Instrumental Analysis 1st Birthday Party/Show!

A big congrats to my esteemed colleague Joe over at Instrumental Analysis for the first birthday of IA, and the totally awesome show he's got lined up to celebrate at Rock and Roll Hotel in DC on August 10.

In attendance to rock your indie socks will be Le Loup, Bellman Barker, Lejeune, and Jette Kelly. Tickets are ten bucks. Show starts at 9:30.

Well done, IA (whose birthday is actually August 1, but I don't want to forget!). Here's to another year!

Meet The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart; Download Free MP3

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are from NYC and are about to release an EP on August 7. Newly formed this year, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart introduce themselves to the world with a song called "This Love Is Fucking Right", a boldly phrased track for twee poppers like these. Ensconced in jangly guitar hooks, this 3-minute ode to The Cure is smiley, catchy, and full-on indie pop. Listen if you love Teenage Fanclub.

The band has much promise. The early songs show the growing pains of a new band, but by the time they finish an LP, The Pains should be full of love and bubble gum songs for you to enjoy. Early-to-mid-90s high school grads will wax nostalgic, younger kids will learn a lesson in pre-grunge indie sound.

The band:
Alex Naidus - Bass // Kip Berman - Guitar + Vocals //Peggy Wang - Keyboard + Vocals


Free MP3: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - "This Love Is Fucking Right"

If you like what you hear, the self-titled EP can be bought at InSound when it comes out August 7.

So So Indie: Wilco Makes A Licensing Deal With Volkswagen

Wilco have brokered a deal with Volkswagen to use songs from the band's new album, Sky Blue Sky in car commercials. The first song will be "The Thanks I Get."

I'm sure Jeff Tweedy and the boys are getting quite a few thanks (read: $$$) from the German carmaker. Forgive me for being so cliche and decrying the whole "selling out" issue, but what is it with so-called indie bands selling their wares to become muzak and commercials? I know there's a lot of cash involved, and if I were the artist, yeah, I'd probably go for it. I just hope the indie scenesters aren't too far gone to understand that this move is decidedly un-indie. Wilco is not an indie band, folks. They are major, both in label and in marketing value. Same with Of Montreal and all the other bands you think are so pure and wholesome.