Railbird will release No One this week

Saratoga Springs' fantastic Railbird are finally releasing the full-length No One this week, and it's worth what seemed an interminable wait. I've posted about Railbird a bunch of times (and I'll probably post about them again soon when I review of No One), each time insisting that they're on the cusp of greatness. For now let it suffice to say that this record is one more indication that they're ready for much bigger stages than they've been playing so far.

They're playing a bunch of record release parties to celebrate, which you should absolutely get to if you can:

• 2/24 - NYC - Rockwood Music Hall (Stage Two), 10 PM
• 2/25 - Albany - 431 Delaware Ave (with Sean Rowe)
• 3/4 - Saratoga Springs - Putnam Den (with The Rex Complex and Flora Fauna.)

Railbird's also hitting the road in a national way starting in March, an ambitious move that proves they're fully aware of how good No One is.

Head over to railbirdband.com for a free download of the title track (free once you like them on Facebook, that is). Go go go go go.

The Strokes are giving away their new single for 2 days.

The Strokes are releasing Angles, their first album in a very long time (like 5 years) in March, but today and tomorrow you can download "Under Cover of Darkness," their first single, for free. After that, you'll have to wait until 2/15 and buy the shit. Admit it...you're curious what it sounds like. Go to www.thestrokes.com.

The Seedy Seeds - Verb Noun

credit: Scott Beseler

http://www.taketheday.com

It's going on 3 years now that I've wondered to myself why I'm the only person I know who's into Cincinnati's quirky banjo-electronic The Seedy Seeds. I can't understand why these guys aren't a much bigger deal than they are. Not a week goes by that I don't play them in my car at least once.

Here's to hoping their newest record Verb Noun (available later this spring) makes a bit of a splash. If the whole thing is as good as the title track (listen or download), I think it's got a decent chance.

For good measure, here's a great track from their last record, Count the Days:

Dropkick Murphys work with Springsteen on their new record

Buried deep in a truly epic press release about Dropkick Murphys' upcoming release (it's called Going Out In Style, it comes out March 1st, and it'll be good just like all their other records) I found a tidbit of information that actually moved me to write a post about a record I haven't heard that doesn't come out for more than a month: F-ING SPRINGSTEEN IS ON IT.

For Going Out In Style, Dropkick Murphys even enlisted the vocal talents of the legendary Bruce Springsteen--whom they first met at a DKM gig in New York and later collaborated with onstage at one of Springsteen’s Boston shows. Springsteen swaps verses with Casey for a spirited take on the old standard “Peg O’ My Heart.” “It has a classic old fifties rock and roll feel,” says Casey. “Both of my grandmothers are named Peg. One grandmother, Peg Casey, is always saying, 'When are you going to do that song? Your grandfather always sang it to me!' The time signature changed, so hopefully they still appreciate it when they hear it.”

The collaboration is a perfect intergenerational bridge for fans and band alike. Dropkick Murphys have always strongly resonated with audiences young and old due to their working class ethos and cathartic sonic revelry. "It links two generations,” says Casey. “We're spanning a lot of years of music here, yet our songs share similar themes, stories, and values."

Here's a video of DKM covering Springsteen, since all the videos I could find of them on stage together sounded like diarrhea.

Nada Surf - Enjoy the Silence

I really like when covers really take on the sound of the band performing them.  This one sounds like it might as well have always been a Nada Surf song, while still being recognizable as the classic that it is.  Nada Surf has a whole record of covers out now: if I had a hi-fi.