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Tour De Vaap

“A compilation of music from 417”

Monthly Archives: March 2012

30/03/12 Willis Earl Beal – Acousmatic Sorcery

Only a few weeks ago, we were talking about the hot new anti-folk artist Willis Earl Beal, who was getting ready to release his debut album.  Now, Acousmatic Sorcery is streaming via Chicago Reader.  If you can’t wait until April 3rd for the album, I highly recommend you check it out on The Reader or, at the very least, try giving Beal a call.  You just might be lucky enough to hear his soulful voice.

-M. Kauf

  • 31-Mar @ TLA, Philadelphia w/SBTRKT
  • 01-Apr @ The Mercury Lounge – New York
  • 03-Apr @ Webster Hall – New York – w/SBTRKT
  • 06-Apr @ House Of Blues – Cleveland – w/SBTRKT
  • 07-Apr @ House Of Blues – Chicago – w/SBTRKT
  • 08-Apr @ The Majestic Theater – Madison – w/SBTRKT
  • 10-Apr @ Fox Theatre – Boulder – w/SBTRKT
  • 11-Apr @ Belly Up – Aspen – w/SBTRKT
  • 19-Apr @ The Hideout – Chicago
  • 20-Apr @ BAM – Brooklyn
  • 23-Apr @ Rock N Roll Hotel – Washington, DC w/Wu Lyf
  • 24-Apr @ Union Transfer – Philadelphia w/Wu Lyf
  • 26-Apr @ Music Hall – Brooklyn w/Wu Lyf
  • 27-Apr @ Bowery Ballroom – New York w/Wu Lyf
  • 28-Apr @ Brighton Music Hall – Boston w/Wu Lyf
  • 29-Apr @ Il Motore – Montreal
  • 30-Apr @ The Drake – Toronto
  • 02-May @ Heritage Court @ Gene Autry Museum – Los Angeles
  • 03-May @ Cafe du Nord – San Francisco
  • 04-May @ Barboza – Seattle
  • 05-May @ Biltmore Caberet – Vancouver
  • 06-May @ Holocene – Portland
  • 13-May @ Hare & Hounds – Birmingham, UK
  • 16-May @ Tabernacle – London, UK
  • 17-May @ Liverpool Sound City – Liverpool
  • 19-May @ Paradiso – Amsterdam (London Calling Festival)
  • 20-May @ Nuits Botanique – Brussels
  • 22-May @ Ideal Bar – Copenhagen
  • 23-May @ Debaser (outdoor stage) – Malmo
  • 25-May @ Monarch – Berlin
  • 26-May @ Le Guess Who – Utrecht
  • 29-May @ Dok Kantine – Ghent
  • 30-May @ Boule Noire- Paris
  • 01-June @ Captain Rest – Glasgow
  • 02-June @ Dot 2 Dot- Bristol
  • 03-June @ Dot 2 Dot- Nottinghan
  • 04-June @ Dot 2 Dot- Manchester
  • 13-15-July @ Union Park – Chicago (Pitchfork Music Festival)

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27/03/12 Tour De Vaap – One Year Anniversary!

After deciding to form a music blog one year ago today on the way back from spring vacation, it’s incredible to think about how far we’ve come and the fact that we still exist as a blog today.  We’ve heard amazing music, done interviews and meticulously melded mixtapes in the year since we formed and hopefully there’s much more to come.  For this special little post, we just wanted to say thanks to our readers for sticking with us.  We know that there are ocasional missed posts and no downloadable songs (yet) and that it takes up time to check us out every day.  And for your diligence, we couldn’t be more grateful.  It is your love for music that fuels this site and makes the search for new cool music to show you even more fun.  And, in return for your loyalty, we hope to bring some new things to the blog.  First, we’re expecting some new writers to begin this spring/early summer who will bring you even more great music from even more styles.  Second, we noticed that many people come to our site thinking that we have tour dates for the music we blog about (having the word Tour in the name can create some confusion) and now we will.  With this new year comes our attempt to give tour dates for many of the bands we feature so that you not only get to hear their music on their computer but you get to experience it in a town near you.  Aside from that, we just wanted to say thank you again and that we hope you will continue reading and sharing our blog with your friends.

Final Note:  If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the blog, don’t hesistate to contact us at tourdevaap@gmail.com.  And, if you think you’ve got what it takes, we’re also looking for a few more writers and would love to get some fresh music lovers posting on Tour De Vaap.

Thanks for reading,

-The Collective Tour

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27/03/12 The Heavy Guilt – It’s Time

The Heavy Guilt isn’t an easily categorized band.  Their songs range from folk to rock to dream pop and beyond, often combining many sounds and styles in a way that makes them hard to describe.  But that doesn’t mean I won’t give it a shot…Something like Cat Stevens, State Radio and Pear Jam morphed into an indie folk-rock outfit (sorry, that’s the best I can do).  Lack of genre doesn’t prevent this band from sounding catchy and tight-knit and it makes their second album, In The Blood, an exciting journey.  The songs can take you anywhere from a dirt road in the West to a dark city street.  From a bright day to a dark night.  And the band members certainly do their part to create such a unique sound, especially lead singer Erik Canzona.  While the album shifts in sound from song to song, Canzona remains a constant.  The rock that solidifies The Heavy Guilt.  No matter the style, his powerful voice stands strong as he makes his way through rocker like, “The Cost” as well as folkier ballads like “Wyoming.”  Check out the genre-spanning appeal below and pick up In The Blood.

-M. Kauf

The Heavy Guilt – The Cost

3/30     Soda Bar

4/1       The Viper Room           Los Angeles, CA

4/7       CityBeat Festival of Beer      The Lafayette Hotel

4/28

4/29    ArtWalk in Little Italy

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22/03/12 Jonathan Wilson – Gentle Spirit

Listening to North Carolina native Jonathan Wilson is like that first step outside of a hot stuffy room: you feel the relieving atmosphere, the cool temperature and you can’t help but sigh and think, “now I’m really somewhere better.”  Wilson harkens back in sound and recording style (his entire record was recorded in analog) to the sounds of ’70s Lauren Canyon artists like Crosby Stills Nash & Young and he makes you want to live in that time forever.  Wilson said that this album was meant for vinyl and I couldn’t agree more.  While the theme of the album is a bit somber, the instrumentation is anything but.  The debut album, Gentle Spirit, released last year features the usual rock instruments, along with an assortment of synthesizers and jazzy horns.  His songs fill you with an energy and emotion that really sinks under your skin, a gift not found in many artists these days.  For just a taste of this amazing musician/producer, check out “Gentle Spirit” below and, if you like what you here, the entire album is streaming on soundcloud.

-M. Kauf

Jonathan Wilson – Morning Tree

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20/03/12 Beck – Looking For a Sign of Life

Lately, as an artist, Beck has been pretty off the radar.  But he seems to have a knack for making movie singles.  This weekend, I heard him work his magic again in the comedy (dramedy?) Jeff Who Lives At Home.  Not only does this new single, “Looking For a Sign of Life” fit the mood of the movie perfectly but it stands well on it’s own.  It’s a sort of nostalgic country-jam: there isn’t much too it but it’s repetitiveness is comforting and catchy.  Beck’s falsetto in chorus pulls you right in, and if that doesn’t do it there’s some subtle banjo that’s sure to get you.  It’s beautiful in it’s simplicity and I just can’t stop listening to it.  If you haven’t heard it yet, listen below (I also recommend you see the Jeff Who Lives At Home, definitely worth it).

-M. Kauf

Beck – Looking For a Sign of Life

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19/03/12 Twin Shadows – Here Comes the Flood (Peter Gabriel Cover)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddhtt0TUzIs]

In the muck of South by Southwest coverage, which are dominating any and every music blog, some gems are bound to be discovered. This one is particular is very special. Twin Shadow, or the man behind the moniker, George Lewis Jr., performed a cover of a Peter Gabriel song, “Here Comes the Flood”, at a pool party hosted by fashion brand, Mulberry, and given only a piano and his voice, gave a beautiful performance. Very unlike the man of Twin Shadow, who usually rocks a 80’s dance-pop vibe, to sing a ballad, but the dude has chops and can truly evocate emotion in listeners. Watch and listen above. Enjoy. – D. Gold

16/03/12 Bravestation – Signs of the Civilized

Steel drums, synths and booming drums?  It feels like the 80s, but it’s far from it.  Bravestation, have captured that classic sound and made it their own.  They breathe new life into this style and fill the cheesy pop sounds of 4 decades ago with passion and feeling.  “Signs of the Civilized” rings out like a cry for comprehension.  Trying to grasp at something that seemed to happen in the blink of an eye.  The singer soars through the echoey melody and he tries to find his way, dodging rain clouds towards some brighter day.  It’s new wave meets “quirky tribal pop” and I can’t wait for this bands debut, which, according the the canadian group is due later this year.  Until then there’s a free EP on their bandcamp and, of course, this song.  Check it out above and look out for that album.

-M. Kauf

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14/03/12 Strand of Oaks – Spacestations (Shaking Through Session)

“Welcome to my new…space station”

Strand of Oaks remained in constant rotation on my early morning soundtrack all last summer (I just can’t get enough of hearing songs about Dan Aykroyd and synthesizer folk) so I’m glad to see that Tim Showalter has a new release.  The song, “Spacestations” is a bit of a deviation from the usual sound.  Unlike earlier recording, this song features no guitar parts and a female vocalist (Eliza Hardy-Jones of Buried Beds) playing some smooth “Phil Collins” synths and Chad Ward (of Pattern Is Movement) on drums.  The change of style is refreshing and I’m a sucker for those powerful 80s ballads.  “Spacestations” definitely has an out of this world sound of floating through the vast void of space on a shuttle to new worlds.  It’s a new direction, but I’m definitely not complaining.  Check out the song below and be sure to check out this website to watch the sessions (trust me, it’s worth it).

-M. Kauf

 

Strand of Oaks – Spacestations

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11/03/12 Beach House – Myth

Beach House, the awesome dream-pop duo from Baltimore, recently announced that they are teaming up again to release their 4th album, Bloom, on May 15th. In preparation for their new LP, they have released their first single of the project entitled “Myth.” The track keeps the iconic dream-pop vibe that Beach House is known for, but switches it up a little to show that this group has done their share of evolving. Sticking with the polished studio sound of their popular 2010 Teen Dream, this one track is more upbeat and rock-n-roll than their previous releases. Never-the-less, this track shows great promise for the album released in only a few short months. Take a listen below and enjoy. – D. Gold

http://soundcloud.com/mistletone/myth-by-beach-house

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10/03/12 Father John Misty – Nancy From Now On

“Pour me another drink And punch me in the face, You can call me Nancy”

While we eagerly await the official release of Fear Fun, Tillman released his second music video of a song from that album.  “Nancy From Now On” features Tillman in some odd situations as he goes through a physical and mental transformation.  It just goes to show that good music can be weird and really awesome at the same time.  It’s a rare artist who can sing a disco-tinged song with references to domination fetishes.  Watch the video above and, if you like that, check out the whole album streaming on Grooveshark.

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