional; they’ve done what, if one is honest with oneself, only happens rarely: they’ve found perfect matches and musical foils with each other. They’ve found an incredibly textural, experimentally off-center, perfectly heart-hitting way of bringing their amazing songs to fruition. Again, quoting Robert: “I think this record shows what kind of music we would have wanted to listen to, before recording it...if that makes sense.” It does.

Black Whales are a force recorded. Black Whales are a force live. Black Whales is the kind of band, and Origins the kind of EP, that will reward you for caring about music…and they’re just getting started.

LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT A DIGITAL PROMO, photos (new ones coming soon!), interviews or any such thing, and I will promptly provide.

Have a great wknd. xo joan/riot act.

All Sorts Of Noise About Noise For The Needy!

Tomorrow is the kick off of 2009's Noise For The Needy Benefit and the press is just bubbling with excitement for the wonderful cause that (fortunately for us music fans) features an AMAZING lineup... thank you to all of our stellar friends in the Seattle press for supporting such a great cause!!

Seattle PI

Noise for the Needy music fest kicks of Thursday

By Shawn Telford

If something new and exciting is in order, check out the dark rock sounds of Black Whales (June 13 at Chop Suey with Portland's Point Juncture, WA and the Pica Beats.)

Seattle PI

Ear Candy

Ear Candy's Night of Musical Madness 2009, featuring Art Brut and Brent Amaker and the Rodeo

I'll be indulging my ears in are Brent Amaker and the Rodeo with The Valley and others at the Comet Tavern and Art Brut and Miike Snow at Neumos. The great thing about both of these shows is that they are part of the annual Noise for the Needy concert series, which means the money I am spending on tickets will benefit Transitional Resources..

.

Seattle Weekly

Rocket Queen: Mad Love

Noise for the Needy turns up the volume on mental-health issues.

By Hannah Levin

While the national acts will undoubtedly draw big crowds, the local selections at some of the smaller clubs are also very thoughtfully curated, and include wildly popular dance nights like the Mike Nipper–helmed Emerald City Soul Club (Saturday at the Lo-Fi/Victory Lounge) and some of the strongest up-and-coming acts working around town right now.

The Stranger

Line-Out

Noise for the Needy Kick-Off Party

Posted by Megan Seling

All you have to do to lend a hand is show up at a Noise for the Needy show and viola! You're a good samaritan!

The Stranger

Up & Coming

Megan Seling

Noise for the Needy: Pt Juncture, WA; Black Whales; the Pica Beats; Grant Olsen

(Chop Suey) The great thing about this year's Noise for the Needy festival is that just about every genre gets a turn in the spotlight. So tonight, while Black Eyes & Neckties and Loving Thunder rip the roof off the Wildrose, fans of a more-mellow vibe will sway and gaze at their shoes for Portland's Point Juncture, WA. The band's shimmering and swirling songs have blasts of tambourine, horns, and harmonies that have earned them comparisons to Yo La Tengo, Stereolab, and Spoon. Openers Black Whales are one of my favorite bearded, folk-tinged acts in Seattle right now (which is saying a lot, as there are many)

Seattle Times

Matson on Music

Andrew Matson

The defining quality of NftN is reality: The organizations it benefits really do help people, and its bands really are good.

Ballard News-Tribune

Rock out, help out

By Michael Harthorne

This month, Ballard music fans will still have the chance to wake-up with ringing ears and a pounding hangover after a night of live music. But coupled with those usual pains, will be a warm and satisfying feeling knowing they rocked out to help those less fortunate than themselves.

Metblogs

charity music agenda: noise for the needy runs wednesday through sunday

By Josh

As for the live music, there are so many options to draw you in, you’d be hard pressed to go wrong. Throw Me the Statue has an eagerly-awaited album coming out very soon, Grand Archives are back from a big European tour with likely previews of new material, I Was A King have come all the way from Norway for you, and as far as I can tell, you have to be dead to not be having fun at an Art Brut show or dancing sweatily when you’re in the capable hands of the Emerald City Soul Club.

Kitsap Sun

by Ear Candy

The great thing about these shows is that they are part of the annual Noise for the Needy concert series, which means the money I am spending on tickets will benefit Transitional Resources, a West Seattle organization that provides transitional housing, jobs and other services for mentally ill adults.

Brooklyn Vegan loves the taste of Loch Lomond!

Just today, Brooklyn Vegan posted a bunch of great stuff about the wonderful Loch Lomond! Not only is there a song to download but a brand new video premier exclusive to the site... you have to go to Brooklyn Vegan to see "Witchy" but until you get your butt there, here's them performing "Elephants & Little Girls" live.

Bust Magazine is flipping out on PCP too!

From Bust.com:

When it comes to ingenuity in music, The Portland Cello Project is the picture of a forward-thinking group. The ensemble, which is made up of a remarkable 8-16 cellists at a time, has invested in the philosophy that ‘collaboration is the ironic cornerstone of independent musicianship.’ Talented team in tow, the group has dreamed up an impressive array of sounds.

Ahhh, the new album is out tomorrow, you're going to flip when you hear it too!

Pitchfork Is Excited About Portland Cello Project's New Album - Out Tomorrow!

So, not only are we super stoked about Portland Cello Project's "The Thao and Justin Power Sessions" but so is Pitchfork! It comes out tomorrow via our beloved neighbors, Kill Rock Stars!

Catch them live this summer and have your face melted off!

THE PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT

06.11.09 - Seattle, WA @ Triple Door
06.12.09 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
06.13.09 - Eugene, OR @ Cozmic Pizza
07.16.09 - Jacksonville, OR @ Britt Festival
07.24.09 - Boise, ID @ Neurolux
07.25.09 - Stanley, ID @ Pioneer Park
08.14.09 - Portland, OR @ Washington Park
08.19.09 - Meinig Park @ Sandy, OR
08.23.09 - Lake Oswego, OR @ Millennium Plaza Park
09.16.09 - Portland, OR @ Berbati's Pan

CMJ Gets High On PCP!

That's right... CMJ loves a little hit of the Portland Cello Project and wrote a nice little story on their new album The Thao and Justin Power Sessions that comes out next Tuesday on Kill Rock Stars and their upcoming supporting tour.

The concerts are purposely suitable for all demographics: boogie-ing grannies, head nodding hipsters, budding middle-school musicians and everyone in between because bringing everyone together in a spirit of collaboration only adds to the philosophy of diversity that PCP proudly upholds.

You can read the whole article here!

Oh, plus, if you pre-order the disc, you get a free three song EP with a Justin Timberlake cover.

Tinymixtapes Loved Loch Lomond at Sasquatch

Whoa dudes, we knew it was true but it's awesome to read that Tinymixtapes.com thought Loch Lomond leveled it at Sasquatch this year.

Despite a dry program description that made them sound like the walking history of roots folk, I was pleased to discover Loch Lomond as my new favorite band from Portland. When someone dressed straight out of your grandpa’s high school yearbook walks out on stage, and the first words out of their mouths are "the sound of children laughing makes my eyes bleed," you can’t help but fall in love. They obviously practice together a lot, because in a festival full of mediocre vocals, they harmonized five across with perfect pitch and timing, matched by precision musicianship that was full of personality. They knew they could rely on one another to be where they needed to be, and they never disappointed.

As they got to the chorus of "Tic," one of their epic numbers, a serious gust of wind picked up. Seeing their synergy come together as they belted out a Joseph Merrick ("The Elephant Man") inspired chorus while the forces of nature bore down on them was like being at a music video shoot. You could not have scripted it better. That something "special" that every band needs: Loch Lomond has it in spades.

Full article here!


http://www.tinymixtapes.com/The-Five-Best-And-Worst-Moments-of

NYLON LOVES SCREAMING FEMALES!

WHOA! In case you haven't heard, Screaming Females were just announced as main support on the Dead Weather tour! We're super psyched to see a shred-off between Jack and Marissa, but until that happens, we'll be reading this brand new feature on NYLON's website! repeatedly. Check it!

Ain't nothin' better than touring in the summertime...catch all these fine, fine Riot Act artists while ye can, AND GET IN TOUCH FOR MATERIALS, LIST AND MORE INFO if you are interested in penning some words in print or online! xo Joan/Riot Act.

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GLORYTELLERS
06.02.09 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Brillobox w/Joe Lally
06.03.09 - Newport, KY @ Southgate House Parlor w/Joe Lally
06.04.09 - St. Louis, MO @ Firebird w/Joe Lally
06.05.09 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen w/Joe Lally
06.06.09 - Pontiac, MI @ The Pike Room w/Joe Lally
06.07.09 - Toronto ON @ Sneaky Dee's w/Joe Lally
06.09.09 - Montreal QC @ Le Divan Orange w/Joe Lally
06.10.09 - Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East Upstairs w/Joe Lally
06.11.09 - New York, NY @ Cake Shop w/Joe Lally
06.12.09 - Brooklyn, NY @ Union Hall w/Joe Lally
06.13.09 - Washington DC @ The Black Cat Backstage w/Joe Lally

GLORYTELLERS: "ATONE" OUT 9/8 ON SOUTHERN.

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LEONARD MYNX
06.06.09 - Portland, OR @ Roadside Attraction
06.11.09 - Boulder, CO @ Laughing Goat
06.20.09 - Denver, CO @ Meadowlark
06.24.09 - Prescott, AZ @ Raven Cafe

LEONARD MYNX: "VESPER" OUT NOW ON WALLY UNO MUSIC.
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LOCH LOMOND
06.06.09 - Gresham, OR @ Gresham Center for the Arts
07.09.09 - Sacramento, CA @ Harlows
07.10.09 - Visalia, CA @ The Cellar Door
07.11.09 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Velvet Jones
07.13.09 - Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
07.15.09 - Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen
07.18.09 - Iowa City, IA @ The Picador
07.20.09 - Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theater
07.21.09 - Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium

LOCH LOMOND: "TRUMPETS FOR PAPER CHILDREN" EP OUT NOW ON HUSH RECORDS.
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THE PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT
06.11.09 - Seattle, WA @ Triple Door
06.12.09 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
06.13.09 - Eugene, OR @ Cozmic Pizza
08.19.09 - Meinig Park @ Sandy, OR
08.23.09 - Lake Oswego, OR @ Millennium Plaza Park

THE PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT: "THE THAO AND JUSTIN POWER SESSIONS" OUT 6/9 ON KILL ROCK STARS.

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THE PAUL GREEN SCHOOL OF ROCK ALL-STARS
06.06.09 - Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project (at Seattle Center)
(The Music of The Rolling Stones)
06.13.09 - Seattle, WA @ The Laser Dome (at Pacific Science Center)
(The Music of Talking Heads and DEVO (with laser Show!))

WATCH THE PAUL GREEN SCHOOL OF ROCK ALL-STARS PERFORMING RADIOHEAD'S "PARANOID ANDROID" BY CLICKING ON THE NICE PICTURE.
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SCREAMING FEMALES
07.13.09 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
07.14.09 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
07.16.09 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5
07.17.09 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5
07.18.09 - New York, NY @ House of Blues
07.21.09 - Montreal, Canada @ Olympia De Montreal
07.22.09 - Toronto, Canada @ Kool Haus
07.24.09 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
07.25.09 - Columbus, OH @ The LC Pavilion
07.27.09 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
07.28.09 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
07.29.09 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
07.30.09 - Nashville, TN @ War Memorial Auditorium

SCREAMING FEMALES "POWER MOVE" OUT NOW ON DON GIOVANNI.
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WEINLAND
06.02.09 - Merced, CA @ The Partisan
06.03.09 - San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord
06.04.09 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Crepe Place
06.05.09 - Santa Rosa, CA (promo) @ The Last Record Store
06.06.09 - Bend, OR @ Old St. Francis School
07.11.09 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Street Fair

WEINLAND "BREAKS IN THE SUN" OUT NOW ON BADMAN.

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