Fenway Sessions Celebrates Its 300th Show: The Cribs

Photo by Josh Spiro Photography Last Friday at Brighton Music Hall, Fenway Recordings achieved a milestone: its 300th Sessions Show. Fenway artist The Cribs detoured from the UK to join Boston fans at Brighton Music Hall. The band has been touring in support of their recent release, For All My Sisters.

Check out concert photos by Josh Spiro on the Fenway Recordings Facebook. Also support The Cribs' recent release below:

http://www.galleryac.com/the-cribs-for-all-my-sisters.html

The Fenway Recordings Sessions Continues this Thursday, Sept 5 with DIRTY BEACHES; BETTY WHO added to the fall lineup!

The Fenway Recordings Sessions series continues this Thursday, September 5th with DIRTY BEACHES, aka Alex Zhang Hungtai. Started as a one-man band in Montreal in 2005, DIRTY BEACHES uses a combination of drone instrumentals, film scores, and elements of popular music like blues, rockabilly, soul, R&B, and hip hop to create a unique sound. His music has received praise from some of the industry’s most influential voices, including multiple features from Pitchfork, Stereogum, Spinner, and The Wall Street Journal. His latest project is Drifters/Love Is The Devil. Get tickets to his show at Church HERE. Just added to the Fenway Recordings Sessions fall line up is Australian American singer-songwriter and musician, BETTY WHO. Her debut single, "Somebody Loves You," was premiered by pop music blogger and, at-the-time, official Grammy blogger Arjan Writes last November.  The song garnered immediate praise, spreading quickly online and being featured by other well-known outlets including Socialite Life, Pop On And On, and Popservations. A music video, directed by Evan Savitt, was released on January 22, 2013, and an official remix by acclaimed indie pop producer FM Attack was released on March 11, 2013. Betty Who's debut EP, titled "The Movement," premiered on Billboard on April 9, 2013, one week prior to its April 16 official release date. “Idolator” described the EP as "A spine-tinglingly euphoric 80's pop nugget," indie pop blog All Things Go claimed she was "charting new musical territory," and the famous UK outlet Popjustice called it "the best proper EP so far of 2013." Get tickets to the show HERE and check out a full list of upcoming Fenway Recordings Sessions shows on our Facebook.

The Fenway Recordings Sessions Announces new show with BOY

The Fenway Recordings Sessions is happy to announce a new show added to our lineup: BOY with support from Greg Holden. This show will be on October 8 at Brighton Music Hall. Doors at 8pm, Show at 9pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 day of show. BOY - a contagious confection that has spread across the internet like wildfire. The Hamburg-based duo gets your toes tapping, mind playing, feet moving, emotions travelling, head thinking, hips jerking.  The BOY phenomenon began this summer with their first single ‘Little Numbers’. Now, having conquered their native Germany and Switzerland, they are shipping their sharp brand of pop to the rest of Europe. These two girls want to make music that brings a smile to your face; music “about hopes and dreams and aspirations. We want to make music that’s positive and hopeful,” explains Valeska,. “There is more to music than heartbreak and loss,” agrees Sonja.

The Fenway Recordings Sessions Announces New Shows This Fall With FOY VANCE, JENNY HVAL, and SAN FERMIN; Kicks off August Sessions with GAUNTLET HAIR

The Fenway Recording Sessions continues this August with Gauntlet Hair at Church on Saturday, August 3rd. This year, the band released their sophomore album, "Stills," which streamed in full before it's official release via Pitchfork Advance. Listen to their stand out track "Top Bunk" and grab your tickets to the show now, before they're gone. The following Friday, August 9th, the White Buffalo also plays at Church. With their new album, "Shadows, Greys, and Evil Ways," set for release on September 10th, White Buffalo will be touring the US throughout August and early September. Recently, the band's track "The American Dream" was included in the soundtrack for the blockbuster flick, 'The Lone Ranger'. Listen to the track in the album sampler.

Then, on August 21st, the Fenway Recordings Sessions welcomes Geographer and GRMLN at Church. After being selected one of three ‘Undiscovered Bands You Need To Hear Now’ by SPIN Magazine and garnering considerable word-of-mouth praise from their energetic live shows, the Geographer signed to San Francisco-based label Tricycle Records. Check out the session they did earlier this year with Audiotree and grab your tickets now. GRMLN will open the show.

To kick off our fall lineup, Dirty Beaches takes the stage at Church on September 5th. Dirty Beaches' album "Drifters/Love is the Devil" was awarded a Best New Music certificate by Pitchfork. Stream the album on BandCamp and pick up your tickets to the show here. 

On September 13th we have a Sessions doubleheader! The Rosebuds play their own version of Sade's "Love Deluxe" at The Red Room @ Cafe 939. Pick up your tickets here. On the same night, Lightning Dust takes the stage at Church. Amber Webber and Josh Wells of Lightning Dust recently released their third album "Fantasy" on June 25th. Jagjaguwar described it as "...skeletal synth pop, modern R&B beats..." Their track, Diamonds can be listened to for free here.

Just added to the fall lineup, Jenny Hval takes the stage at The Red Room @ Cafe 939 on Wednesday, September 25th. The Norwegian experimental singer/songwriter has received raving reviews, including a 9/10 from Pop Matters on her recent release "Innocence is Kinky." Check out her track "Mephisto In The Water" on Soundcloud and pick up your tickets to the show here.

On October 16th, Foy Vance also plays The Red Room @ Cafe 939. The Irish singer/songwriter has toured with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Michael Kiwanuka, Marcus Foster, Snow Patrol, and Ed Sheeran, and takes to the road this fall to support his latest release. Listen to the title track of his latest album "Joy of Nothing" here and grab your tickets now.

Later into the fall, Disappears and Weekend play Church on Wednesday, October 23rd. On Aug 26, Disappears will releasing their new album "Era" which features the track "Power." Weekend also takes the stage that night. Their new album "Jinx" was given three and a half stars in Rolling Stone and was recently featured on NPR's "First Listen," which you can check out here. Opening the show is Nothing, a four piece punk band from Philadelphia. Check out their video for "Downward Years To Come," which premiered via Stereogum and get your tickets to the show here.

San Fermin takes the stage on October 26th at The Red Room @ Cafe 939. Self-described as a "pastiche of post-rock, chamber-pop and contemporary classical composition" San Fermin is the project of Brooklyn composer and songwriter Ellis Ludwig-Leone. Listen to "Sonsick," the first track off of their self-titled album, due out this September via Downtown Records.

ALL UPCOMING FENWAY RECORDINGS SESSIONS: Gauntlet Hair @ Church :: August 3 :: Tickets The White Buffalo @ Church :: August 9 :: Tickets Geographer w/ GRMLN @ Church :: August 21 :: Tickets Dirty Beaches @ Church :: September 5 :: Tickets The Rosebuds @ The Red Room at Cafe 939 :: September 13 :: Tickets Lightning Dust @ Church :: September 13 :: Tickets Jenny Hval @ The Red Room at Cafe 939 :: September 25 :: Tickets Foy Vance @ The Red Room at Cafe 939 :: October 16 :: Tickets Disappears / Weekend @ Church :: October 23 :: Tickets San Fermin @ The Red Room at Cafe 939 :: October 26 :: Tickets

 

The Fenway Recordings Sessions Presents 200th Session: MTV Artist to Watch Live in Boston with Tegan and Sara, Jan. 27th

THE FENWAY RECORDINGS SESSIONS is excited to announce its 200th session, and the next show in the MTV Artist to Watch Live in Boston series.  On Sunday, January 27th, TEGAN AND SARA will be at Brighton Music Hall for an extremely intimate performance leading into the release of their upcoming album, Heartthrob, which will be out two days later, Tuesday, Jan. 29th.
The MTV Artist to Watch Live in Boston series, a collaboration between MTV, The Fenway Recordings Sessions and Brighton Music Hall, is an expansion of MTV Hive's Live from Webster Hall series which has featured artists such as The National, The Black Keys, and Florence and the Machine.  Shows in these series are filmed and streamed live online at MTVhive.com.  Tegan and Sara will be the third Boston show in the series, which began last March with Cloud Nothings and continued this past December with Alt-J.  Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 17 at 10am via Ticketmaster.
The Fenway Recordings Sessions, which began in 2004, has been involved with some of the most exciting live music to come through Boston in the past 8+ years.  Artists such as Of Monsters and Men, Ellie Goulding, MGMT, Yeasayer, Echo and the Bunnymen, Diplo, Two Door Cinema Club, Alt-J, The Ghost of a Saber Toothed Tiger, Editors, Cold War Kids and Dum Dum Girls have all played the series, which has spanned venues from the House of Blues to The Paradise to TT The Bears to Great Scott.  Today, most shows happen at Brighton Music Hall, but 2013 also marks the first time the series will present shows at the Middle East Upstairs and Berklee's Cafe 939.  In recent years, the series expanded beyond the city limits to New York, where we presented DJ Sets at the ACE Hotel from members of Freelance Whales, We Are Scientists, HAIM, Amazing Baby, and VHS or Beta, among others.  The collaboration with MTV Hive on the Live in Boston series is the most recent and exciting development in The Fenway Recordings Sessions, which we look forward to continuing for many more shows.
Here's to the next 200!

The Fenway Recordings Sessions Adds WAKE OWL to winter lineup; Kicks Off 2013 with ARKELLS/RDGLDGRN This Thursday

The Fenway Recordings Sessions is set to kick off 2013 this week with ARKELLS & RDGLDGRN, who will be at Brighton Music Hall on Thursday, Jan. 10.  Arkells, who won the 2012 Juno Award for 'Group of the Year' in their native Canada, are touring behind last year's release, Michigan Left.  Listen to Michigan Left and their debut album, Jackson Square, on Spotify and come see them live on Thursday!  Also on the bill are Virginia's RDGLDGRN - which stands for Red, Gold, Green - who recently announced they'll be releasing an EP, also called Red, Gold, Green, in the very near future and have just been added to this year's VANS Warped Tour.  Check out the video for their fun song, "I Love Lamp," here, and get a free download of it in exchange for your email, here.  Tickets for this show can be found at this link. We are also excited to announce WAKE OWL as the newest addition to the winter lineup, who will play Cafe 939 on Wednesday, February 20th.  The band has garnered comparisons to such artists as Mumford & Sons and AA Bondy, and is set to release its debut EP, Wild Country January 29th on Vagrant.  Listen to "Gold," which was recently featured on Grey's Anatomy, and check out the Noah Hyde remix of the track, here.  Tickets for this show go on sale Friday, January 11th at 10AM.

ALL UPCOMING FENWAY RECORDINGS SESSIONS: THIS THURSDAY, JAN. 10 :: ARKELLS/RDGLDGRN @ Brighton Music Hall :: Tickets Wednesday, Jan. 16 :: THE NEIGHBOURHOOD @ Brighton Music Hall :: Tickets Tuesday, Jan. 22 :: PALMA VIOLETS @ The Middle East Upstairs :: Tickets Wednesday, Jan. 31 :: BUKE & GASE @ Brighton Music Hall :: Tickets Tuesday, Feb. 12 :: WHY? w/ Dream Tiger & Astronautalis @ Brighton Music Hall :: Tickets Wednesday, Feb. 13 :: WILLY MASON @ Cafe 939 :: Tickets** Wednesday, Feb. 20 :: WAKE OWL @ Cafe 939 :: Tickets on sale Friday, Jan. 11 at 10AM Saturday, Mar. 2 :: UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA w/ Foxygen & Wampire @ Brighton Music Hall :: Tickets Friday, Mar. 22 :: MOUNT MORIAH/BLESSED FEATHERS @ Cafe 939 :: Tickets Thursday, Mar. 28 :: MARCUS FOSTER / SEAN ROWE @ Cafe 939 :: Tickets Thursday, Apr. 11 :: JAMIE LIDELL @ Brighton Music Hall :: Tickets Saturday, Apr. 27 :: IAMX @ Brighton Music Hall :: Tickets

**THIS SHOW HAS BEEN MOVED FROM MONDAY, FEB. 11 TO WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13.  REFUNDS ARE AVAILABLE AT POINT OF PURCHASE IF YOU CANNOT MAKE THE NEW DATE.**

Fenway Recordings Session #196 Featuring ALT-J on MTV Hive

ALT-J is returning for their second sold out Fenway Recordings Session on Sunday December 9th at Brighton Music Hall. Tickets are sold out but luckily the whole show will be taped as part of MTV Hive’s Live in Boston series, and on 12/12/12 the performance will stream in conjunction with MTV, VH1, CMT, and Comedy Central’s “Big and Best of 2012” event. To stream the event on 12/12/12 or for more info on “Big and Best of 2012” click HERE.

The Fenway Recordings Sessions Adds New Shows: DIPLO, THE WHIGS & MIKE SCOTT

The Fenway Recordings Sessions is excited to have added three new shows to its lineup this fall, including DIPLO at Brighton Music Hall this Friday for the official Major Lazer afterparty, which was an instant sell out.  We've also added our first show with THE WHIGS, who will be supported by KUROMA & ROYAL BANGS at Brighton Music Hall on 11/8, and on 11/18, also at Brighton Music Hall, we'll have a night with MIKE SCOTT (of The Waterboys), during which he'll read excerpts from his autobiography,Adventures of a Waterboy, and play an acoustic set of Waterboys tunes with bandmate and fiddler, Steve Wickham.

UPCOMING FENWAY RECORDINGS SESSIONS:
Oct. 26 :: #189 :: DIPLO (MAJOR LAZER Afterparty) @ Brighton Music Hall
Nov. 3 :: #190 :: CROOKED FINGERS & JOHN VANDERSLICE @ Great Scott
Nov. 6 :: #191 :: FIELD REPORT w/ Caleb Groh @ Great Scott
Nov. 8 :: #192 :: THE WHIGS w/ Kuroma & Royal Bangs @ Brighton Music Hall
Nov. 10 :: #193 :: HUMAN SEXUAL RESPONSE @ House of Blues
Nov. 14 :: #194 :: HUSKY w/ Hannah Georgas @ Great Scott
Nov. 18 :: #195 :: MIKE SCOTT (of The Waterboys) @ Brighton Music Hall
Nov. 21 :: #196 :: ASH w/ Resputante @ Great Scott

The Fenway Recordings Sessions adds Frankie Rose to Fall Lineup

The Fenway Recordings Sessions have just added Frankie Rose to its fall lineup, who will be playing Brighton Music Hall on October 4th for Fenway Recordings Session #185.  Frankie Rose is a Brooklyn based musician who began her career as a member of Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts, and Dum Dum Girls. Last February she released her second solo LP Interstellar, which received “Best New Music” distinction from Pitchfork. Frankie has been touring the US, Canada, and Europe in support of that record and will continue touring through the fall where she will be making a stop in Allston to play Fenway Session #185. Doors are at 8pm show at 9pm, 18+. Tickets are on sale HERE. To see all the upcoming Fenway recordings Sessions click here.

The Fenway Recordings Sessions Adds Charli XCX/St. Lucia, Alt-J (∆) + Hundred Waters to 2012 Lineup

Boston, MA – The Fenway Recordings Sessions has added three shows to the 2012 series lineup.  On August 1st Charli XCX and St. Lucia will co-headline at Brighton Music Hall with support from Magic Man, and then on September 17th, Alt-J (∆) will be at Great Scott, followed by Hundred Waters on September 17th, also at Great Scott.

On Wednesday, August 1st the Fenway Recordings Sessions will welcome Charli XCX and St. Lucia for a co-headlining show at Brighton Music Hall.  Boston’s Magic Man will open.  19-year-old UK-based singer Charli XCX got her start playing clubs and warehouse parties in London when she was just 14.  Her career began to explode in 2011 when she released the singles “Stay Away” and “Nuclear Seasons.”  Among other accolades, both songs earned the “Best New Track” distinction from Pitchfork, with “Stay Away” making it onto the site’s list of the top 100 songs of 2011.  In a live review of one of her recent shows in Brooklyn, The New York Times remarked that, “at times it recalled the elasticity of Robyn or the dark pomp of Zola Jesus but mostly it landed on styles that would have made for hits in 1984: the spookiness of Siouxsie Sioux, or flawless early-Madonna, a surprisingly uncommon shtick, and one she nails flawlessly.”  She is currently working on her debut album with producers Ariel Rechtshaid (Usher, Snoop Dog) and Patrick Berger (Robyn), and will be supporting Coldplay on select dates this summer.  Jean-Philip Grobler, aka electro-pop act St. Lucia, will join Charli XCX for this show.  Grobler grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa where he spent his childhood performing and traveling with the Drakensburg Boys Choir.  As a teenager, having “had is fill of classical music” Grobler discovered Radiohead’s Ok Computer, an experience he describes as a musical epiphany.  After spending 3 years in Liverpool, Groebler eventually ended up in New York City, where he began developing the shimmery, synth-laden and layered vocal sound of St. Lucia.  He released his debut album on Neon Gold Records earlier this year, and has spent much of the summer supporting Passion Pit and Young the Giant.

On September 17th, Alt-J (∆) will play Great Scott as part of Fenway Recordings Sessions.  The four-piece from Cambridgeshire, UK is made up college friends Gwil Sainsbury, Joe Newman [guitar/vocals], Gus Unger-Hamilton [keyboards] and Thom Green [drums].  Since releasing their debut ‘Bloodflood’ / ‘Tellasette” 7”in 2011 on Loud & Quiet, the group has benefitted from strong UK radio support, getting plays on BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens, Zane Lowe and Nick Grimshaw shows.  They have supported Wild Beasts, garnered comparisons to Hot Chip and in May of this year released their debut full-length album, An Awesome Wave, to critical acclaim.  In its review of the album,The Guardian observed the band’s “innovative and electrifying musicianship", their "exemplary songwriting…creatively ambitious lyrics" and "captivating blend of insatiable grooves and profound poignancy.”  An Awesome Wave in currently streaming in full on Alt-j’s Soundcloud.  Listen to what the band describes as their “precise and unique brand of alt. pop that draws on poignant folk verses, crushing synths, smart hip hop syncopations and tight vocal harmonies.”  They will be at Great Scott as part of a fall North American tour that includes dates supporting Grouplove.

Two days later, on September 19th, Great Scott will host Hundred Waters for Fenway Recordings Sessions #182. Hundred Waters is a Gainesville, FL-based sextet that plays expertly arranged lush indie rock.  Earlier this year, they released their self-titled debut album on Elestial Sound.  In it’s review of the release, Consequence of Sound’s Ryan Staskel said “true song craft and musicianship is at work within Hundred Waters, and that warrants some serious attention.”  In Pitchfork’s 8.1 review the site notes that “their debut does more than enough to stand on its own, not only ambitious in its own right, but leaving little doubt about Hundred Waters' capability of handling wherever their ambition takes them from here.”  The Orlando Weekly described their sound as “meshing complex, organic pop…music that’s as gentle as it is commanding.”  During July the band will be joining a lineup of artists that includes Grimes, Diplo, Pretty Lights, and Skrillex on the Full Flex Express tour through Canada.  After the Full Flex tour, Hundred Waters will support Julia Holter on her tour behind her record Ekstasis.

 

The Fenway Recordings Sessions Announces MTV Hive's 'Live in Boston' Series Featuring Cloud Nothings on 3/25

The Fenway Recordings Sessions is excited to announce a new collaboration with MTV Hive which will launch this Sunday, March 25 at Brighton Music Hall with Cleveland indie rockers Cloud Nothings.  'Live in Boston' is an expansion of MTV Hive's NYC-based series, 'Live from Webster Hall,' and will feature a live stream of Cloud Nothings' set, which will begin at 11pm.  Also on the bill are A Classic Education and Dirty Dishes. Tickets are available here. The 'Live from Webster Hall' series has previously featured The Black Keys, The National, St. Vincent and Theophilus London.

The Fenway Recordings Sessions Adds to Spring 2012 Lineup

  The Fenway Recordings Sessions is excited to announce three new additions to its spring 2012 lineup. BLACK BOX REVELATION on Monday, March 5 at Great Scott, ALCOHOLIC FAITH MISSION on Saturday, April 28 for the series’ first ever show at TT the Bear’s, and LE BLORR on Monday, May 21 at Great Scott. The full lineup follows below.

 

On March 5th, Belgian garage rock band Black Box Revelation will play Fenway Recordings Session #155 at Great Scott as a part of their winter/spring 2012 tour. Boston noise rockers the New Highway Hymnal will support on this show. Black Box Revelation was formed by vocalist and guitarist Jan Paternoster and drummer Dries Van Dijck in 2005, and since forming, they released Set Your Head On Fire (2007) and second album Silver Threats (2010), both on T Tunes before releasing My Perception (2011) on Merovee Records in the US and PIAS in Europe. For My Perception, the band worked with musician/producer Alain Johannes of Queens of the Stone Age to create a record that has received wide acclaim. AltSounds' Nuno Saque Ferreira calls the band's style "a cross between R&B-inflected garage-band rock that takes its cues from mid-’60s Stones and The Kinks to the most gut-bucket, electric delta blues evocative of Led Zeppelin…a musical revelation that can’t be boxed into a single category," while the UK's Rock Sound praises their "scuzzy guitars, crashing drums, unabashed energy and depth of soul." iHeartRadio recently named My Perception’s "Bitter" #1 on its "New! Discover & Uncover Top 20 Rock Chart". Black Box Revelation have toured with dEUS, The Raveonettes, Eagles Of Death Metal, Iggy Pop, Dead Weather, Jane’s Addiction, Meat Puppets and others.

 

Next up, Alcoholic Faith Mission will play Fenway Recordings Session #164 at TT the Bear’s on April 28th. The band will be supporting their fourth album, Ask Me This, which was released in Europe and Asia on Feb. 24, and on which they collaborated for the first time with producer Tom McFall (R.E.M., Weezer, Stars). The album will be out in the US and Canada March 27. Formed in 2006 by friends Thorben Seierø Jensen and Sune Sølund, Alcoholic Faith Mission released their debut album, Misery Loves Company via Cope Records just six months into the project, and since then have released 421 Wyeth Avenue and Let This Be The Night We Care, gaining additional members Kristine Permild, Gustav Rasmussen, Anders Hjord and Morten Hyldahl to create the collective as it is today. Over their career, Alcoholic Faith Mission have toured extensively, playing European festivals including Roskilde in Denmark, Peace & Love and SIESTA! in Sweden and Positivus in Latvia, as well as CMJ, Canadian Music Week and SXSW in North America. Lithium Magazine’s Myles LaCavera has described AFM as having a “refreshing approach to indie, attacking from unsuspecting angles, sneaking up behind you, and is frustratingly indefinable,” and MTV, Brooklyn Vegan, Esquire and The New York Times have all highlighted the band as a “standout act.”

 

Finally, New York’s Le Blorr will perform Fenway Recordings Session #170 at Great Scott on May 21st. Boston based psychadelic blues rock band Sand Reckoner will support. The eccentric duo of Chris “Cookie Sugarhips” Hess and Adam “Hot Damn Sweet Huckleberry” Winn make up Le Blorr, which for the uninitiated, stands for Bastard Love Child of Rock and Roll. Self-proclaimed producers of “booty shakin’ rock ‘n roll,” Hess and Winn describe their sound as “psychedelic rock n' roll with a sense of grit and beauty that captures the hearts of their listeners.” The band self-released their Bim Bom EP in October 2010, earning praise from Consequence of Sound’s E. N. May, who observed, “Le Blorr have figured out a way to cram every corner of rock into their sound. Influences from Zeppelin to T. Rex and relative new comers The Black Angels are thrown into a dirty rock stew that holds nothing back. On the EP, it’s all tied together by Bossanova interludes that piece together a story of forbidden love. Ambitious much?” Of the band’s video for “Boy You Need Jesus,” Filter Magazine notes that “from torch carrying to book burning, Le Blorr bring a good dose of ‘je ne sais quoi’...and we like it.” 2012 looks to be a breakout year for the duo, as they have appearances lined up for SXSW, Identity Festival, Black Water Festival, Miami Art Basel and Bamboozle before hitting Great Scott in May.

The Fenway Recordings Sessions Announces Winter 2012 Lineup: Mission of Burma, Other Lives, EMA & WU LYF

The Fenway Recordings Sessions is excited to announce its winter 2012 lineup, which includes the series’ 150th event; a weekend of back-to-back shows at Brighton Music Hall with Mission of Burma, on January 20th and 21st.  Also coming up, Other Lives will play at Great Scott on February 16th, EMA will play at Brighton Music Hall on March 15th, and Wu Lyf will play at Brighton Music Hall on April 28th.
The Fenway Recordings Session will celebrate its milestone 150th session with two blistering shows from one of Boston’s most legendary acts, Mission of Burma.  Cited as an influence by such seminal bands as Nirvana, Sonic Youth, the Pixies, R.E.M. and Superchunk, Mission of Burma’s music continues to inspire young artists today, three decades and two career phases after the release of the Signals, Calls and Marches EP on Ace of Hearts records in 1981.  
Mission of Burma is Roger Miller on guitar, Clint Conley on bass, Peter Prescott on drums, and Bob Weston in the role of live tape loop manipulator and producer, which Martin Swope initially held in the first part of the band’s career.  Originally formed in 1979, Mission of Burma put out the aforementioned EP Signals, Calls and Marches and a also full-length album, Vs.  Only a few years into their career however, the band was forced to call it quits when Miller developed a severe case of tinnitus due to the extremely loud volume of their shows.  Then, after a more than two-decade hiatus, the band reunited in 2002 for what were supposed to be a few one off shows. From there, Mission of Burma went on to form the extremely unexpected and critically acclaimed second phase of their career, in which the band has recorded and released more material then they did in the first phase.  ONoffON, The Obliterati, and The Sound The Speed The Light were all released on Matador Records, and the band are currently working on their next studio album.  The band, who have said they will continue playing and making music for as long as it makes sense, continue to play select shows throughout the country and have appeared at such festivals as Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, Primavera Sound in Barcelona and Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin.  
Mission of Burma will receive support from Boston’s Viva Viva on the 20th and Shepherdess on the 21st.  Viva Viva, recent winners of the Boston Music Award for Rock Artist of the Year, are influenced by 60’s and 70’s rock and strive to take those influences to craft their own uniquely infectious tunes.  Boston Phoenix Music Editor Michael Marotta praises their live performances, saying, “the legend of Viva Viva has grown exponentially on the shoulders of explosive live performances.”  Viva Viva maintain a solid rock ‘n’ roll foundation, but add their own flair with gritty vocals and rich guitar, adding a bite to typical Boston rock.
Jamaica Plain-based Shepherdess is the latest project of Hilken Mancini of Punk Rock Aerobics. The trio has been active around the Boston DIY scene for quite some time, taking part in the JP Music Festival and other local shows. Marc Hirsh of the Boston Globe praises the group, saying they blend “sometimes sweet material with an indie rock attack to winning effect.”  Their inherent talent and hard work landed the group an opportunity to open for Wild Flag at Brighton Music Hall this past March, and since this show, Shepherdess has garnered quite a following in Boston.
Following Mission of Burma, the Stillwater, OK based band Other Lives will play Great Scott for Session #151.  After releasing their successful self titled debut in 2009, Other Lives followed up with Tamer Animals, a critically acclaimed album released in May of this year on TBD Records.  The Guardian has called the band cinematic, saying their music is, “remarkable stuff that you suspect will ultimately reach a far wider audience.”  Comprised of Jesse Tabish on vocals, piano, and guitar, Josh Onstott on bass, organ, and backing vocals, Jenny Hsu on cello, piano, and backing vocals, Colby Owens on drums, and Jonathon Mooney on piano, violin, and guitar, they write lush, intricate music, which has been described by Pitchfork as “lovingly crafted,” “organic,” and “rarely forced.”
Other Lives recently wrapped up a fall UK headlining tour, and will play several west coast shows before heading East for another brief headlining tour.  They have toured with the likes of Bon Iver, S. Carey, and The Rosebuds, and it was just announced that they will open for Radiohead on the first stretch of that band’s 2012 North American tour in February and March.   
Next, on March 15th, EMA will stop by the Brighton Music Hall for Session #152.  The solo project of Erica M. Alfredson, formerly of the eletro folk duo Gowns, EMA has been seemingly everywhere this year.  She released her highly personal and highly acclaimed debut album,Past Life Martyred Saints, in June on Souterrain transmissions, which Pitchfork has described as “a fiercely individual record, made by a musician with a fearless and courageous approach to her art.”  Among other 2011 highlights, EMA contributed a track to Spin’s 20th anniversary tribute to Nirvana’s album, Nevermind (offering her take on “Endless Nameless”) and completed her own Take Away Show on the Paris music blog, La Blogotheque.  View it HERE.  Rolling Stone Magazine named EMA an “Artist to Watch,” calling her music a mix of, “slow-boil acoustic intensity, blasts of fuzz, and stick-in-your-head alt-rock melodies.”  Look for Past Life Martyred Saints on the Best Of 2011 lists, where it will surely land, and see her live when she comes by the Fenway Recordings Sessions in March.  
Finally, on April 28th, Manchester, UK natives Wu Lyf (World Unite / Lucifer Youth Foundation) will play Brighton Music Hall for Fenway Recordings Sessions #153.  Notoriously elusive, Wu Lyf is known as much for eschewing the media as it is for its unique, self described heavy pop, intense live shows and the singular vocal style of lead singer, Ellery Roberts.  To that end, Roberts was quoted in a DrownedinSound.com live review as saying, “we let our music do the talking.”  Formed in 2008, Wu Lyf is comprised of Jeau” Joe Manning on drums and piano, “Lung” Tom McClung on vocals, bass, and guitar, Roberts on vocals and organ, and “Evnse” Evan Kati on vocals, guitar, and harmonica.  In June of this year, the band released its debut album, Go tell Fire to the Mountain, which was self-produced in Manchester’s Saint Peter’s church.  Despite interest from established record labels, the band self-released Go tell… on its own L Y F imprint.
Described as the “cult band of the moment in England” by Rolling Stone magazine Italy, a June NME feature on the band proclaimed, “Wu Lyf are Fucking Amazing,” and their debut album earned Best New Music and an 8.4 review on Pitchfork.  That blog’s review called the album, “a stunning lockstep of drum rolls, tart guitar chords, and a maddening chant for raising beers and clenched fists…life-affirming music.”  Tickets for Wu Lyf go on sale Saturday, December 17th at 12 noon. 

Session #148 with Keep Shelly In Athens Confirmed for November 17th

Grecian duo, KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS have just been added to the Fenway Recordings Session. Their stop at Brighton Music Hall for the series' 148th show on November 17th will be part of their first North American tour.

Capturing down-tempo electronica is what this male-female duo do throughout their haunting indie-disco tracks. Vocalist Sarah P's unstrained voice wraps you into her world of mystery, sorrow and loss.  Described as "melancholy disco" by the Guardian, Keep Shelly In Athens are said to "gracefully combine hip-hop samples, aerial lounge music and hints of balearic house and downtempo, creating a unique and oh-so-catchy vibe of their own" (New Dusk).

In Love With Dusk their 6 song EP released in 2010 quickly sold out, allowing new material to develop resulting in "Hauntin' Me", the video for which you can see here. You may have caught a remix of their tunes by Memory Tapes or Maria Minerva, or perhaps checked out tracks they remixed from Blood Diamond to Porcelain Raft.  Either way, this band's creations will bring you what the NME calls a fascinating "dream shattered by devastatingly melancholy trumpet signs". Their new EP, Our Own Dream, is set to be released this fall on Forest Family.

Tickets for the November 17th Brighton Music Hall show can be found here.

New Sessions announced as Fall line-up is established

THE FENWAY RECORDINGS SESSIONS CONTINUES SUMMER SESSIONS WITH MALE BONDING ON WEDNESDAY, 8/31; 

ANNOUNCES NEW FALL LINEUP

Upcoming Fenway Recordings Sessions:

#138 :: Aug. 31 -- Male Bonding w/ Love Inks and Girlfriends @ BMH (Tickets)

#139 :: Sept. 13 -- Grouplove w/ Young  Man @ BMH (Tickets)

#140 :: Sept. 14 -- You Am I /Sloan w/ Taylor Locke & the Roughs @ BMH (Tickets)

#141 :: Sept. 29 -- Tribes @ Great Scott (Tickets)

#142 :: Oct. 3 -- The Horrors w/ The Stepkids @ BMH (Tickets)

#143 :: Oct. 20 – BRAIDS w/ Pepper Rabbit and Born Gold @ Great Scott (Tickets)

#144 :: Nov. 9 -- Bobby Long @ Great Scott (Tickets)

#145 :: Nov. 17 -- Keep Shelly In Athens @ Brighton Music Hall (Tickets)

 

Boston, MA – The Fenway Recordings Sessions is excited to continue its 2011 series with MALE BONDING next Wednesday, 8/31 at Brighton Music Hall.  And the addition of several new shows, including GROUPLOVE on 9/13 at Brighton Music Hall, TRIBES on 9/29 and BOBBY LONG on 11/9, both at Great Scott, will keep the series rolling well into the fall.

Next Wednesday, August 31st, UK noise rockers MALE BONDING will play Brighton Music Hall for Fenway Recordings Sessions #138.  The trio, singer/guitarist John Arthur Webb, bassist Kevin Hendrick and drummer Robin Silas Christian join us from East London to support their August 30th release, Endless Now, on Sub Pop.

Male Bonding worked with producer John Angello at Dreamland Recording Studio onEndless Now, the band’s second release on Sub Pop.  The band has said that use of Dreamland Recordings’ facilities allowed them to push themselves further than ever.  The album is marked by shrill electric guitars, fuzzy feedback and buzzing riffs, all of which translate well in their live, high-energy punk shows.  With roots as true DIY-ers in London, the band has worked its way onto global tours supporting artists including, No Age, Vivian Girls, and Japandroids.  When they started out, the band created their own label, Paradise Vendors, to put out a 7” that they lamented “no one else seemed interested in.”  Now, they are now signed to Sub Pop, a label “they only dreamt would contact them.”  The Austin-based LOVE INKS and local garage rockers GIRLFRIENDS will support Male Bonding on this bill.  Love Inks, who released their self recorded 10 song debut album, E.S.P. in May on Hell, Yes!/ City Slang, were chosen as an NME Radar Band of the Week, and have played with Real Estate, Boyfriend, Pure X.  Girlfriends, awarded “Best Garage/Psych Band” in the 2010 Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll, will open the show.  The band is currently working on their debut full-length album, a follow up to their two self-released and buzz-worthy 7” single and cassette releases.

Kicking off the Fewnay Recordings Sessions fall lineup, GROUPLOVE will be at Brighton Music Hall on Tuesday, September 13th for Sessions #139.  The SoCal fivesome, whose back story includes a chance first meeting on the Greek island of Crete, released their self-titled EP in 2010 on Canvasback.  They toured the US with Florence + The Machine in support of the EP, which earned nods from NME and Drowned in Sound, who wrote of the release, “the potential as to what Grouplove could capably achieve is astounding.”  Offering a sound that NME called “sugary and sunny and stuffed with melodies,” Grouplove’s unique mix of crisp, clean guitars and restrained folk influences have drawn comparisons to bands as diverse as Vampire Weekend, Modest Mouse, The Pixies, and Broken Social Scene.  Grouplove’s appearance at Brighton Music Hall is the third on a massive North American tour following a busy summer of festivals all in support of their debut full-length album, Never Trust a Happy Song.  The album, slated to be released on September 13th (Canvasback/Atlatnic) marks an evolution in Grouplove’s sound, blending their signature upbeat vocals and jangling guitars with electronic experimentation, and has already secured an “All Things Considered” distinction from NPR.  Supporting Grouplove is YOUNG MAN, Chicago native Colin Caulfield’s solo project.  First gaining attention for his mesmerizing YouTube covers of popular indie songs, Caulfield achieved notoriety when his cover of Deerhunter’s  “Rainwater Cassette Exchanged” caught the attention of Deerhunter themselves, who called the cover “fantastically superior to the original” on their blog. Young Man’s first EP, Boy, (Frenchkiss Records) released in 2010, was praised by Pitchfork for its “hypnotic production of guitars, spacey synth organs, and various percussive flourishes.”  Caulfield will be promoting his debut full-length album, Ideas of Distance, out September 27th on Frenchkiss Records.

The very next night, Wednesday, September 14th, legendary Australian rockers YOU AM I join Toronto’s SLOAN for a co-headline bill at Brighton Music Hall.  This show will be the 140th Fenway Recordings Session.  Touring behind their 2010 self-titled release, YOU AM I will be in Allston following stops at the Music Fest NW in Portland and Bumbershoot in Seattle.  The band; Davey Lane on guitar, Rusty Hopkinson on drums, Andy Kent on bass, and Tim Rogers on vocals and guitar, is known for its charged live show, which has been honed over its 20+ year, nine-album career.  Danny Murphy of Rolling Stone has said of Rodgers, “…at his best there is no better frontman on Earth.”  Often compared to the Replacements, the Kinks, and the Velvet Underground, the foursome has made a career of delivering consistently solid releases, including three consecutive #1 debuts on Australia’s ARIA charts, the first Australian band to achieve this feat. Their ninth and latest LP, You Am I, blends new with old, an accomplishment that Rolling Stone praises, writing that the album “does the impossible trick of sounding both fresh and part of the band’s classic catalogue.”

Joining the September 14th roster is another veteran group, Toronto-based rock quartet SLOAN. Over a more than two-decade career, members Jay Ferguson, Patrick Pentland, Chris Murphy, and Andrew Scott have distinguished themselves with humble integrity.  For Sloan, music making is a truly collaborative endeavor as each member shares songwriting responsibilities and trades instruments accordingly when playing live.  With 2011 marking their 20th anniversary, Sloan recently released their tenth album,The Double Cross, in May on Yep Roc Records.  Boasting an unaltered line-up since they started, Sloan has consistently released critically-acclaimed material during their lengthy career. Their third album, One Chord to Another, won a Juno Award for Best Alternative Album and their latest album was nominated for a 2011 Polaris Music Pride Award.  Presently touring North America to promote their album’s release, Sloan has shared the stage with The Rolling Stones, Pete Yorn and Lenny Kravitz.

Next in the fall Fenway Recordings Sessions lineup, British indie rockers TRIBES will take the stage at Great Scott on Thursday, September 29th for Session #141.  The UK quartet, consisting of Johnny Lloyd, Dan White, Jim Cratchley and Miguel Demelo, will release their debut full-length album later this year on Island Records and will play at Great Scott as part of a North American tour in support of the forthcoming release.  The band formed in the summer of 2009 and initially shied from popular attention in hopes of staying focused on creating music.  “We want it to happen word-of-mouth, you can’t find us on the Internet, you have look at posters to know when the gigs are,” Lloyd told NME in 2010.  Despite their efforts to keep a low profile, Tribes’ Nirvana-meets-The Libertines sensibilities soon created plenty of buzz in the indie music blogosphere.  With the release of their first EP, We Were Children, earlier this year, and with the eponymous single “We Were Children” being named “Hottest Record of the Week” by Zane Lowe of BBC Radio, the band has quickly become hard to ignore.  Praised as one of NME’s 2011 “Artists You Need to Hear,” Tribes was subsequently singled out by NME and BBC Radio 1 to record at the BBC’s legendary Maide Vale Studios.

Next up, THE HORRORS will play Brighton Music Hall on Monday, October 3rd for their second Fenway Recordings Session show, and the 142nd in the series.  The band; Faris Badwan, Joshua Hayward, Tom Cowan, Rhys Webb and Joseph Spurgeon, released their third full length album, Skying, on August 9th in the US.  The album, which they produced themselves, was also recorded in their own recently built studio.  Their previous albums, Strange House and Primary Colours, reached number 37 and number 25 in the U.K., respectively, and in 2009 Primary Colours was named album of the year by NME.  Of their most recent release, Mike Diver of BBC Music writes, “There’s no fault to be found with Skying – truly, every song here hits its mark... From the most incongruous of beginnings, The Horrors have become national treasures in waiting, and now possess the ability to realise any ambitions.”  NME praises the album’s multifaceted components, applauding its funky drumming, guitars that squeal and chime, and mesmerizing synth-hooks, concluding this album is further evidence that The Horrors are “one of this generation’s most important bands.”

Beginning a US tour in September, the band will be playing a number of festivals including the Wireless Festival in Hyde Park before their arrival to Brighton Music Hall.  They have previously toured with The Kills, Nine inch Nails, and Muse.  Offering a captivating live show with frontman Faris Badwan at the helm, the Horrors are notorious for their often unpredictable and ferocious energy on stage.  Opening for The Horrors will be Connecticut trio, THE STEPKIDS, a band The Guardian has called the band “spiritual heirs to an era when funk was far-out and soul went psychadelic.”  The Stepkids will be touring in support of their debut album, out in September on Stones Throw Records.

Following The Horrors, on Thursday, October 20th, Canadian quartet BRAIDS will play Sessions #143 at Brighton Music Hall.  Following the critical success of the band’s self-produced debut album, Native Speakers, Braids was hailed by NME as number ten on their list of 2011’s best new bands.  Championing lush atmospheric melodies which the band christens “texture pop,” Braids—formally called the Neighborhood Council—delivers good on their new name, deftly weaving delicate lo-fi soundscapes in intertwining threads which explode in psychedelic storms.  The foursome’s quality of integrated unity is found both in style as well as form with each member contributing vocals and secondary instrumentation through extravagant electronic looping and contrapuntal flair. The result is an expansive, exploratory sound which has often caused this Montreal-via-Calgary group to be mistaken for a much larger band, reminiscent, suggests The Guardian, of fellow Canadian indie heroes Broken Social Scene.

However, Braids is quick to shy away from such comparisons or easy definitions of their unique sound, like “dream pop,” a term Drummer Austin Tufts rejects in favor of “visual, cinematic music.” Indeed, the sumptuous electronic swells that Braids articulates over the seven marathon tracks of Native Speakers (each averages around seven minutes long) strikes one as tactile and full of momentum, creating an sonic experience that Spin Music Editor Charles Aarron writes, “feel[s] gutsier and more distinctive the more you listen.”

Joining Braids is L.A. duo PEPPER RABBIT whose sophomore album, Red Velvet Snow Ball, came out August 9th. Marked by an eclectic arsenal of instruments including ukuleles, clarinets, analog loops, and horns, Pepper Rabbit’s experimental sound is sure to be remembered.

Finally, on Wednesday, November 9th, BOBBY LONG will be at Great Scott for Sessions #144.  Long earned his way to success with a grass roots approach that saw him sell over 10,000 copies of his bootleg EP Dirty Pond Songs over the course of 160 shows in seven months and seven countries.  Pollstar noted that he “continues to amaze audiences with a bare-bones sound reminiscent of early Bob Dylan.”  The Boston Herald praises his “likeable, rough, hewn voice.”  Long toured this summer with the Dave Matthews Band Caravan and before leaving on a tour of Europe, he will be playing the upcoming Austin City Limits Music Festival.  ATO Records released his debut full-length album, A Winter Tale in February 2011, and Long is already back working on a follow up release.

The Fenway Recordings Sessions Announces Updated Session #139

Fenway Recordings announces Session #139, featuring California indie rockers GROUPLOVE with support from St. Paul trio YOUNG MAN at Brighton Music Hall on September 13th (Tickets). Still on the way:

Session #140: YOU AM I and SLOAN at Brighton Music Hall on September 14th (Tickets)

Session #141: THE HORRORS with THE STEPKIDS at Brighton Music Hall on October 3th (Tickets)

Session #142: BRAIDS with PEPPER RABBIT at Great Scott on October 20th (Tickets)

The Fenway Recordings Sessions adds to its summer and fall lineup, confirms Sessions #135-141.

Fenway Recordings is stoked to announce the addition of 7 upcoming Session shows. #135 will held on July 20th at Brighton Music Hall featuring CIBO MATTO with TONY CASTLES (Tickets). Sessions #136 & #137 will feature FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE with NICOLE ATKINS at Brighton Music Hall on August 12th &13th. Fountains of Wayne's first night, August 12th, will be a full electric set (Tickets), while the second night, August 13th, will be a full acoustic set (Tickets).  On August 31st, the Sessions welcomes MALE BONDING with LOVE INKS and GIRLFRIENDS to Brighton Music Hall for Session #138 (Tickets).  YOU AM I and SLOAN will take the Brighton Music Hall Stage on September 14th for the #139 session (Tickets).  #140 will feature THE HORRORS at Brighton music Hall on October 3th (Tickets). And on October 20th BRAIDS with PEPPER RABBIT will be at the Great Scott for Session #141 (Tickets).