Lyrics Born Recent News

ANTI- RECORDS LOOKS BACK AT AN OUTSTANDING 2008

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:12:00 -0800

Releases from NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS, JOLIE HOLLAND, MAN MAN Hailed as Career Bests, MAVIS STAPLES Captures a Moment in Time on Live Recording, MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD Crack the Top 40 for the First Time

Billy Bragg Mr Love & Justice - in this momentous election year, the man who has dedicated his life and music to political action gave us his most intimate and introspective record yet, without losing the passion that has characterized this beloved firebrand 's career.

• "Classic Bragg: frequently fantastic folk-rock that keeps both the faith and your attention." -Village Voice
• "Rather than being a return to form, it 's a leap forward in maturity, depth and nuance." -Paste

Bob Mould District Line - It is near impossible to calculate the level of impact or influence that Bob Mould has had on the last two decades of modern rock, from the Pixies to Nirvana, to Green Day to Daft Punk. District Line combines the fire of Mould's earliest work in Husker Du, the accessibility of his alternative rock, genre-defining trio Sugar, and the introspection found in his solo releases.

• "District Line is a ¬focused, gripping zigzag between fury and woe, scorched rock and folk-pop distress, much like the Hüskers' best records--now with a longer view." -Rolling Stone

• "He's rarely been more compelling." -Spin

DeVotchKa A Mad and Faithful Telling - 2008 found the Denver indie band -- who beautifully combines Eastern European bohemia with American prairie rock and south of the border melodies -- coming into their own with sold out tours, festival appearances at Coachella, Lollapalooza and Red Rocks, and a record that charmed everyone from the Eastern bloc (a rare appearance in Moscow) to the online community (the much-discussed use of a DeVotchKa track on the Gears of War trailer)

• "Huge indie−rock anthems and lute−driven ballads defined by infallible melodies, heartbreaking arrangements, and dark, funny lyrics. It leaves you wondering whether to weep or dance." -Esquire

• "Cheerful, eclectic lunacy with a heart as big as the world * * * * " -Spin

Islands Arm 's Way - the 2008 release found the young, critically-acclaimed Montreal sextet heading in a surprising new direction. Their 2006 release, Return to the Sea, was heralded as a stunning work of impulsive outbursts and emotional explorations. Arm's Way saw the band naturally evolving a more lavish yet centered sound that showcased songwriter Nick Thorburn's astounding talent.

• "Freaky, transcendent stuff." -Filter

• "A rich tapestry of pop from a band that has fully coalesced under his [Nick Thorburn] self-proclaimed benevolent dictatorship. Their latest Arm 's Way is a sophisticated, majestic and visceral journey into the limelight." -Village Voice

Jolie Holland the Living and the Dead - the young songwriter with the incomparable voice adds rock n roll to her impressive resume that already includes folk and country and jazz on her third studio album with help from co-producer M. Ward and guitarist Marc Ribot (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello). The results are hailed as a career best from critics and widely embraced by fans.

• "Jolie Holland's voice beguiles like something from an old 78.... she channels the folky, sultry, blues Joni Mitchell trademarked and conjures her own stunning takes on lost lovers and sly approaches." -Elle

• "Her fourth - and perhaps best - album foregoes the smoky speakeasy atmosphere of 2006 's Springtime Can Kill You for a more contemporary roots sound, which provides a more evocative backdrop for her signature vocals." -Paste

Lyrics Born Everywhere At Once - not just the title of Lyric Born's Anti Records debut but a statement about this most industrious multi-tasker's vida loca. The lyricist, producer, label exec, and non-stop live performer (2008 saw world tours, festival appearances and television gigs) never rests on his laurels and is always changing sh*t up and Everywhere is a perfect example: bored with the drum machine and over licensing rights, LB gathered a crew of top musicians and made a real live record, full of funk and feel, grooves and guts, topped off with Lyrics Born's unmistakable signature smoothness and loquacious flow.

• "Near-perfect party record...propelled by sweet soul melodies and rumbling funk grooves reminiscent of the Gap Band and the Ohio Players…crunchy, unstoppable beats that will have you coming back from more." - Mother Jones

• "On his second solo album, he sounds transformed - festive and celebratory, his smarts undiminished." -Vibe

Man Man Rabbit Habits - Part swampy juke joint brawlers, part smooth Philly warehouse doo-wop crooners, with a sprinkling of wild-eyed, demon-haunted art hustler, and a hint of punky kindergarten playroom Pollyannas, Man Man brought their incomparable vision of "pop music" to bear with Rabbit Habits. 2008 saw the roustabouts on tour non-stop with labelmate Tim Fite, indie darlings Yeasayer and at every festival ever conceived (Coachella, Bumbershoot, SD Street Scene, ACL, Voodoo)

• "While the band still has its head in the clouds, or beyond, it has made its finest, most listenable album to date." -Filter

• "One of the year's best rock albums (devoid of nearly any guitar parts, mind you)." -Pitchfork

Mavis Staples Live: Hope at the Hideout - Mavis Staples saw her life 's work singing alongside Dr King and marching for civil rights redeemed with the 2008 election results, and suddenly this live record, full of gospel classics and freedom songs, is a testament to the uplifting hope and certainty of success that has marked her 50+ year career.

• "Whether fronting the Staples Singers or on her own, Mavis Staples has always fared best in a live environment, where her powerhouse of a voice can take any lyric and transform it into an inspirational anthem…this is Mavis Staples at her fiery best." -Relix

• "She sat in at lunch counters and marched with King..now Mavis' marvelous new Live: Hope at the Hideout revisits that era with personal recollections and brilliantly evoked songs from (or recast for) the movement... if this concert doesn't get your heart pumping, check your pulse." -Philadelphia Daily News

Michael Franti & Spearhead All Rebel Rockers - 2008 saw some well-deserved recognition for the indefatigable Micheal Franti and Spearhead. Their sixth studio album cracked the Billboard Top 40 (debuting at #39) for the first time. They drew an unprecedented 70,000+ fans and activists to Michael 's Power to the Peaceful festival in San Francisco and closed out the acclaimed KCRW World Music festival at the Hollywood Bowl, keeping the 17,000-strong crowd dancing through the set. Television appearances, 130 tour dates, film festivals and more kept the hardest working band in rock cheerfully occupied for the year.

• "An album of shimmying, pop-reggae…it 's a well deserved holiday in the sun." -Rock Sound

• "More specific, hopeful, and incendiary than ever....All Rebel Rockers represents his most canny mixture of political topicality and musical accessibility." -Utne Reader

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! - if there was a single record that came out to universal acclaim this year, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! is definitely a top contender. Nick and mates kicked off the year as Plug Impact Award honorees, and high profile nominations from the Q Awards and Mojo and two wins at the Austrailian Age awards (Best Band and Best Album) fueled the international recognition. The record has already made the "Best Of" lists of Blender, Mojo, The Guardian UK, The Times UK, Uncut and Paste magazines. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds have been tapped to curate the inaugural Australian All Tomorrow 's Parties, their Hollywood Bowl performance was one of the shows of the year and Nick talked smack with Terry Gross on NPR 's "Fresh Air." It was a very good year.

• "The album is a triumph from first to last." -Observer Music Monthly

• "t's not every goth-punk fiend who can celebrate his fiftieth birthday with an album as loud, filthy and brilliant as Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!" -Rolling Stone

One Day As A Lion One Day As A Lion - the reemergence of the year was less about Axl Rose and all about Zack de la Rocha. His incendiary partnership with Jon Theodore in One Day As A Lion set the music community aflame with some of the most aggressive and original recordings heard all year. The two are currently at work on their full-length release, coming soon.

• "Wrathful and unyielding, the music pushes Rage's revolutionary essence further into the faces of listeners, eliminating any chance at misinterpreting these calls to arms as mere boogie-down rock." - LA Times

• "One Day as a Lion bristles with the street-level vigor that band [RATM] once embodied." - Time Out New York

• "There isn't any filler here; it's all the aural ignition of a gasoline bomb going off in your ears." -All Music Guide

Tim Fite Fair Ain 't Fair - Fair Ain't Fair is a collection of the most seasoned, reflective and charming work the genre-defying Tim Fite has ever produced. On it he growls about greed and avarice, topics manifest in last year's Over The Counter Culture (the acclaimed, free, web-only release which has topped 100,000 downloads this month), but told here with more empathy, more human-ness - perhaps signs of a deeply engaged artist growing up.

• "His new album confirms that this enigmatic, genre-bending songwriter is one of rock ‘n ' roll 's most subversive renaissance men." - Esquire

• "One of those albums that defies anyone to categorize or ignore it." - Chicago Tribune

Xavier Rudd Dark Shades of Blue - dusky and cool, the album is more sober than any work Xav has ever done, though it should not be mistaken for temperate. Guitar-driven jams, mixed by Joe Barresi (Tool, Queens of the Stone Age), expand on a sound only hinted at on previous releases, and distortion often supplants the pretty jangly guitars heard on earlier work. Xav spent 2008 touring the world and scoring surf films like Matthew McConaughey 's comedy Surfer, Dude and the documentaries Highwater and Between the Lines.

• "Occasionally I encounter a work that so eloquently describes the human condition that my futile attempts to capture its essence in a review seem almost absurd. This album is one such work. Xavier Rudd's Dark Shades of Blue is an absolute tour de force and unequivocally his most powerful work to date." -Jambase

ANTI- Records Looks Back at a Stellar 2008 and Hints at 2009 with Free New Sampler

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:11:00 -0800

Featuring Brand-New Tracks from N.A.S.A, Ramblin Jack Elliott and William Elliott Whitmore

ANTI- Records launched its new 08/09 music sampler today on-line via the ANTI- blog and in stores with dozens of participating independent retailers around the country. In a special promotion running through the holidays, local music retailers will be offering the newest releases from ten of ANTI's latest and greatest artists for under $10. With purchase, the buyer will receive a copy of the new ANTI- sampler, or it can be downloaded for free directly from the ANTI- blog.

It is both a look back at a spectacular 2008, which saw releases from artists such as Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Jolie Holland and Michael Franti & Spearhead called "career bests," and a look into the New Year, including the following:

• "Spacious Thoughts" - N.A.S.A (featuring Tom Waits and Kool Keith)

From masterminds Squeak E Clean (Sam Spiegel) and DJ Zegon (Ze Gonzales) comes the first track from the highly anticipated debut release The Spirit Of Apollo (out Feb 17 2009). The record - which pairs indie darlings such as Karen O, Santogold, the Cool Kids and M.I.A, with hip hop stars like Kanye West, Chuck D, KRS-One and Ghostface Killah - takes the "less is more" concept and turns it on its head, layering up to four famous voices over vintage Brazilian funk tracks and turntable wizardry.

• "Old Devils" - William Elliott Whimore

Iowa's own son of the soil William Elliott Whitmore premieres his first track off his ANTI- debut Animals in the Dark (out Feb 17 2009). With the old-soul voice of a master country blues balladeer and a devoted following in the punk, folk and indie rock worlds, Will captures the imagination with his raw, populist songs, seemingly untouched by pop culture.

• "Soul Of A Man" - Ramblin' Jack Elliott

He stole James Dean's girl, listened for two days while Jack Keroac read him On the Road and taught Dylan everything he knew, now Ramblin' Jack Elliott is trying something new: lending his plaintive drawl to Depression-era blues classics. Produced by Joe Henry (Elvis Costello, Solomon Burke, Bettye LaVette), the new album also features guest appearances from David Hidalgo (Los Lobos, Tom Waits) and Van Dyke Parks. Out April 7.

2009 will also see new releases from Neko Case, Bob Mould and the legendary Booker T Jones, of Booker T and the MGs fame.

Anti- Records 08/09 Sampler tracklisting:
01. "Mexico City" - Jolie Holland
02. "Pieces Of You" - Islands
03. "Say Hey (I Love You)" - Michael Franti & Spearhead
04. "Whispers" - Lyrics Born
05. "Freedom Highway" - Mavis Staples
06. "Big Mistake" - Tim Fite
07. "Rabbit Habits" - Man Man
08. "Spacious Thoughts" (feat. Tom Waits & Kook Keith) - N.A.S.A.
09. "DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!!!" - Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
10. "Old Devils" - William Elliott Whitmore
11. "Freedom" - Billy Bragg
12. "Real Estate" - Cadence Weapon
13. "This World As We Know It" - Xavier Rudd
14. "Very Temporary" - Bob Mould
15. "Friend For Life" - Ersi Arvizu
16. "New World" - DeVotchKa
17. "Soul Of A Man" - Ramblin' Jack Elliott

Participating retailers:
STINKWEEDS - Phoenix, AZ
Zia - Phoenix, AZ
BOO BOO RECORDS - San Luis Obispo, CA
Fingerprints - Long Beach, CA
Lou's Records - Encinitas, CA
M-THEORY - San Diego, CA
Rasputin - San Francisco, CA
Rhino/Mad Platter - Claremont, CA
Salzer's - Ventura, CA
Streetlight - San Jose, CA
Twist and Shout - Denver, CO
EXILE ON MAIN ST - Branford, CT
Rainbow Books Music - Newark, DE
CD Connection - Jacksonville, FL
Central Square - Santa Rosa, FL
Park Avenue CD - Orlando, FL
Uncle Sam's Miami Beach, FL
VINYL FEVER - TAMPA - Tampa, FL
CRIMINAL RECORDS - Atlanta, GA
CRIMINAL/AURORA - Atlanta, GA
Record Exchange - Boise, ID
Indy CD & Vinyl - Indianapolis, IN
LANDLOCKED MUSIC - Bloomington, IN
LUNA MUSIC - Indianapolis, IN
Kief's - Lawrence, KS
CD CENTRAL - Lexington, KY
earX-tacy - Louisville, KY
Newbury Comics - Boston, MA
Bull Moose - Portland, ME
ROCK-A-BILLYS - Utica, MI
Electric Fetus - Minneapolis, MN
VINTAGE VINYL - St Louis, MO
Schoolkids - Raleigh, NC
Homer's - Omaha, NE
Lakeshore Record - Rochester, NY
Looney Tunes - West Babylon, NY
Record Archive - Rochester, NY
CULTURE CLASH - Toledo, OH
Finders Records - Bowling Green, OH
Magnolia Thunderpussy - Columbus, OH
SHAKE IT - Cincinnati, OH
Guestroom Records - Norman, OK
Guestroom Records - OKC, OK
CD World - Eugene, OR
JACKPOT RECORDS - Portland, OR
JACKPOT RECORDS - Portland, OR
Music Millennium - Portland, OR
Earshot - Greenville, SC
52.5 - Charleston, SC
Disc Exchange - Knoxville, TN
GRIMEY'S - Nashville, TN
Cactus - Houston, TX
END OF AN EAR - Austin, TX
GOOD RECORDS - Dallas, TX
Waterloo - Austin, TX
SLOW TRAIN - Salt Lake City, UT
Plan 9 - Richmond, VA
Pure Pop - Burlington, VT
Easy Street - Seattle, WA
HOT POOP - Walla Walla, WA
SONIC BOOM - Seattle, WA
SONIC BOOM - Seattle, WA
ATOMIC RECORDS - Milwaukee, WI

LYRICS BORN ANNOUNCES FALL TOUR

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:09:00 -0700

East Bay Wordsmith Brings "the Smartest, Dirtiest, Funkiest and Cleverest Hip-Hop Alive Today" (Relix) to the East Coast and Beyond

Lyrics Born has announced a three week tour that begins October 16th in San Francisco before heading east for the remainder of the dates. The charismatic MC is touring in support of his latest release Everywhere At Once, which is being hailed by critics as his most ambitious and accomplished record to date.

-"Lyrics Born always has balanced a faith in old-school funk with a flair for quippy homilies. Here, he adopts the same wry, level-headed tack…the result is less an uncommonly danceable indie-rap disc than it is an uncommonly thoughtful groove album." -Spin

-"Everywhere At Once shows that Lyrics Born has talent to burn, with a refreshing willingness to make transcendent hip-hop that's as honest as it is inventive." -Associated Press

-"Rather than playing by the hip hop rule book, Shimura is far more interested in melody; he’s rhythmically dexterous and his tongue-twisting rhymes flow with peerless ease." -Chicago Tribune

2008 has seen Lyrics Born touring across the U.S, Europe, Australia, playing major festivals such as SXSW and the inaugural Outside Lands festival in San Francisco. More dates expected to be announced soon.

Oct 16 - SF Weekly Show - Ruby Skye San Francisco, California
Oct 27 - Middle East Downstairs Cambridge, Massachusetts
Oct 28 - The Trocadero Theatre Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oct 29 - Highline Ballroom New York, New York
Oct 31 - Rex Theatre Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Nov 1 - Sonar Baltimore, Maryland
Nov 4 - Agora Theater Cleveland, Ohio
Nov 5 - The Eagle Theater Pontiac, Michigan
Nov 7 - Majestic Theater Madison, Wisconsin
Nov 8 - Double Door Chicago, Illinois
Nov 9 - Fine Line Music Cafe Minneapolis, Minnesota

LYRICS BORN VIDEO "I LIKE IT, I LOVE IT" GETTING MUCH LOVE AT MTVu

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:07:00 -0700

The Most Charismatic Man in Hip Hop Continues World Tour in Support of Everywhere At Once

In April, Lyrics Born released arguably his best - and definitely his funkiest, grooviest and booty-shakingest - record yet with Everywhere At Once.

The first single off the record is the unbelievably catchy "I Like It, I Love It," and Lyrics Born recently teamed with Neon masterminds Nabil Elderkin and John Pina (Common, Kanye West, John Legend) to create a video for the track. The results serve to highlight LB's overflowing charisma and mad acting skills, as he gets down as a wizard, a hippie and Mr. T, among others. MTVu, the video channel that plays on college campuses across the country, has naturally fallen for the video, which is currently receiving 40 to 50 spins a week – Summa Cum Laude rotation. Check it here.

On Friday, Lyrics Born departs for France to kick off a month-long European tour, immediately followed by a number of dates in Australia. He arrives back just in time to perform at San Francisco's Outside Lands music and arts festival alongside the likes of Radiohead, Beck and Wilco. Expect a US tour later in the year.

Lyrics Born on tour:
4 July - Belfort, France - Eurokennes Fest
5 July - Werchter, Belgium - Werchter Fest
6 July - London, UK - O2 Wireless Fest
10 July - Lisbon, Portugal - Lisbon Alive Fest
13 July - Rotterdam, NL - North Sea Jazz Fest
14 July - Vitoria, Spain - Vitoria-Gasteiz Jazz Festival
16 July - Montreux, SWI - Montreux Jazz Festival
18 July - St. Polten, Austria - Nuke Festival
19 July - Bern, SWI - Gurten Festival
20 July - Camden, UK - Dingwalls
21 July - Brighton, UK - Komedia
22 July - Edinburgh, UK - VooDoo Rooms
23 July - Nottingham, UK - The Rescue Rooms
24 July - Bristol, UK - Thekla
26 July - Manchester, UK - Mint Lounge
27 July - Liverpool, UK - Carling Academy 2
30 July - Ultrecht, NL - Tivoli
31 July - Amsterdam, NL - Melkweg
3 August - Byron Bay, AU - Splendor in the Grass Festival
5 August - Hobart, AU - Republic Bar
6 August - Adelaide, AU - Electric Light Hotel
7 August - Perth, AU - Capitol
8 August - Melbourne, AU - The Espy
9 August - Sydney, AU - The Forum
22 - 24 Aug - San Francisco, CA - Outside Lands Festival - Golden Gate Park

Lyrics Born: Making Of "I Like It, I Love It"

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:06:00 -0700

Click here to check out the making of Lyrics Born's new video "I Like It, I Love It". Directed by Neon, the video will be premiering next week. It features LB playing various characters including Merlin the Wizard, Army soldiers, Mr. T and many more.

Everywhere At Once, in stores now!

OUT TODAY: Lyrics Born and Billy Bragg

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:04:00 -0700

Lyrics Born's Anti debut Everywhere at Once is both a groovy instant dance party and a testament to the industrious multi-tasker's vida loca. Never resting on his laurels and always changing shit up, the MC, producer, label exec and non-stop live performer switched directions again, forgoing the usual samples/drum machine route and instead recording with his live band. Vibe writes, "he sounds transformed- festive and celebratory, his smarts undiminished."

Britian's best loved socialist Billy Bragg today released Mr. Love and Justice, his first record in six years. A deluxe version is also available that contains the whole record performed by Billy with just his electric guitar. Mojo called it "warmer, less blustery, more soulful," and Spin writes "Bragg gets the balance of message and music just about right." See for yourself.

Lyrics Born In-Store at Rasputin Berkeley Next Week!

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:04:00 -0700

Lyrics Born will be performing on April 22nd at Rasputin Berkeley. The event will take place at 6pm so don't be late! Click here for more info.

Everywhere At Once, out April 22nd!

Rasputin Berkeley
2401 Telegraph Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704
(800) 350-8700
http://www.rasputinmusic.com

Listen to Lyrics Born's new album at Rhapsody before it's out!

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:04:00 -0700

Lyrics Born's upcoming album, Everywhere At Once, isn't out until April 22nd but you can go to Rhapsody to hear it now. Just click here.

Everywhere At Once, out April 22nd!

LYRICS BORN: Everywhere At Once trailer. Watch it now!

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:04:00 -0700

Check out this new trailer for Lyrics Born's new album, Everywhere At Once, out April 22nd. Click here to watch it and don't forget to tune in to Jimmy Kimmel on Friday, April 18 when Lyrics Born will be the musical guest. The show airs from 12:00 to 1 AM nightly.

Everywhere At Once, out April 22nd!

Enter Lyrics Born Contest on JamBase.com!

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:04:00 -0700

In honor of the release of Lyrics Born's new album, Everywhere At Once, JamBase is pleased to offer the oppurtunity to remix "I Like It, I Love It"!

Click here to go to JamBase for details.

Everywhere At Once, in stores April 22nd!