‘Live from the Hotel Café’ is a four track, six-string vessel, a pure of heart charge led by singer/songwriter newbie Matt Hires. It is emotional acoustic music that tells a story that isn’t always depressing like more of its kind, but mostly hopeful in nature.

Hires sweet, understated voice often overshadows his quality guitar work, but it is hardly noticed. ‘Live from the Hotel Café’ is a wonderful piece of Americana with a subtle Midwest feel to it that is an amalgam of equal parts Jack Johnson and John Mayer with touches of Matt Costa and Mat Kearney. The album plays its four tracks quick at a shade over 15 minutes, but it succeeds in leaving a lasting effect on the listener.

The hooks are prevalent, especially during the heart-on-sleeve, honest ‘Tangled Web,’ even though the whistling in tune at the end of the song might be better than any hook. Yes, you will want to sing along. It is hard to imagine at the young age of just 22 that Hires voice could sound this mature, this earnest and polished, but it’s those qualities that make his music so unbelievably endearing.

Someone should call Zack Braff and tell him the soundtrack to his next alt-indie romantic dramady is here, and his name is Matt Hires.

Swoons like:
- Ben Harper – ‘Live at Twist and Shout Records’
- Matt Costa – ‘Unfamiliar Faces’
- Mason Jennings – ‘Century Spring’

3 Songs in new XBOX 360 game STOKED

“Soulful war-esque dark funk, draped in a deep pile velvety psychedelia with the sort of effortless classic rock vocal that shiny stars are surely made of.” Bull & Gate, UK

KAVA KAVA have been profiled as one of ‘the’ bands from the Yorkshire area of the UK to look out for. Think Corrine Bailey Rae/Kaiser Chiefs/Arctic Monkeys, and more recently Paul Marshall. Their music has been featured in TV series such as, JOHN FROM CINCINNATI, DIRT and WEEDS, and they have three songs on the newly released XBOX 360 snowboarding game, STOKED. Their new record, FORWARDS will be released in the US on Midnight Swimming in June on digital and vinyl.

“Kava Kava has created a musical chimera that is equal parts P-Funk and Roxy Music, as indebted to Stax soul and the Philly sound as it is to the Manchester beat and Brian Eno.” Alt.Culture.US

Originally starting as four-piece psychedelic funk band gracing the underground festival and party scene, KAVA KAVA has now expanded into a fleshed out six piece that fully realizes an eclectic, yet cohesive wall of sound.

The vocals of singer Pat Fulgoni are accompanied by a revolving line-up that includes Matt Bond guitar, Martin Chung bass, Chris Corrigan drums, Steve Davies and Ian Bailey horn section alongside vocals, guitars, electronica, brass, strings and a funky rhythm section. The dynamics between all of the different elements of KAVA KAVA truly add up to an individualistic new incarnation of sound without forgetting to pay homage to the history of those sounds.

“Should be on every funk and disco playlist, period!..Love it!” DJ Magazine (UK)

America’s first-ever hard rock and heavy metal music award show—the first annual EPIPHONE REVOLVER GOLDEN GODS AWARDS, presented by the Honda Fury—will take place Tuesday, April 7 at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles and be broadcast on MTV2 as a one-hour special debuting Saturday, May 2. Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the event, presented by America’s leading heavy music magazine REVOLVER.

Vocalist Trevor Phipps and guitarist Ken Susi of the Massachusetts metal behemoth UNEARTH will be in attendance to present the award for Best Viral Video. Be sure to tune in to the event as one never knows what hilarity will ensue with these guys around. Vocalist of JOB FOR A COWBOY, Jonny Davy will be stopping in to present the MySpace Readers Choice award before heading off to FL to begin recording the band’s follow up to the underground hit, Genesis.

Here’s what the guys have to say about being a part of what is sure to be the biggest celebration of metal Los Angeles has seen in years.

“I am so pumped to be a part of the Golden Gods ceremony! This is the first time in my ten year career where I will be presenting an award at a major event! I hope my pants don’t fall down! “Be excellent to each other, and party on dudes!!” (Abraham Lincoln in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure ) Ken Susi

“We are excited to be both nominated for a Golden God Award and to be asked to present one. We want to thank everyone who has cast their votes for us so far! April 7th is going to be one great night of Heavy Metal and good times.” Trevor Phipps

“The Golden Gods awards were a fuckin’ party last year in the UK, can’t wait to see the party go down in the US!” Jonny Davy

Hosted by actor/comic Brian Posehn (The Sarah Silverman Program), the EPIPHONE REVOLVER GOLDEN GODS AWARDS will be highlighted by performances from Megadeth, Killswitch Engage, Hatebreed, All That Remains, and Suicide Silence. The evening—a celebration of the music of one of rock’s most enduring and fan-supported genres—will also feature special appearances by Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmister, Glenn Danzig, Maynard James Keenan, Chuck Billy and Eric Peterson of Testament, Trevor Phipps & Ken Susi of Unearth, Jonny Davy of Job for a Cowboy, Protest The Hero, Marta from Bleeding Through, Isis, Brendon Small from Dethklok, WWE wrestler CM Punk, and many more. A limited number of tickets go on sale to the public and are available now at all Ticketmaster locations, the Club Nokia box office and online at: http://www.ticketmaster.com. General admission tickets are $35.00 and VIP tickets are $75.00.

“Hard rock and heavy metal have needed an event like this in the States for years, and Revolver is fortunate enough to be in a position where we can make it happen,” says Revolver Editor In Chief Tom Beaujour. “We’re proud to be partnering with MTV2, the home of Headbangers Ball–the hardest show in the world.”

As the home of Headbanger’s Ball, the longest running show on the network, MTV2 will serve as the exclusive broadcast partner for the one hour REVOLVER GOLDEN GODS AWARDS special on May 2. On-air and online programming and content will include the following leading up to the airdate:

• Week of April 20 – Fans will be able to check out the Headbangers Ball blog (http://headbangersblog.mtv.com) and MTV2.com for great behind-the-scenes info and access to REVOLVER GOLDEN GODS AWARDS artists

• Saturday, April 25 – MTV2 will air a one-hour REVOLVER GOLDEN GODS AWARDS nominee special

• Week of April 27 – Rock aficionados can catch MTV2 every day for a one-hour daily strip of Headbangers Ball hosted by Sirius’ Jose Mangin featuring special guests and performances

• Saturday, May 2 – MTV2 to air one-hour REVOLVER GOLDEN GODS AWARDS special
The show will be produced by Kevin Lyman’s 4Fini, Inc., who will also bring you this summer’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, which launches July 10 at the Sleep Train Amphitheatre in Sacramento, CA and features Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Killswitch Engage, Bullet For My Valentine, Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Job for a Cowboy, Behemoth, Whitechapel and many more. Revolver is the official media sponsor of the tour. For more information on The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, please visit www.mayhemfest.com.

Look for additional information about the EPIPHONE REVOLVER GOLDEN GODS AWARDS to be announced in the coming weeks and go to www.GoldenGodsAwards.com for updates.

http://www.myspace.com/unearth
http://www.unearth.tv
http://www.jfacmetal.com
http://www.myspace.com/jobforacowboy

Vocalist/mastermind Lizzy Borden comments on the creative process behind the video:

“After our last video Tomorrow Never Comes was nominated for video of the year on MTV’s Headbangers Ball we thought we had to step up the visuals big time on our next one.

For the Under Your Skin video we knew we wanted a storyline that mirrored the lyrics to the song. I wrote Skin about the teenage phenomenon that is happening to one out of every two-hundred teenage (mostly girls), that phenomenon is called cutting.

The video for Under Your Skin follows the lives of three very different girls, a rich girl neglected by her parents, a cheerleader with a “nothing’s ever good enough” mother and a poor girl with an alcoholic father. The girls all have complete opposite backgrounds but share the same big secret, they all cut themselves. In the video, Death (played by me) stalks the girls just waiting for the one who, on this occasion, will cut a little too deep.

We recruited first time director Ann Potenza for the job; she understood this song completely and wrote a great treatment that we all loved right away. She then recruited director of photography Gigi Malavasi to complete the team. Joey Scott (Drummer of LB) and Ann scouted locations and hired our cast, (the rich girl in the video is my niece, Christina Farr).

We wanted something that would showcase the song and the band, but with this video we got a whole lot more. My goal has always been to entertain, but if we can bring awareness to something like this, all the better. I was at a party recently talking to some girl and telling her that our new video was about cutting, she showed me the scars on her arm, that’s how common this is.

Hope you like the video and if you are or know someone that cuts themselves check out the PSA at the end of the video, there is information that may help.” Lizzy Borden

http://www.myspace.com/lizzybordenband
http://www.lizzyborden.com
http://www.headbangersblog.com

Stage dive into spring with the Jägermeister Music Tour! Jägermeister is teaming up with legendary American punk band, Pennywise and dub rock trio, Pepper for this year’s spring Jägermeister Music Tour. The tour kicks off on April 13th in Seattle, Washington.

Pennywise (http://www.myspace.com/pennywise) is one of the most significant bands to emerge from Southern California punk’s second wave. The Pennywise current line-up, which has remained constant since 1996, consists of Jim Lindberg (vocals), Fletcher Dragge (guitar), Randy Bradbury (bass) and Byron McMackin (drums). Formed in 1988 in Hermosa Beach, California, Pennywise have released nine-full length studio albums, one live album, two extended plays and one DVD. Their most recent studio album is Reason to Believe, which was released to over 500,000 fans for free through a limited-time offering from their new label, MySpace Records. The critically acclaimed album was also sold physically and digitally the world over. The Western World, the first single from this watershed album, became the most successful single of the band’s storied career.

Pepper will rejoin the Jägermeister Music Tour once again to feature their fifth studio album Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations and to support their forthcoming live release, Kona Gold, due in April 2009. Both albums exemplify the band at their most eclectic and capture the essence of the Kona Boys decade of exploits living on the mainland, while exposing them as seasoned veterans of rock. Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations is the band’s first endeavor under the umbrella of LAW Records, their own record label, in association with Controlled Substance Sound Labs/MRI distribution. The forthcoming live album, Kona Gold, reunites the band with surf/skate vanguard Volcom Entertainment for the latest release which features Pepper live in August of 2009 at Boulder, Colorado’s intimate Fox Theatre. The Pepper trio consists of Bret Bollinger (vocals/bass), Kaleo Wassman (vocals/guitar) and Yesod Williams (drums/vocals).

Pepper has sold over 400,000 records independently and enjoyed two top 20 singles- Give it Up –(Dirty Hot Sex) from 2002’s Kona Town, and No Control from 2007’s No Shame. Their music has appeared in many movies, television and video game soundtracks and they have a number of album tracks appearing on the Billboard “Hot Modern Rock Tracks” chart.

“I grew up listening to Pennywise in Kona because they would always be featured on Taylor Steele surf videos,” says Yesod Williams, drummer for Pepper. “It was our soundtrack we’d listen to while heading to the beach. Co-headlining this tour with them is a milestone, then you get Jägermeister involved and the party will never end!”

“After 15 years of paying for Jägermeister shots, it will be nice to finally get a couple on the house” said Fletcher Dragge, guitarist for Pennywise.

“Jägermeister is thrilled to be once again to be working with Pepper,” said Bill Henderson, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Advertising for the Sidney Frank Importing Company. “Having both Pennywise and Pepper on the same bill is something we’ve been dreaming about for a long time.”

The Tour will rock through the end of May and each show will be rounded out with a local Jägermeister sponsored band. On the road since 2002, The Jägermeister Music Tour, now produced by GMR Entertainment, has become THE rock show to see. For less than $30 a ticket, fans not only have the opportunity to experience a great show, but also have a chance to snag some great Jägermeister prizes and giveaways like JägerMusic compilation CDs, as well as plenty of Jägermeister shirts, hats and more. Other prizes provided by Tour sponsors include custom items from Schecter Guitars, and Peavey Electronics and JVC Mobile Entertainment.*

Apr 13 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Showbox SoDo Seattle, Washington
Apr 14 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Roseland Theater Portland, Oregon
Apr 16 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ In The Venue Salt Lake City, Utah
Apr 17 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ The Fillmore Auditorium Denver, Colorado
Apr 18 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Beaumont Club Kansas City, MO
Apr 19 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Pop’s Sauget, IL
Apr 20 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ The Blue Note Columbia, SC
Apr 22 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Verizon Wireless Theatre Houston, TX
Apr 23 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Palladium Ballroom Dallas, TX
Apr 25 2009 Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater Austin, TX
Apr 27 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Tabernacle Atlanta, GA
Apr 28 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ House of Blues North Myrtle Beach, SC
Apr 30 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ House of Blues Orlando, FL
May 1 2009 Sunfest @ Flanger Drive Downtown West Palm Beach, FL
May 2 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Jannus Landing St. Petersburg, FL
May 3 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Plush Jacksonville, FL
May 13 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ 9:30 Club Washington, DC
May 14 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ The Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA
May 15 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Starland Ballroom Sayreville, NJ
May 16 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Terminal 5 New York , NY
May 17 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ House of Blues Boston, MA
May 19 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ BOGARTS (on sale 3/13) Cleveland
May 20 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Crofoot Ballroom Pontiac
May 21 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ House of Blues Chicago, IL
May 22 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ The Eagles Club Milwaukee, WI
May 23 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Myth St. Paul, MN
May 27 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Warfield Theatre San Francisco, California
May 29 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ House of Blues Las Vegas, Nevada
May 31 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Marquee Theatre Tempe, Arizona
Jun 3 2009 JAGERMEISTER MUSIC TOUR @ Club Nokia Los Angeles, California

For more information and an updated list of tour dates and tickets, check out http://jagermeistermusictour.frontgatetickets.com. Get ready to rock!

Jägermeister is dedicated to music, not underage drinking.

About Jägermeister
Imported from Germany and made with herbs and spices, Jägermeister is the most popular shot brand in the United States and the leading imported cordial. Known for its creative marketing and innovative promotions, Jägermeister is proud to be a part of the music scene and an active supporter of up-and-coming musicians. Jägermeister is imported by Sidney Frank Importing Co., Inc. of New Rochelle, NY who encourages all those 21 and over to drink responsibly.

About GMR Entertainment GMR Entertainment offers clients comprehensive services including: music/entertainment strategy and consulting; talent procurement and licensing; experiential live activation; entertainment partnerships; brand integration/product placement; and digital consulting and marketing.

GMRE has received numerous industry accolades including awards for its work with clients such as AXE, Nokia and Verizon Fios. With offices in Milwaukee, Chicago, Charlotte, Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York Seattle, Toronto and London, GMRE is a division of GMR Marketing which is a member of The Radiate Group, a global network of independently branded marketing services agencies operating within the Omnicom Group Inc.

*Must be 21 or over to be eligible for prizes. Giveaways and raffle prizes are subject to state and local laws and are not available in California and may not be available at other shows.

Asked about writing the material for ‘Potato Hole,’ which in addition to the Truckers features Neil Young on guitar on 9 of the 10 tracks, Booker notes that “I really feel like I’ve been opened up again, I’ve got the creative muse working for me. It’s like I have discovered a new method, a little road I can take to open it up, and I’m excited about playing this music.”

‘Potato Hole’ is already drawing praise from critics. Pitchfork debuted the song “Warped Sister” last month, writing that “Booker T. clearly takes the lead, opening with gigantic chords before coaxing out a surprisingly catchy melody from his organ. He gets so much texture and nuance out of his instrument that it sounds like it’s actually forming words.”

Listen to Booker T.’s illuminating recent interview with John Schaeffer on WNYC “Soundcheck” here: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/episodes/2009/03/05/segments/125202

Check here for Booker’s complete tour schedule: http://www.bookert.com/

P.O.S was among a select number of artists picked to cover Pearl Jam classics for MTV, in celebration of the re-release of their debut album Ten. P.O.S’s version of “Why Go” is below. The video has started spreading virally, it’s currently featured on Digg.com’s homepage in the “Top In All Topics” section.

“I was asked if I was interested in covering a pearl jam song by mtv2. I thought it was funny that they wanted to include me, being a rapper and all, but I wanted to take a shot at it. I loved Ten when it came out, rocked the tape till it popped. One of my favorites on it was why go, none of the bands they asked had picked it yet so I did. I though about reworking the original lyrics into a rap kind of situation, but then I was playing the melody on one of my keyboards and thought it might be more fun to just straight cover it. So I did. It was fun. I hope you likes it.” - P.O.S

P.O.S “Why Go” (Pearl Jam Cover): http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/355029/why-go-live.jhtml

“Optimist” - http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=54616162
Interview - http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=54616276

“Optimist” Official Music Video:
http://www.mtvu.com/video/?id=&vid=346640

THE NEW YORK TIMES LIVE SHOW REVIEW:
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/sxsw-five-bands-and-fans-as-nice-as-pie/

BLENDER.COM Exclusive “Savion Glover” Live:
http://www.blender.com/POSSavionGloverBlenderExclusive/video/63521.aspx

SPIN ON P.O.S
http://www.spin.com/gallery/20-must-hear-artists-sxsw-austin?page=15#main

SPIN LIVE SHOW REVIEW:
http://www.spin.com/articles/sxsw-day-3-best-worst-and-rest

““Never Better,” is an early candidate for best hip-hop album of 2009. P.O.S. has bona fide star quality; it’s easy to imagine him achieving the same level of mainstream success as Mos Def or Common.” - Metromix

“Underground hip-hop finally broke through on SXSW stages this year. Minneapolis’s P.O.S. was a double threat: a fluid rapper incensed at the state of the nation and a riveting performer.” - Boston Globe

“A big-hearted rapper with skills, but no attitude to match, P.O.S., a Minneapolis guy, blew through an amp thanks to freaky guitar work against a wash of beats and feedback.” - NY Times on P.O.S.’s SXSW show.

“P.O.S. has saved hip hop. Never Better is amazing and likely to be the best hip-hop album of 2009.” - Alarm

Tour Dates w/Atmosphere:

4/9/2009 Missoula, MT Wilma Theatre
4/10/2009 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory
4/11/09 Boise, ID Knitting Factory
4/12/09 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue
4/14/09 Flagstaff, AZ Orpheum Theater
4/15/09 Tempe, AZ Marquis Theatre
4/17/09 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
4/19/09 Santa Cruz, CA Catalyst
4/20/09 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
4/22/09 Lake Tahoe, NV Montbleu Resort and Casino
4/23/09 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
4/24/09 Seattle, WA Showbox SoDo

Summer 2009: WARPED TOUR

MySpace: www.myspace.com/pos

CHIMAIRA has announced the Golden Ticket contest, which will give fans the chance to win a signature ESP guitar, a copy of Guitar Hero World Tour w/guitar, or a trip to see the annual Christmas show live in the band’s hometown! Each prize will be assigned a ticket to be randomly placed in three of the previously announced CHIMAIRA box sets, which are available for purchase here. The box set will be available on April 21, and there will only be 600 box sets produced, with the band signing the first 100!

Additionally, the laminate included in the box set will provide a website link that CHIMAIRA will update regularly. Fans can expect exclusive video and other surprises from the band to come!

CHIMAIRA box set features include:

-Metal Briefcase packaging
-Chimaira Infection Logo Flag
-CD/DVD Edition of The Infection (featuring the bonus track “Revenge” and a “Making of” DVD)
-”Syringe” USB in metal box featuring the bonus tracks “Convictions” and “Warpath”, The Infection demos, Wallpapers, Buddy Icons and more
-Pick Pack (featuring signature picks of all guitarists)
-Booklet (featuring never before seen photos of the band in studio)
-Laminate (with exclusive website link)

CHIMAIRA is currently playing the Music As A Weapon tour with Disturbed, Killswitch Engage, and Lacuna Coil to support their upcoming new release, The Infection. The album streets April 21 on Ferret Music. Tour dates are listed below.

CHIMAIRA on the Music as a Weapon Tour:

(w/ Disturbed, Killswitch Engage, and Lacuna Coil)
4/01 - Wichita, KS - Hartman Arena
4/03 - Bossier City, LA - Centurytel Center
4/04 - Little Rock, AR - Riverfest Amphitheater
4/05 - New Orleans, LA - Uno Lakefront Arena
4/07 - Pensacola, FL - Pensacola Civic Center
4/08 - Atlanta, GA – The Arena @ Gwinnett Center
4/11 - Orlando, FL - Amway Arena
4/13 - Charlotte, NC – Cricket Arena
4/14 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena
4/15 - Lowell, MA - Tsongas Arena
4/17 - State College, PA - Bryce Jordan Center
4/18 - Portland, ME - Cumberland County Civic Center
4/20 - Erie, PA - Erie Civic Center
4/21 - Bridgeport, CT - Arena at Harbor Yard
4/22 - East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center
4/24 - Fayetteville, NC - Crown Coliseum
4/25 - Reading, PA - Sovereign Center
4/27 - Glens Falls, NY - Glens Falls Civic Center
4/28 - Pittsburgh, PA - Petersen Center
4/30 - Battle Creek, MI - Kellogg Arena
5/02 - Detroit, MI - Cobo Arena
5/03 - Cleveland, OH - The Wolstein Center @ Cleveland State
5/05 - Columbus, OH - Value City Arena
5/06 - Peoria, IL - Peoria Civic Center
5/08 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center
5/09 - Des Moines, IA – Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium
5/10 - Madison, WI - Alliant Energy Center
5/12 - Lacrosse, WI - Lacrosse Center
5/13 - Evansville, IN - Roberts Stadium
5/15 - Council Bluffs, IA - Mid America Center
5/16 - Chicago, IL - Charter One Pavilion
5/17- Green Bay, WI - Resch Center

CHIMAIRA off-dates:

4/09 - Knoxville, TN @ The Valarium w/ Suffocation, White Chapel & Veil of Maya
4/10 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues w/ Killswitch Engage and Lacuna Coil
4/19 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground w/ Suicide Silence
4/26 - Richmond, VA - The National w/ Killswitch Engage and Lacuna Coil
5/01 - Ft. Wayne, IN - Piere’s w/ Killswitch Engage and Lacuna Coil
5/11 - Sioux Falls, SD - Ramkota Exhibit Hall w/ Killswitch Engage and Lacuna Coil

www.spread-the-infection.com
www.myspace.com/chimaira
www.ferretstyle.com/store

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid16838665001

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The band has also just announced a spring North American headlining tour with guests Lissy Trullie and Anya Marina. Tour dates below with more to be added soon. Tickets for most dates are currently on sale.

For more information, visit www.thevirgins.net.

May 11 - Bluebird Theatre - Denver, CO
May 12 - Kilby Court Gallery - Salt Lake City, UT
May 14 - Chop Suey - Seattle, WA
May 15 - Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver, BC
May 16 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR
May 18 - Harlow’s Night Club - Sacremento, CA
May 20 - Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA
May 21 - El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
May 22 - Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA
May 23 - Beauty Bar - Las Vegas, NV
May 26 - The Loft - Dallas, TX
May 27 - Emo’s Alternative Lounge - Austin, TX
May 28 - Rudyards - Houston, TX
May 30 - Alabama Music Box - Mobile, AL
June 1 - The Social - Orlando, FL
June 2 - Culture Room - Ft. Lauderdale, FL

“A testament to the continuing power of this excellent, eccentric band.” - 4**** Uncut

Produced within the four walls of a former DDR radio station in East Berlin, The Rakes are set to release their third album Klang this Spring 2009. Exactly two years and four days apart from their previous album, Ten New Messages (March 19, 2007), and a debut that was compared to the fame of The Libertines, The Rakes have stayed strong through a period of great change. While the past two years have witnessed a series of transformations, where no one smokes in pubs anymore, everyone’s on Twitter, and those 22 grand jobs in the city are definitely NOT alright, musically speaking, most bands who emerged alongside these post-punk/new-wave Londoners have ceased to exist. However, The Rakes have witnessed some new changes of their own – reinventing their sound, and creating their freshest, most innovative album to date.

Reuniting with a fresh new perspective, The Rakes confronted the processes necessary in completing their third album with careful composure. For starters, the song selection process was much more stringent and selective, with the overall sound focused around rawness and energy. “The second album was all about trying to expand the sound,” Matthew admits. “Working with producers like Brendan Lynch and Jim Abbiss. This one was in the opposite direction. That very, simple direct thing. Doing it in two weeks, a song a day, not embellishing things at all and just capturing ‘a performance.”

But perhaps the most captivating change for The Rakes that truly defines Klang is relocating to a fresh environment to record and produce the album in a Bauhaus designed ex-Soviet radio station in Berlin that was converted into a studio. Berlin, a scene filled with musical triumphs and countless musical rebirths allowed The Rakes to write what they deem to be “their strongest songs to date.” “The London music scene is so dull right now - it’s like wading through a swamp of shit. We just wanted to be somewhere more inspiring,” said Rakes singer Alan Donohoe. “Someone suggested Berlin. It didn’t take long for everyone to agree, we packed our bags and moved here just like that. We love it.” The band spent much of the year darting back and forth between their home city and this fresh, seductive new location taking the four lads on an adventure that ignited a sense of gang mentality among the band, living in an apartment on Karl Marx Allee and seeking out new thrills together in a seemingly lawless, unique environment proffered by the German capital.

THE RAKES IN NORTH AMERICA

4/01/2009 - Troubadour - Los Angeles
4/02/2009 - Popscene - San Francisco
4/062009 - Bowery Ballroom - New York
4/07/2009 - Bell House - Brooklyn, New York

The results of such an invigorating, wreckless, energetic environment resonate throughout Klang – a record of svelte lissome with songs that are well drilled and clinically executed, abandoning the chaotic energy of their early years for a sound that encompasses the bands’ juxtaposition of adventure and maturation. With credit directed at producer Chris Zane (Les Savy Fav, Inouk, Asobi Seksu Passion Pit, The Walkmen) Klang is a thoughtful piece of work by a band who have been wrung through the hype machine and have since shaken themselves off, realizing their strengths, and creating an album that captures the natural energy, complexity, rawness, and directness that encompasses the overall identity of The Rakes.

Standout single “1989” boasts the bands’ attitude of fist-pumping British rebellion with rhythmic bass-lines and assertive vocals guarunteed to get the floor shaking.

“So darn catchy” – The Fly
“Another bony-bundle of modern neuroses” – Q 3***
“Back to spikey business for Alan Donohoe and co” - NME
“This is a brilliant, brilliant album” - Word

www.myspace.com/therakes