“You Can Count On Me”, is the second in the series of 7” singles from Panda Bear’s forthcoming album “Tomboy,” the eagerly awaited follow-up to “Person Pitch.”

A limited edition of “You Can Count On Me” will be available in stores beginning October 19th.

Alternatively there are (only) 500 copies available for pre-order from the Domino Mart.

Pre-order Panda Bear’s E.P. “You Can Count On Me”

Panda Bear’s Upcoming tour dates:

9/4 – FYF Fest (Los Angeles, CA)
9/6 – Fox Theatre (Oakland, CA)
9/8 – Crystal Ballroom (Portland, OR)
9/10 – Hopscotch Music Festival (Raleigh, NC)
9/11 – Governor’s Island (New York, NY)
9/12 – Ottobar (Baltimore, MD)
10/29 – Moogfest (Asheville, NC)

ELF POWER have released nine albums, two EPs and a handful of singles since their formation in 1994. They have toured across America, Europe, and Japan.

In anticipation of their 10th studio album ELF POWER, the band’s newest eponymous release, the band has announced dates for a national tour, beginning on along the Eastern US seaboard this September, and conclude with a show at Terminal 5 in NYC to support of Broken Bells (Danger Mouse and James Mercer of The Shins).

The new record explores darker places melodically and texturally in what might be their most fully conceived and rewarding album ever.

In Memory of Vic Chesnutt

ELF POWER the album, is dedicated to the memory of dear friend, mentor, and close collaborator Vic Chesnutt, much beloved in the close-knit Athens community, who committed suicide in late 2009. The Elves recorded a collaborative album, DARK DEVELOPMENTS, with Chesnutt in 2008 and toured extensively with him through the years. The songs and recordings on the album found shape in the vacuum caused by Vic’s loss, and finds the band exploring the void created by his departure.

Tracked initially by Andy LeMaster (REM, Bright Eyes, Drive By Truckers) at his studio Chase Park Transduction, then brought to bassist/engineer Derek Almstead’s home studio out in the Athenian sticks for overdubbing, rumination, and general tweaking, this double-faceted strategy proved beneficial for the development of the album as a whole.

A return, however, to the familiar realms of home-recording encouraged the Elves to harken back to their initial experimental and communal forays. Freedom from the tyranny of the ticking studio clock allowed for key contributions from old Elephant 6 pals Will Cullen Hart and Bill Doss of the Olivia Tremor Control and some characteristically esoteric instrumentation: Circulatory System’s John Fernandes’ and Heather McIntosh (recently of Gnarls Barkley and Lil Wayne’s touring bands), contributing string arrangements; the beautiful Mellotron they borrowed from REM; and Laura Carter’s contagious Moog and drummer Eric Harris’ experiments with fidelity and texture. This duality in production makes for a layered and varied listen.

Elf Power’s Upcoming Fall 2010 Tour Dates:

09/14 – Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor
09/15 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Nightlight
09/16 – Washington, DC @ DC9
09/17 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Rock Shop
09/18 – Northampton, Mass. @ Flywheel
09/19 – Rosendale, NY @ Market Market
09/22 – Richmond, Va. @ Strange Matter
09/23 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Magic Garden
09/24 – Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Brillobox
09/25 – Cincinnati, Ohio @ Midpoint Music Festival, Blue Wisp
09/26 – Bloomington, Ind. @ The Bishop
09/27 – Madison, Wisc. @ High Noon Saloon
09/28 – Chicago, Ill. @ Schubas
09/29 St Louis, Mo. @ Off Broadway
09/30 Lexington, Ky. @ Al’s Bar
10/01 Nashville, Tenn. @ The End
10/02 Athens, Ga. @ 40 Watt
10/11 New York, NY @ Terminal 5 (w/ Broken Bells)

The new ELF POWER sees release on September 14, 2010 on Orange Twin Records.

Download the first single “Stranger in the Window,” from Elf Power’s new record. [direct link]

Tags: Broken Bells, Elf Power free mp3 download, Elf Power new album, Elf Power tour dates, fall tour dates, free mp3 download, Gnarls Barkley, Lil Wayne, REM, Vic Chestnutt

Syrupy soundscapes, jazzy progressions and electro-influenced beats co-mingle to produce mellow and beautifully realized night music from Motown. Behind these atmospheric jams is long time composer and multi-instrumentalist Greg Utech.

MusicZeitgeist.com coaxed the following insights about the crafting of these recordings from the artist:

MusicZeitgeist: Who is Greg Utech?
I have been a musician for over 30 years in the Detroit area. Mostly on drums, but I can “mingle” with most any instrument. I have released three disc’s to date with my 4th CD due out in July. I appeared on Rick Matle’s CD “Ears Wide Shut.” Of course like most Musicians I have a “Day” job which just happens to be the best job in the world, a stay at home Dad to our first child Noah.

MZ: Where are you based? Has it influenced your output?

The “D”. Born and raised in Detroit. This part of our world seems to have a Vortex of creativity, From Motown to Madonna, and all the Jazz greats it has been a treat to call Michigan Home. The long winters foster a need to keep busy and I think this has a small part to do with the plethora of talent to come from this area.

MZ: Talk about influences on your sound

Jazz, Fusion. Artist I would call mentors include Stevie Wonder, Donald Fagen, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Joni Mitchell, Robbie Robertson, The Band, Pink Floyd, McCoy Tyner, Pharaoh Sanders, Jeff Beck, Bill Bruford, Tony Williams, Jack Dejonet, Elvin Jones, Fela Kuti, Peter Gabrial, Tereje Ripdal, Frank Zappa, Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Pass, to name a few.

I worked in professional theater for 18 years at Meadow Brook Theater at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. From set design to writing the score for the 1993 production of Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde. This along with being around the right crowd inspired my artistic style, From being involved in over 120 professional Theatrical productions, and being a part of all of them, from Shakespeare to Ain’t misbehaving, I was exposed to some real creativity and different thought patterns that translate into my genre of music. Also a self taught abstract painter with over 30 major shows to date help play a major role in my tonal creations.

MZ: Tell us about your recording process.

Mostly from my modest studio at home I am able to create most of the rhythm and “beds” for each song, then it’s off to a more technicaly sound studio for all the final mixing and last minute solos. I produce all the tracks with some help from my friend Rick Matle who also plays most of the guitar on my CD’s. And of course when you are a one man show, it’s then time for laying out art work, song titles and order, copyrighting, duplication, and finally all the marketing involved, especially if you want to make at least $12.78 per year. But it is the love of the craft luckily and not the fame and fortune.

MZ: So what motivates you to keep making and releasing music in these changing times?

“Everything has been done before.”

It has to be fun to be somewhat unique in this world of soundalikes. The most memorable musical experience I have had was when Ralph Valdez, a DJ from WDET in Detroit, called and said he loved my 1st disc and would play it on his next show. We had a party that night and it felt as though a dream had come true.This event is realy what pushed me to continue on with endeavors. My music has also been aired on the Jon Moshier program, and “The Listening Room” with host Chris Felcyn. As well as KAOS FM in Olympia WA, Tomorrow Jazz, aTTeNTIoN sPaN raDIO, IPM.com, And reached the feature page on New Orleans Radio.com. With some generous reviews from, Joe Henry, Serge Kozlovsky, and a two-page spread in Acid Jazz Magazine by Sylvia Turin. Everyone has some “Big Break” if you believe in what your doing, and are not doing it for the money.

MZ: When will you know your work is done?

I guess my lofty goal of 10 disc’s is still attainable, but with Cd’s approaching 90 minutes these days it is like producing a double album from the old vinal days, so each disc so far has taken at least 2 years to complete, with the exception of my upcoming disc “Mars is Missing” which will be at about the three-year mark due to the birth of our 1st child Noah Gregory Utech.

VITAL LINKS:

Greg Utech in the press
Get Greg Utech’s music at CDBaby
Download Greg Utech at iTunes

Listen now to “City to City” by Greg Utech at MusicZeitgeist.com’s free Indie Music Jukebox

To see your act in MZ’s Artist Profile, submit to our gig listing at Sonicbids today!

(not all acts are selected)

Tags: Detroit music, electro, Greg Utech, jazz progressions, Motor City, Motown, soundscapes

This Friday, June 4th at 8:30pm at El Cid in Los Angeles, the world will have its first live glimpse of the much buzzed about The Silver Lake Chorus.

The Silver Lake Chorus (TSLC) is a group of 25 hot young things who sing delicious choral arrangements of indie music.  Unlike Glee, TSLC do not dance, there is no backing band (in the vein of Polyphonic Spree) nor are there showcasey Broadway musical numbers.  No, this is choral group where everyone contributes equally to the whole, but what sets them apart is their set list for Friday night includes reimaginings of tunes from the likes of Beck, Sia and Regina Spektor.   Musical guests Ben Lee, Alex Lilly (Obi Best), Joaquin Pastor, Pi Jacobs and John Gold will grace the set on Friday night affording the group instant indie hipster cred.

Ben Lee is also slated to produce The Silver Lake Chorus’ debut album, which will be a collection of original material from indie big hitters.  Additionally, Sia has already attached herself to the project and submitted an original song for TSLC’s resident arrangist and soprano Heather Ogilvy to arrange for the group.

The Silver Lake Chorus was founded by Sally Struthers’ daughter Sam Rader, who moonlights as a psychologist living and working in Los Angeles.

“I wanted to marry my dreamy high school choral experience with my grownup (think: indie) music sensibilities.” The chorus is directed by the phenomenal (and utterly cuckoo bananas) budding musical genius Mikey Wells, who also heads the CalArts chorale.

The Silver Lake Chorus can be heard singing the theme song in the opening credits of SNL’s feature film MacGruber and on the film’s official soundtrack.

If you are in Los Angeles, do yourself a favor and get there Friday night so you can say you knew them when…

The Silver Lake Chorus

With special guests:

Ben Lee
Alex Lilly (Obi Best)
Joaquin Pastor
Pi Jacobs
John Gold

El Cid
4212 West Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90029-2110
(323) 668-0318

Doors at 8pm. Show at 8:30pm.

Learn more at www.thesilverlakechorus.com

Tags: Beck, Ben Lee, choral group, debut performance, El Cid Los Angeles, Glee Club, Gleeks, Joaquin Pastor, John Gold, Obi Best, Pi Jacobs, Sia, The Silver Lake Chorus

New Wave rockers LIVING DAYS play a free show tonight at Silverlake Lounge (2906 Sunset Blvd) at 8pm with War Tapes. The band’s playing cuts off their new album MAKE OUT ROOM (release date TBA). They do what Black Kids are doing, but rather than lean on the wombadelic shoegazer side, they tend more towards Gary Numan. In such a good way.

The band includes former members of Matisyahu, Coco Rosie, Lee Scratch Perry, and sci fi thrash band AQUI.

We’ll be posting some music in the coming days. For now you will have to take our word for how much these guys are the real article. If you are in LA tonight, Monday, May 17th, 2010 – get your ass to the Silverlake Lounge. Did we mention this show is free?

Tour Dates:
May 17th – Los Angeles, CA – The Fold @ Silver Lake Lounge w/ War Tapes @ 8pm
May 22nd – Brooklyn, NY – NY EYE & EAR Fest @ Knitting Factory w/ Blank Dogs at 8pm

Tags: Black Kids, free showcase, Living Days, new wave, Silverlake Lounge