Smoking Section by Austin Scaggs

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Little Joy's "Next Time Around"

June 3, 2009 1:17 PM

Little Joy's self-titled debut of 2008 is one of our favorite albums of the past year. It just puts you in a good mood.

A few months ago we had the pleasure of hanging out in S.S. headquarters with Little Joy, Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti's new band, featuring Fab, Los Hermanos frontman Rodrigo Amarante and singer Binki Shapiro. Our good buddy Matt Romano plays drums.

LJ are on tour in the U.S. right now! Click here to check out the dates!



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The McLovins Enter the S.S.

May 21, 2009 11:24 AM

McLovins - "Purple Trees" [Video:Eric Helton/Alex Tirpack; Editing by Eric Helton]

A few months ago we told you about the McLovins -- a trio of Connecticut kids who have managed to harness the musical ferocity of Trey Anastasio, Les Claypool and Stewart Copeland before being able to legally drive a car.

The McLovins are drummer Jake Huffman, 16, bassist Jason Ott, 15, and guitarist Jeff Howard, 14. Don't let their age fool you though, these kids wail. In fact, we were so impressed we invited them (and their parents, of course) to S.S. headquarters to hang out and play a few tunes for us. 

Jake and Jeff met at a jazz camp in Connecticut last summer. A week later they hooked up with Jason and they've been jamming ever since, starting with Phish and Meters covers before writing originals. "We're definitely influenced by a lot of jam bands," Jake says. "But my primary focus had always been jazz. Moving from jazz to rock, well, jam-rock seems to be a nice transition."

Jeff, though, has a soft spot for metal. "I was into a lot of heavy guitar shredding, metal, that sort of thing," he says. "It's influenced me a lot. But jamming is just so much fun."

Check out "Purple Trees" above, and click the jump for "Din" and "Guillotine Machine" -- all original tunes. Also, Look for a McLovins album this summer, and make sure you catch them at the Gathering of the Vibes festival or at one of their upcoming gigs


UPDATE: LOVIN' the McLovins? Send an email telling us why. The best entry gets an autographed Rolling Stone t-shirt AND an McLovins t-shirt too! 

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Modest Mouse Show Some Skin

May 19, 2009 2:06 PM



Check out this bizarre Modest Mouse clip for their new single, "Satellite Skin." It was directed by Kevin Willis, the genius behind all of Tool's awesome stop-animation videos. The tune is from the upcoming EP, No One's First and You're Next, due in August.

There's also an awesome B-side on the vinyl edition of the single. It's called "Guilty Cocker Spaniels," and you can now stream the cut at Stereogum

We think both tunes rock, but we're digging the B-side a little more. 

What do you think?


New Tracks, Video

New Mars Volta Singles!

May 19, 2009 12:18 PM

We're looking forward to the Mars Volta's fifth studio album, Octahedron, due on June 22nd. And we can't wait to see them perform down at Bonnaroo.

Above, you'll find a radio rip of the first US single from Octahedron, "Since We've Been Wrong." The song is much mellower than previous Volta releases, and guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez has said that the album will feature some acoustic numbers. 

Judging by the UK single "Cotopaxi," (below) that description doesn't apply to every song on the disc.


New Tracks, Video

Rockers On 30 Rock

May 15, 2009 12:46 PM

 

Check out this clip from last night's 30 Rock finale. 

Cameos by Elvis Costello, Cyndi Lauper, two Beasties, Sheryl Crow, Rachel Yamagata, Michael McDonald, and many more...



Random!, Video

Elvis Perkins In Dearland Enters the S.S.

May 7, 2009 11:38 AM

Elvis Perkins In Dearland - "Shampoo" 

[Video: Pete Maiden/Eric Helton; Editing by Pete Maiden]

We were beyond stoked to have folk singer Elvis Perkins and his band, Dearland, swing by S.S. headquarters to play us a killer version of "Shampoo" from their March release, Elvis Perkins In Dearland. The album is truly amazing.

Behind Perkins is Brigham Brough on bass, Wyndham Boylan-Garnett on harmonium and Nick Kinsey on drums.

Elvis Perkins in Dearland (as they are known) are currently on tour, so if you like what you hear, make sure you check out their tour dates and ticket info here. Also, they'll be playing the Newport Folk Festival 50 in Rhode Island this August alongside acts such as Pete Seeger, Fleet Foxes, Arlo Guthrie, Deer Tick, Tom Morello and more.  


Ben Harper & Relentless7 Enter the S.S.

May 5, 2009 3:10 PM

Ben Harper & Relentless 7 - "Shimmer & Shine" [Video: Pete Maiden/Tim Tregonig; Editing by Pete Maiden]

We've been digging Ben Harper's new band, Ben Harper & Relentless7, since  Smoking Section first reported on the band in October. Harper, guitarist Jason Mozersky, drummer Jordan Richardson and bassist Jesse Ingalls released their first album today, White Lies for Dark Times, and it definitely brings out Harper's heavy side, with tunes that channel Jimi Hendrix and the Stones

A few months ago, the S.S. was invited to the legendary Electric Lady Studios in New York to watch Relentless7 perform in front of a few lucky fans at a WFUV-sponsored event. Check out the single "Shimmer & Shine" above, and click the jump for "Number With No Name," "Lay There & Hate Me," and a badass cover of Queen's "Under Pressure."

Also, we just sat down with our good buddy Ben for a Q&A for the recent issue of Rolling Stone (with Dylan on the cover), and he told us how much the new band has influenced his playing. "It felt like putting the training wheels back on and connecting with music at the core," he tells us. "I've relearned my instrument through this band. I'm practicing again, and woodshedding in my hotel room. I've been practicing scales!"

Dig Ben Harper & Relentless7? Send us an email explaining why you deserve to win an autographed, limited edition poster! Your deadline is May 15th. Good luck!

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Off the Grid

April 24, 2009 12:04 PM

We're heading down to the Mexican jungle today, so the S.S. will be off the map for the next week or so. 

When we come back we'll have tons of good stuff. We've had some amazing bands come up and play in the S.S., like Elvis Perkins in Dearland, the Moondoggies, Of Montreal, Daniel Merriweather and Sara Watkins. So stay tuned. 

Meanwhile, enjoy Mungo Jerry's 1970 classic, "In the Summertime."   


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Manchester Orchestra Enters the S.S.

April 21, 2009 2:32 PM

Manchester Orchestra - "The Only One" [Video: Pete Maiden/Eric Helton; Editing by Pete Maiden]


Andy Hull and Chris Freeman of the Manchester Orchestra were nice enough to swing by the Smoking Section to play us a few tunes from their new record, Mean Everything to Nothing, which comes out today!

Manchester Orchestra hails from Atlanta, and features Hull on guitar and vocals, Freeman on keys and vocals, Robert McDowell on guitar, Jonathan Corely on bass and Jeremiah Edmond on drums. Mean Everything to Nothing is their third LP and was produced by Joe Chicarrelli (the Shins, My Morning Jacket), Dan Hannon and the band.

In 2007, the band spent 300 days touring, and the bulk of material on Mean Everything to Nothing  is drawn from the road. "The first half of the record is about the anxiety and angst of the road and traveling in a van," Hull tells us. "The second half is kind of like where I found God on the road." Where was he, we ask? "He was under the back seat of the van."

Check out "The Only One" above, and click the jump for "Tony the Tiger," "The Party's Over," which is a Willie Nelson/Mountain Goats mash-up, and an exclusive interview with Hull and Freeman. And if you dig what you see, make sure you catch the Manchester Orchestra on tour this spring.

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Beyond Here Lies Dylan

April 21, 2009 12:19 PM

Click here to check out Bob Dylan's new video for "Beyond Here Lies Nothin," off his latest, Together Through Life

Classic!


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