On The Road

Fever Ray has announced a brief fall North American tour today. She’s hitting the usual hotspots (NYC, LA, SF, Toronto) and I may just need to plan a trip to Los Angeles or San Francisco in October to catch her. I’ve been on a Bat For Lashes/Fever Ray/Polly Scattergood kick the last few weeks, and I feel like I’m becoming one with the universe. Maybe I can just think myself there?

To get a taste of what such an event might look like (or if you want nightmares for a month), take a gander at this tour video:

TOUR DATES:
Sept 28 NYC, NY @ Webster Hall
Sept 29 NYC, NY @ Webster Hall
Oct 1 Montreal @ Metropolis
Oct 2 Toronto @ Kool Haus
Oct 3 Chicago @ Metro
Oct 5 San Francisco @ Grand Ballroom
Oct 7 Los Angeles @ Henry Fonda Theater

Torontonians the Great Lake Swimmers are also heading out on the road. They’ll be testing out material from their latest album, Lost Channels. I’d describe them as guitar-driven indie-folk in the spirit of Red House Painters, Wilco or a slightly more plugged-in Angus & Julia Stone. It sounds like something I could listen to while sitting next to a roaring fire in my cabin in the Appalachian Mountains (I don’t actually have a cabin there, but hopefully you get the idea).

Check out a video from their soon-to-be-released iTunes live session here.

TOUR DATES:
June 18 – Peterborough, ON
June 6th – Brockville, ON
June 13th – Niagara Falls, NY
June 18th – Peterborough, ON
June 19th – Ottawa, ON
June 20th – Montreal, PQ
July 9-12th – Winnipeg Folk Festival
July 18-19th – Vancouver Folk Festival
July 25-27th – Hillside Folk Festival (Guelph, On)
Aug 7-9th – Edmonton Folk Festival
Sep 4th – Shelter Valley Folk Festival

Theresa Andersson seems to be Sweden’s latest offering in the world of unusual pop (though she’s actually lived in New Orleans for the last decade). She’s not shy about referencing 60s girl groups and a touch of bossa nova, but none of it feels like an obvious retro mining expedition, like say Duffy (not a knock against Duffy, as I really like her). You can take a listen to ‘Na Na Na’ below and hear how expertly she blends varying styles to create something really refreshing.

Theresa Andersson – Na Na Na (Empty Heart)

TOUR DATES:
May 11- Live on KCRW
May 12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Largo at the Coronet, 9:30 PM
May 14 – San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall, TBA
May 16 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios, 7:45 PM
May 18 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern, 10 PM
May 24 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress, 8:40 PM
May 27 – Dallas, TX @ AllGood Cafe, 8 PM

Zune is continuing to snag some pretty cool guests for their Green Room Series. This week they have the New York Dolls (or what’s left of them, at any rate).

SCHEDULE:
5/12 Living Things
5/19 Little Steven
5/26 Chester French
6/02 Gabriella Cilmi
6/09 Mos Def
6/16 Asa
6/23 Bookashade
6/30 Cool Kids
7/07 …Trail Of The Dead
7/14 The Avett Brothers
7/21 The Ettes
7/28 Estelle
8/04 I Love You But I Have Chosen Darkness

Another delightful Swedish export, Loney Dear, has started a North American tour this week. Emil Svanängen is touring behind is latest effort, Dear John. It’s bittersweet pop that takes the well-worn heartbreak road and makes it seem completely new and undiscovered. Great stuff.

loney dear – airport surroundings

TOUR DATES:
05/08 Toronto, ON Rivoli
05/09 Chicago, IL Schuba’s
05/10 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
05/13 Seattle, WA Crocodile
05/14 Portland, OR Doug Fir
05/15 San Francisco, CA Bottom of The Hill
05/16 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
05/17 San Diego, CA UC San Diego

Tags: fever ray, great lake swimmers, loney dear, Mute Records, nettwerk, new york dolls, theresa andersson, zune