Portland is pumped for Sea Of Bees, plus a new video!!

"Mark your calendars now because Songs for the Ravens, the debut full-length album from Sea of Bees, comes out on June 1, and it is, without a doubt, fucking fantastic. Following up last year's The Bee Eee Pee EP, Sea of Bees—the project of Central Valley's Julie Baenziger—have crafted a haunting, ravishing record that contains infinitely sumptuous layers. Baenziger's voice ranges from a child's meow to a wise old woman's incantations, while the songs' gorgeously bone-chilling backdrops feel like a sturdy house being restored to its former beauty after years of neglect—there's some dust and rot and maybe some overgrown vines creeping their way up the walls, but the foundation and frame are as strong as ever. Songs for the Ravens is bound to be one of this year's finest records; as soon as you hear it you're not going to be able to shake it." NED LANNAMANN, PORTLAND MERCURY

"Sea of Bees makes me wish I was sad. Her latest LP Songs For the Ravens (out June 1 on Crossbill Records) centers around that haunting voice, but there’s much more to it. The songs are filled with odd arrangements and intricate layers, and Baenziger played most of the instruments herself. Gorgeous. (This is her debut?!)

Well, actually, Sea of Bees released the Bee Eee Pee last year (recorded in one day after getting a quick ProTools lesson from producer and Tape Op publisher John Baccigaluppi). And while many of Baenziger’s performances feature nothing but her and a guitar, Songs For the Ravens is full-on, with an arsenal of glockenspiel, slide, marimba and keys. You might not even notice all that when you hear her vocal register, which lies somewhere between that of Björk and Leigh Nash … I know, too good to be true. And you don’t even have to be sad to enjoy the songs, a contemplative mood on a gray Portland day would serve as a perfect backdrop." MARK LORE, THE DAYS OF LORE

Tinymixtapes is excited about the new Tender Forever!

Tender Forever turns a new leaf with new album, No Snare, in June!

OUT TODAY: BRENT DEBOER'S "THE FARMER", and BLUNT MECHANIC'S "WORLD RECORD"

TWO EXCITING RELEASES OUT TODAY: BRENT DEBOER'S "THE FARMER", and BLUNT MECHANIC'S "WORLD RECORD"--yeaaah!

About "The Farmer": Dandy Warhols drummer Brent DeBoer wrote and recorded the songs on his four-track eight years earlier, recently bringing them to life thanks to a little encouragement from his friend and producer, Brian Coates (The Great Northwest / The Dandy Warhols). DeBoer's record, titled "The Farmer" is an intricately delicate EP with DeBoer singing songs of love and loss and Coates adding a subtly psychedelic production.

About "World Record": It is far from hyperbolic to enthusiastically assert that this album—Blunt Mechanic's first—is Ben Barnett's finest work to date. Considering the critically-acclaimed and cultishly-followed body of work he has amassed over the past 15 years under the Kind of Like Spitting moniker, it's understandable that one could lazily dismiss that claim before having heard the onslaught of unstoppable, charming hooks, impeccably constructed songs, heart-wrenching, moving, uplifting storytelling, brilliant turns of phrase and vocal/instrumental interplay that defines World Record.

BLUNT MECHANIC: "WORLD RECORD" OUT TOMORROW ON BARSUK!

BLUNT MECHANIC'S "WORLD RECORD" IS OUT TOMORROW! We couldn't be more stoked. Get in touch for your review copy if you don't have it already....

"Always an engaging and incisive lyricist, World Record bristles with some ear-grabbing verses and ruminative declarations, all the while never taking himself too seriously. Two decades into a career he probably never imagined would last this long, Barnett is still making people think. For that, we are truly thankful."--Absolute Punk

"It’s the kind of album that can end up meaning a lot to someone on a personal level"--FILTER

"well worth checking out for pretty much anyone and everyone who's ever owned and loved a KOLS record."--Seattle Weekly

Boy Eats Drum Machine's "Hoop & Wire" Video Premieres Today On Spinner.com!

That's right folks, the amazing song from Boy Eats Drum Machine, "Hoop & Wire" gets an amazing stop motion animation video from Jason Sievers! Click to watch... Mayhem ensues!

the Bay Area is excited for Archeology!

From the Examiner:

Archeology blends and bends many genres, birthing catchy yet complex songs, supported by sincere and emotional lyrics. This raw passion is seen in it’s fullest when Archeology performs live, an experience that music lovers, young and old alike, can appreciate.

Tour Dates:

04.14.10 - San Francisco, CA @ The Depot at San Francisco State
04.15.10 - Hollywood, CA @ the Hotel Cafe
04.16.10 - Fresno, CA @ Kuppajoe
04.17.10 - Long Beach, CA @ the Prospector
04.18.10 - San Diego, CA @ Queen Bees (all-ages)
04.19.10 - Tuscon, AZ @ the Plush
04.22.10 - Phoenix, AZ @ Townsend Park (free, all-ages, 5 PM)
04.22.10 - Phoenix, AZ @ the Lost Leaf
04.23.10 - Albuquerque, NM @ Burt's Tiki Lounge
04.24.10 - Colorado Springs, CO @ the Triple Nickel
04.25.10 - Denver, CO @ the Larimer Lounge
04.27.10 - Salt Lake City, UT @ the Outer Rim
04.28.10 - Boise, ID @ the Visual Arts Collective
04.30.10 - Seattle, WA @ Ground Zero
05.01.10 - Yakima, WA @ The Sportscenter
05.02.10 - Portland @ Mississippi Studios

Early praise for Tender Forever's "Wider"

From Chris Estey at Three Imaginary Girls on Tender Forever's upcoming album on K Records, "Passionate as hell and a little overwhelming, No Snare seems like her bravest work..."

Get in touch now if you haven't listened yet!