The Legends 24-hour Download Party People

Get it quick. It's only up for 24 hours—a perfect mix of Pet Shop Boys & Madonna—the new single from The Legends, due out July 19th on Labrador. The band is also touring the East coast with Acid House Kings. See dates below. It's the Swedish Summer Invasion.

Lucky Star [MP3, 2.9MB, 192kbps]

THE LEGENDS US TOUR + ACID HOUSE KINGS
07-06 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club
07-07 Raleigh, NC Raleigh Music Hall
07-08 New York, NY - Cake Shop
07-09 Brooklyn, NY - North Six
07-10 Cambridge, MA - TT the Bear's
07-11 Washington, DC - DC Nine
07-12 Philadelphia, PA - Kensington South Forum

Sufjan Stevens New MP3

Asthmatic Kitty continues streaming Sufjan Stevens' new album, The Avalanche, due July 11th. You can stream part two of the album here (each part is about five songs long). It should be noted that The Avalanche is comprised of outtakes and extras from the Illinois sessions. At this rate it'll take him twice as long to complete his one-time goal of one album per state.

Also available, a downright bright and playful song from the album:

The Henney Buggy Band [MP3, 3.8MB, 160kbps]

The Bronx Grip O' Death

A new Bronx song grabs you by the throat and just won't let go. The bass and guitar riffs kick in like a twin freight trains. Sounds a lot like Quicksand got a bump up in tempo.

Next week the band begins the second leg of their tour on the East coast including dates with Lifetime and The Loved Ones. Get out there! New album July 18th.

History's Stranglers [MP3, 3.9MB, 192kbps]

Suburban Kids Get Minty + New MP3s

Sweden's playful pop maestros Suburban Kids With Biblical Names just freshened up the Minty family and signed with (if the pun hasn't hit you yet) Minty Fresh. That means a stateside release for SKWBN's debut album, #3, which will include two bonus tracks. Like lots of other bands these days, SKWBN's are letting News Corp. fit the bill for hosting their music. Have at 'em!

Guns N Ammo [MP3, 2.6MB, 128kbps]
Loop Duplicate My Heart [MP3, 4.9MB, 216kbps]
Funeral Face [MP3, 4.6MB, 210kbps]

Of Montreal Remixed

Polyvinyl announced through Pitchfork that Of Montreal is set to release Satanic Twins, a limited gatefold double LP & digital download including six remixes from each of their past two albums. Street date is August 22nd. Remixers include Nils Lannon, Broken Spindles, and Grizzly Bear. A full track listing is available here. Two tracks are available for streaming:

"Disconnect the Dots" (Mixel Pixel Remix)
"Forecast Fascist Future" (IQU Remix)

Play It As It Lays #242

Kicked things off with a juicy techno track that I grabbed off MFR and it set the show off right. I love the not-so-new Lady & Bird record, and stay tuned to the Hive for an upcoming post on the Hylozoists. My favorite set however started with the new James Figurine then went into Solvent, Visage then Hot Chip. Pure synth goodness.

I have more Sky Parade CDs to give away. The band features ex-members of Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Warlocks. RIYL if you like the Jesus & Mary Chain and Stone Roses. Email me with "Sky Parade" in the subject line and include your address. First two people to do so get a CD.

Play It As It Lays #242
June 13, 2006
Tuesdays 10-Midnight (PST)
KUCI
iTunes>Radio>Public>KUCI

Basteroid--meteorchester [areal]
Ammoncontact--earth's children [ninja tune]
Nobody & The Mystic Chords of Memory--decisions, decision [mush]
Lady & Bird--suicide is painless [yellow tangerine]
The Hylozoists--the fifty minute hour [boompa]
The 1900's--bring the good boys home [parasol]
Majestic--it's alright [shelflife]
The Boy Least Likely To--be gentle with me [too young to die]
Sky Parade--losing control [self release]
The Husbands--bar-b-q [swami]
The Lovely Feathers--pope john paul [equator]
Be Your Own Pet--bicycle bicycle [ecstatic peace]

Gotye--learnalilgivinanlovin [self release]
Nomo--nu tones [ubiquity]
Medeski Martin & Wood--the dropper [blue note]
Sound Directions--dice game [stones throw]
James Figurine--apologies [plug research]
Solvent--operating ease [ghostly]
Visage--blocks on blocks [umvd]
Hot Chip--over & over [astralwerks]
Art Brut--good weekend [downtown]
Clorox Girls--walks the streets [smartguy]
Wire--mannequin [pink flag/emi]
Professor Murder--pedigree & the mountain [kanine]
Sound Team--no more birthdays [capitol]
Zumpano--broca's ways [sub pop]
Mojave 3--breaking the ice [4ad]

Thumbless DJ

Proof that thumbs are optional (thanks Aurgasm).

25 Years of Touch and Go

Tickets are on sale now for Touch and Go's 25th year anniversary celebration. It's an amazing line-up, pulling together original members of bands like Scratch Acid, Girls Against Boys, Killdozer, and Man... Or Astroman? The show takes place, obviously, in Chicago over a three-day period: September 8th - 10th. All ticket sales profits will be donated to four Chicago area organizations. For tickets and complete details, visit the celebration's mini-site.

The line-up thus far (more bands will be added):
!!!
The Black Heart Procession
Calexico
CocoRosie
Didjits (all original members)
Enon
The Ex
Girls Against Boys (all original members)
Killdozer (all original members)
Ted Leo + Pharmacists
Man... Or Astroman? (all original members)
Negative Approach (featuring John Brannon and OP Moore)
The New Year
Pegboy
Pinback
Quasi
Scratch Acid (all original members)
Seam
Shellac
The Shipping News
Supersystem
Three Mile Pilot
Uzeda

1.618: Fine Looking/Sounding Music Blog

There's a cheesy, commercial radio tagline that goes like this, "Less Talk, More Rock." It's been somewhat of a guiding principle at 3hive. Keep it short, sweet and get to the point: the music. Well there's a new blog in town and while they haven't beat us in the "More Rock" department, they're cleaning it up with way "Less Talk." Actually, there's no talk. They're mute.

Introducing 1.618 (google it for info on the geometry reference). They're a bunch of synaesthetes over there. "Each post on 1.618 features a song and an image to accompany the song, with the image being the only discernible form of criticism. No words will ever appear on 1.618 explaining how its selectors feel about it."

Definitely a refreshing take on this music blog business. And to prove that they're "effete members of the precious American underground" (their quote) check out a few of their music selections: Nina Simone, Super Furry Animals, Elf Power, David Bowie, The Clash, Broken Social Scene and My Bloody Valentine.

Sufjan Stevens Avalanche Stream Part 1

Mr. Stevens' record company wants you to hear his new album. One quarter of his new album to be exact. Beginning this week and continuing weekly until the July 11th release of his album, The Avalanche, you can stream 1/4 of the album at asthmatickitty.com.

The first installation can be directly streamed here.

Birdmonster's WOXY Set

WOXY posted an MP3 of the entire Birdmonster Lounge Act performance. Check it:

Birdmonster on WOXY [MP3, 32.6MB, 128kbps]


Set List:
Ice Age
'Cause You Can
The Bar In The Back Of The Basement
- interview -
Balcony
Resurrection Song
Spaceman

Play It As It Lays #241

This week's show was a little more rock heavy than usual. It didn't really strike me as such until some listeners pointed it out to me. Ladies and gentlemen, it's a freeform show. I like to keep things interesting. Lots of great tracks this week. The new Dirty On Purpose is amazing as is Asobi Seksu, Matmos, and Sky Parade.

Play It As It Lays#241
June 13, 2006
Tuesdays 10-Midnight (PST)
KUCI
iTunes>Radio>Public>KUCI

Dirty On Purpose--monument [north street]
The Bronx--white guilt [white drugs/island]
Blackpool Lights--this town's disaster [curb appeal]
Mary Love--born to live with heartache [luv 'n haight]
Brightblack Morning Light--friend of time [matador]
Micah P. Hinson--the dreams you left behind [jade tree]
Alias & Tarsier--dr. c [anticon]
Asobi Seksu--new years [friendly fire]
April March--sugar [tricatel/ideal]
Regina Spector--better [sire]
Built To Spill--conventional wisdom [warner bros.]
The Futureheads--skip to the end [startime intl]
Wire--ex lion tamer [pink flag/emi]

Zumpano--the party rages on [sub pop]
The Heavy Blinkers--try telling that to my baby [cooking vinyl]
Boards Of Canada--left side drive [warp]
Matmos--steam and sequins for larry levan [matador]
Hot Chip--and i was a boy from school [astralwerks]
The Mag Seven--i drive like steve mcqueen [end sounds]
Sky Parade--losing control [self release]
Modest Mouse/764-Hero--whenever you see fit *dj dynomite d remix [suicide squeeze]
Couch--zwei streifen im blau [morr]
Dynomite D--bombin' subways [slabco]
radioinactive--refrigerator [stranger touch]
Duke Jordan--night in tunisia *dj jazzy jeff remix [savoy jazz]
Brightblack Morning Light--everybody daylight [matador

Cassettes Won't Listen Busy Cutting Hair & More

Cassettes Won't Listen have been busy the last few months remixing tracks for Morcheeba, Dr. Octagon and Mr. Lif and releasing new digital only tracks. They've been so busy in fact, that just today they had enough time for a visit to the barber, or time to post yet ANOTHER track (as the case may be), a cover, "Cut Your Hair" by Pavement. Most of these tracks are available to you right here, right now at the Hive:

Cassettes Won't Listen - Cut Your Hair [MP3, 4.4MB, 192kbps]
Morcheeba - Everbody Loves a Loser (Cassettes Won't Listen Remix)
[MP3, 7.5MB, 192kbps]
Dr. Octagon - Alien's Hearing Aid (Cassettes Won't Listen Remix)
[MP3, 4.5MB, 160kbps]

Dirty On Purpose Debut Album

Brooklyn's Dirty On Purpose are set to release their debut album on June 27th on North Street Records. The album is called Hallelujah Sirens and it features all new songs, including a re-recorded version of their epic instrumental track, "Monument." Too bad that song comes in at number eight on the record. Had they led off with the song it would've been a beautiful Bossanova moment. No new MP3s from this album, but they're streaming "Light Pollution" and "No Radio" on their myspace page.

WonderGround EP Surfaces

Or so they say. There's no info on the band's site, but they've posted two new tracks to their myspace page. WonderGround recorded recently at the Ship with Captain Aaron Espinoza from Earlimart at the helm. Download the new tracks in your leisure suit...er...at your leisure:

Marionettes [MP3, 4.0MB, 160kbps]
The Bells [MP3, 4.3MB, 160kbps]

New Domino Signings

Domino Records just announced two new additions to their roster: Cass McCombs who previously recorded for Monitor. Mr. McCombs is presently in Los Angeles working on his third record. Also new to the fold, DC artist Benjy Ferree. Brendan Canty of Fugazi is helping Ferree add to his collection of songs released as a limited EP titled Leaving The Nest. That EP, plus the new songs will be compiled as his debut album and made available this fall. Download a song from Leaving The Nest here:

Benjy Ferree - In The Countryside [MP3, 3.3MB, 128kbps]

Attention UK iTunes Shoppers...

Singer/actor/renaissance man David Hasselhoff needs your love. Or at least that's the premise of the grassroots campaign Get Hasselhoff to Number 1. That's right, some caring — or perhaps just bored — souls in the UK have put out the following call for volunteers:
"Sign up to our campaign to get the Hoff to number one in the UK download chart by first registering your e-mail address to show your support. When we have 75000 sign ups, The Hoff Alert will be sent, tipping you the wink that it's time… Time to buy David Hasselhoff's awesome masterpiece "Looking for Freedom" from iTunes. This will then shoot his single deep into the download charts, thus generating musical history."

So join in the good fight. Surely, The Feeling can step aside for a day to pay homage to the star of "Baywatch," "Knight Rider," and...um, well, isn't that enough of a resume?

Go to www.gethasselhofftonumber1.com to make a difference.

When Life Gives You MP3s, Make a Podcast

Our new and long over-due podcast is up and ready to go. My apologies for my sloth-like efforts at getting our 20th podcast wrapped up.

I dig into our recent archives for the first couple selections, then we hit a few highlights from this week.

Enjoy!

3hive Podcast 020 [MP3, 26.9MB, 128kbps]

Playlist:
The Drips - 16 16 6
The Wombats - Derail and Crash
Kid Casanova - Rec Center (The Kids in This Town)
Pony Up! - The Truth About Cats and Dogs (Is That They Die)
Sky Drops - Green on Red
The Eighteenth Day of May - Hide & Seek
Psapp - Tricycle

Enjoy.