NPR Streaming New Records from Nada Surf and Craig Finn Solo

NPR and its streaming of new records in their entirety is such a blessing. And a money saver! And a great way to start off a new week!

Yesterday, NPR began streaming The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy, the seventh record from Nada Surf, and Clear Heart Full Eyes, the first solo record from The Hold Steady lead singer Craig Finn. Surf lead singer Matthew Caws and the boys display their signature catchy-as-hell guitar hooks ("Jules and Jim" for instance) and power pop beauty ("Looking Through," the chorus of "No Snow on the Mountain"). Finn takes on a bit more of a country-fried feel in spots on this vacation from THS and the testosterone-laden hooks of THS guitarist Tad Kubler, but his story telling of the down-and-outers and Jesus are still in abundance. This one may take a couple of spins, but it's got potential.

Both records drop for purchase on 1/24.

The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy-Nada Surf-NPR Stream


Clear Heart, Full Eyes-Craig Finn-NPR Stream

UPDATE: Myspace Music to Stream Matador at 21 Festival This Weekend

We posted a few days ago about how Myspace Music is streaming the super cool Matador at 21 Festival taking place in Vegas this weekend. Previously, certain bands like Superchunk and Sonic Youth were not going to be part of the stream, but now it looks like the sets of all bands will be streamed.

It also appears that the schedule has moved around some, and some bands that were in (Guitar Wolf, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and Yo La Tengo) are no longer playing. Weird...

What's also cool is that the stream for Friday and Saturday will then repeat the next morning. We're waiting to hear back on the time things will start and will let you know.

Link for the stream is here.

Matador at 21 Festival Schedule
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1st
Chavez: 8:30pm - 9:10pm
Fucked Up: 9:35pm - 10:15pm
Sonic Youth: 10:40 pm - 11:30 pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2nd
Pavement: 12:00am - 1:00am
Girls: 4:40pm - 5:20pm
Come: 5:45pm - 6:25pm
Perfume Genius: 7:55pm - 8:15pm
Cat Power: 8:15pm - 8:55pm
Superchunk: 9:20pm - 10:00pm
Spoon: 10:25pm - 11:15pm
Belle & Sebastian: 11:45pm - 1:00am

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3rd
Shearwater: 6:30pm - 7:10pm
Ted Leo + The Pharmacists: 7:35pm - 8:15pm
New Pornographers: 8:40pm - 9:25pm
Liz Phair 9:50pm - 10:10pm
Guided By Voices: 11:30pm - 1:00am

KCRW Streaming New Delta Spirit Record

The great KCRW announced today its exclusive agreement to stream Delta Spirit's upcoming release, History From Below (Rounder). The record, out 6/8, will be available until 6/22 on KCRW's preview site.

The Hold Steady Announce New Tour Dates with The Whigs, Provide NewAlbum Stream

6591_The Hold Steady @ the Recher Theater, Towson, MD (3-29-09), originally uploaded by BetweenLoveandLike.

Still no Washington, DC date in the mix, which stinks (especially given that The Whigs are opening this group of dates), but The Hold Steady did announce additional dates today for July.

July 2010 Hold Steady Dates
2nd - Hayward, WI Lac Courte Oreilles Casino
3rd - Minneapolis, MN Cabooze Outdoor Stage
4th - Minneapolis, MN First Ave
6th - Omaha, NE Slowdown
7th - Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
8th - Santa Fe, NM Santa Fe Brewing Company
10th - Dallas, TX Granada Theater
11th - Memphis, TN Hi-Tone Cafe
12th - Knoxville, TN The Square Room
14th - Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
15th - Pontiac, MI Crofoot Ballroom
16th - Toronto, ON Kool Haus

Probably as a premptive strike, knowing how many low-quality rips of the record would start flying around after Saturday's Record Store Day release of the limited vinyl the band has been streaming their new record, Heaven Is Whenever, over at NPR since Sunday. The National is following suit with their new one, High Violet, which starts streaming over at the New York Times on Friday,

Fourth Hold Steady Single From Forthcoming Heaven is Whenever Released

8869_The Hold Steady @ Virgin FreeFest 2009 (8-30-09), originally uploaded by BetweenLoveandLike.

The Hold Steady dropped another single from the forthcoming Heaven is Whenever on Friday. "Barely Breathing" makes the fourth single the band has released prior to the record's drop on May 4. I'm liking this new one, it's a little different sound that the wall of guitar we've heard in the last couple of singles and...there's a clarinet! And keyboards! For some odd reason, the first adjective that popped into my head was "film noir," possibly because of its bouncy, jazzy sound.

Maybe they're planning a single a week up to the drop date? Whatever it is, grateful fans are uber happy about it.

Stream a Listen:Barely Breathing-The Hold Steady

Spinner Streaming New Lifter Puller Re-Releases, New Oral History Book to Be Released

As we reported a few weeks back, Lifter Puller's whole catalog is being digitally rereleased, as well as Slips Backwards, a new release of various LP odds and ends. Out of print since 2006, the rereleases also include live tracks from shows at the 7th Street Entry and Triple Rock in Minneapolis, and the Black Cat, here in Washington, DC.

Given my love of The Hold Steady, it's great to hear its pre-cursor. The sound is still pure testosterone but with more of a punk rock sneer clad in Doc Martens. Not sure which record to start with? It just so happens that Spinner is running free steams of each one (see links below) for your listening pleasure.

Also released (or maybe about to be released? For the life of me I cannot find a drop date for this thing!) is Lifter Puller Vs. The End Of, a 96-page book containing photos, lyrics, and an oral history of the band (as well as a code to download the catalog! Woot!). The book was put together by the band with help from Jessica Hopper (Girls Guide To Rocking) and Minneapolis graphic designer Jason Miller. In it, you'll learn such fun facts like LP was on "The Jenny Jones Show" and the topic was "Good Strippers vs. Bad Strippers." Veery interesting. With stuff like that, I think Craig Finn was right with his comment that The Hold Steady is a great band, but Lifter Puller would probably be a better movie.

Give a Listen:
Prescription Sunglasses-Lifter Puller (from Slips Backward)
Math is Money (live at the Black Cat, 2000)-Lifter Puller (from Slips Backward)

Releases
--Slips Backwards - [New], STREAM
--Lifter Puller - [Original Release Date: 04.97], STREAM
--Half Dead And Dynamite (Deluxe Edition) - [Original Release Date: 10.97], STREAM
--The Entertainment And Arts EP (Deluxe Edition) - [Original Release Date: 09.98], STREAM
--Fiestas & Fiascos (Deluxe Edition) - [Original Release Date: 02.00], STREAM

Downloads of the each LP record are available at iTunes and Amazon. Want them a bit cheaper? Emusic is providing all tracks to be downloaded for the cost of just a few. Has everything but Lifter Puller but still quite a bargin!