December 17, 2007

Today's Hotness: Johnny Foreigner, My Psychoanalyst, E.R., Lilys


>> News about the forthcoming Los Campesinos! full-length and attendant touring has circumnavigated the Internets numerous times at this point, and we don't have much to add regarding the Feb. 18 release of Hold On Now, Youngster... save for the fact that Birmingham, England-based indie superheroes Johnny Foreigner will support some if not all of the recenty posted February tour dates. Speaking of Johnny Foreigner, the band just posted a map of its Birmingham digs annotated with commentary about the places noted in various song lyrics. You may recall Brooklyn bar-rock luminaries The Hold Steady did something similar. What is notable about Johnny Foreigner's so-called psychogeography is that there are places identified as being mentioned in songs that we have not yet heard. This means said songs -- if in fact they are songs -- have a chance to show up on the forthcoming full-length from the band, which is expected to be released spring 2008. Ignoring for now things that seem too odd to be song titles, possible new songs include:

"DJs Get Doubts"
"Hennings Favorite"
"I Heard, He Ties Up Cats"

>> One more note related to Johnny Foreigner. The band expressed some excitement lately about a date they are playing Tuesday with an act called My Psychoanalyst, and after downloading the Derby, UK-based trio's excellent single "We Disagree" b/w "Panophobia" from EMusic we can understand why. Big, atmospheric and textured sounds from a just a trio. Very impressive. It looks like My Psychoanalyst and Johnny Foreigner share a manager or some such, so we suppose the fact the acts are on a bill together is not much of a surprise. Either way, the video for "We Disagree" is pretty great; make sure to watch until the song hits its gigantic, epic payoff. Check it out at the top of this item, if you haven't done so already.

>> Boston indie rock power hitters E.R. and the -- well, we can't remember what the backing band is billed as now, although we thought The New Jerseys was a great name -- recently recorded tracks for Band In Boston's Flophouse Sessions podcast. The five-song set includes standout tunes from this year's E.R. long-player This Conspiracy Against Us, namely the bitter ballad "Lexington, KY" and the record's title track. The former song is notable for the awesome lyric "everyone's got a plan and everyone's plan sucks." The version of "Lexington, KY" here is sans the piano that anchored the album rendition, but that creates a lot room for some tasteful strumming and minimal drumming. Also remarkable about this E.R. performance is the approaching-sublime cover of Eddie Grant's "Romancing The Stone." You can download or stream the whole thing right here. E.R.'s most recent release, the digital-only EP ...And The Storm King, was released by Midriff Sept. 25. Here's the album version of "Lexington, KY" we mentioned supra for you to enjoy.

E.R. -- "Lexington, KY" -- This Conspiracy Against Us
[right click and save as]
[buy E.R. records from Midriff here]

>> Woah. Legendary indie rock chameleons Lilys emerge from hiatus for a two-night stand headlining L.A.'s Club Spaceland this week. Wild. The shows are Dec. 20 and 21. Notable support includes dream pop act Mezzanine Owls the first night. If we lived in L.A., we'd be in line for this now.

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