Yann Tiersen announces spring tour, coming to Carrboro

French composer and experimental musician Yann Tiersen, best known on this side of the pond for composing the music for the 2001 film Amélie, is hitting the road for a North American tour in the spring in support of his latest album Skyline.

The tour will stop at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Friday, May 25. Pre-sale tickets are on sale now HERE for $18, but the general on sale date is not available yet.

Check out the band's fantastic performance of the songs "I'm Gonna Live Anyhow" from Skyline and "Palestine" from Dust Lane for French Rolling Stone below.

This week's Local Band Local Beer: Debonzo Brothers & Wylie Hunter & the Cazadores

There is just one last free Local Band Local Beer show at Tir Na Nog in 2011 on December 29 and it will feature two local folk rock bands.

Raleigh's Debonzo Brothers and Chapel Hill's Wylie Hunter and the Cazadores. Srteam Debonzo Brothers' Places EP as well as Wylie Hunter and the Cazadores' self-titled EP below.

As always, the music starts at about 10 p.m. and the show is ages 21 and up.

The Jealous sound announces new album & winter tour, coming to Chapel Hill

Los Angeles rock band The Jealous Sound are gearing up to release their first new album since 2003's Kill Them With Kindess. The album, A Gentle Reminder, will be out on January 31.

A tour will follow the release which will bring the band to Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Friday, February 10. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $8.

Foo Fighters bassist Nate Mendel is featured on the album and has played with the band in the past, but it is unclear if he'll be joining them on tour.

Stream the song "Your Eyes Were Shining" from A Gentle Reminder below.

Triangle Music's 2011 readers' poll results

Thanks to the readers who took the time to respond to our annual readers' poll this year. Former triangle resident and indie rock superstar Bon Iver took the top spots in both the album and concert category for Bon Iver, Bon Iver and the show at the Raleigh Amphitheater with The Rosebuds (check out a review of the show HERE). M83 took the top song spot with "Midnight City."

Other big charters include The Decemberists, Megafaun, Gillian Welch, Wye Oak and The War on Drugs. Check out the complete results below.

New holiday music from The Love Language - "Christmas in Toyland"

Just like last year, The Love Language have unleashed a holiday tune at the last possible moment. This year's song is a snappy little track titled "Christmas in Toyland." Download or stream the song below. There's also a sharp little holiday portrait of the band to accompany the track (that's it to the right there).

The band have been hard at work on a new album, the follow-up to 2010's Libraries. It is expected to be out sometime this summer.

Don't forget, The Love Language will also be playing a big New Year's Eve shindig at the Soapbox in Wilmington with Last Year's Men and Gross Ghost. Tickets are available via Etix for $15.

Video: the Mountain Goats perform "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

For the second year, the A.V. Club has been doing a special holiday day version of their Undercover series which brings in bands to perform cover songs. This year, John Darnielle, aka the Mountain Goats, stopped by to play a holiday classic, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Check out the up close and personal performance below.

Check out other Holiday Undercover performances, including a phenomenal version of "Christmas Will Be Another Lonely Day" by Wye Oak, "Just Like Christmas" by David Bazan" and "Christmas Time is Here" by Dawes, HERE (click view all episodes under the Wye Oak video to see more).

Best of 2011: Kevin's favorite albums, songs and concerts

It's that time of year where we share our favorite albums, songs and concerts of 2011. You can join in by taking our 2011 Triangle Music Readers' Poll. Voting ends at midnight tonight, Dec. 22. We'll share the results with you next week.

In 2011, great music was plentiful and spanned many genres. My top lists below could have easily featured a number of other great selections, but I've picked my list and I'm sticking with it.

The year saw the return of the Foo Fighters with their best album of the millennium thus far and it's an unabashed rock record with great melodies. The Rosebuds overcame hardships to create a somber, yet beautiful album. Gillian Welch returned to recording after far too many years, but it was worth the wait. I could go on, but you can see read the list below. As always, the biggest draw for my ears are solid, memorable melodies and I think that is the common thread throughout my choices.

New Year's Eve happenings in the Triangle

New Year's Eve is just around the corner, and if you don't already have plans, we have a roundup of musical happenings in Triangle for you to peruse.

As we previously mentioned, local stars The Love Language will be rocking the Soapbox in Wilmington as 2012 rolls in. Other big shows that are actually in the Triangle include Hammer No More the Fingers at Local 506, The Wusses at the Cat's Cradle,  Peter Lamb and the Wolves at the Casbah and a supergroup of local musicians at Kings.

Check out our list of shows below and feel free to email us at trianglemusicblog at gmail dot com if there's something missing that should be on the list.

Best of 2011: Allison's top albums, songs and concerts

It's that time of year where we share our favorite albums, songs and concerts of 2011. You can join in by taking our 2011 Triangle Music Readers' Poll. Voting ends at midnight on Dec. 22. We'll share the results with you next week.

It seems like 2011 hardly happened. Over the past few months, my life has been going at a breakneck speed, and music is really the only thing that helps me stay sane. This year in particular has had some excellent records on so many different levels. I got to see the return of Bombadil and got two new records from two of my other favorite local acts, Megafaun and Mandolin Orange. I feel like I should be at least a little ashamed of my love for Beyoncé, but her record is just too catchy and danceable to leave it out.

This week's Local Band Local Beer: River City Ransom, Dark Water Rising & The King's English

This week's free Local Band Local Beer show on Thursday, December 22 will give you one last chance to cut loose before the craziness of Christmas weekend begins.

This week's bill features Raleigh bands River City Ransom and The King's English as well as fellow North Carolinians haling from Pembroke, Dark Water Rising.

Check out a bunch of music from River City Ransom and Dark Water Rising via the widgets below.

As always, the show is ages 21 and up and the music starts at about 10 p.m.

Best of 2011: Justin's top albums, songs and concerts

It's that time of year where we share our favorite albums, songs and concerts of 2011. You can join in by taking our 2011 Triangle Music Readers' Poll. Voting ends at midnight on Dec. 22. We'll share the results with you next week.

When I look back on 2011, I'll remember the perfect recommendations my friends made — Nicolas Jaar, Hiss Golden Messenger - even if they took a while to grow on me; I'll remember a year of great music by powerful female musicians like Heather McEntire, Aimée Argote and Jen Wasner; and I'll remember how I did something this year that I hadn't done in quite some time: I became obsessed — mouth agape, can't-stop-talking-about-it obsessed — with just a few albums.

A new free holiday compilation from Potluck & Grip Tapes

Local record labels Potluck and Grip Tapes have teamed up again to release another free compilation album. This one features holiday themed tunes titled Mistletow Throwdown.

It features local acts including North Elementary, Juan Huevos, Schooner, Old Bricks, Organos and more. A few are classic holiday tunes, while others are originals.

Check out the full track list below, where you can also stream the entire album. Head HERE to download it.

The Explorers Club announce new album & tour, coming to Durham

It's been more than three years since the Charleston, SC band The Explorers Club unleashed their 1960s and 1970s-inspired debut album, Freedom Wind, on the world. Now, they're finally back with their sophomore effort, Grand Hotel, which will be released on February 9.

A tour will accompany the album's release and will bring them to the Casbah in Durham on Saturday, February 11. Schooner and North Elementary will open the show. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $7 (and you have to be a member of Casbah to attend shows; a lifetime membership is $3).

Saul Williams announces 2012 tour, coming to Carrboro

Electro pop/hip-hop singer-songwriter Saul Williams is hitting the road in early 2012 in support of his latest album Volcanic Sunlight, released in May.

The tour will stop at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Friday, February 24. Tickets will go on sale soon via Etix for $15.

Check out the music videos for the groovy dance tune appropriately titled "Dance" and "Explain My Heart" below. Both songs can be found on Volcanic Sunlight.

The 2011 Triangle Music Readers' Poll - Vote Now!

As 2011 is drawing to a close, it's time for an annual tradition here at Triangle Music. We need you to vote in our readers' poll and tell us what your favorite albums, songs and concerts were this year.

So head HERE to let us know what you've been digging and we'll tally up the responses and bring you the results after Christmas. You have until the end of the day (midnight) on Thursday, December 23 to cast your vote. Oh, and only vote once, please.

We'll unveil our favorites of 2011 a little later this week, so stay tuned for that as well.

Download 21 free holiday tunes from Hometapes

The good folks at Hometapes Records are offering up 21 free holiday themed tunes for the low, low price of $0. There is the option to make a donation to the charity Heifer Project International, which is a great cause that is helping impoverished areas by supplying people with gifts of livestock.

The album, titled the never ending beginning, features a bunch of bands you may have seen passing through the area in the last few years including Collections of Colonies of Bees, The Caribbean, All Tiny Creatures, Matt White and many more. Check out the full track list below.

You can stream all of the songs via the widget below or head HERE to download them.

Youth Lagoon announces 2012 tour, coming to Carrboro

Up-and-coming indie band Youth Lagoon, the brainchild of Idaho singer-songwriter Trevor Powers, have become regular visitors to the Triangle. They played The Rosebuds' Hopscotch day party in September and  Motorco Music Hall in November. Their new 2012 tour will bring them back again.

They'll play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Friday, March 23. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $13.

The band recently covered the song "Goodbye Again" by John Denver for Sirius radio. Stream the performance below.

Tennis announces new album & tour, coming to Chapel Hill

After releasing their debut album in early 2011, indie husband and wife duo Tennis are already preparing to unleash their sophomore album in early 2012. The new record is titled Young & Old and will be out on Valentine's Day, February 14.

The tour following the release will bring the band to Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Friday, March 9. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $9. Other details are not available yet.

[UPDATE: Hospitality will open the show. Download the song "Betty Wang" from the band's self-titled album HERE.]

Bear in Heaven announces spring tour, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Shawn Brackbill

Brooklyn trio Bear in Heaven will release their third full length album on April 3 titled I Love You, It's Cool via Hometapes and Dead Oceans Records. A spring tour to support the album has been announced, which will bring them to the Triangle.

The band will play Kings Barcade in Raleigh on Sunday, April 29. Tickets go on sale on Friday, December 15 via Etix for 10.

Bear in Heaven are currently streaming the entire new album on their website, but there's a catch. It's streaming slowed down by 400,000%. The album will have played once all the way through by the time April 3 rolls around. Crazy, no. Check out the full tour schedule below.

This week's Local Band Local Beer: Temperance League, The Last Tallboy & Oulipo

This week's free Local Band Local Beer show at Tir Na Nog in downtown Raleigh on Thursday, December 15, features a triple bill of North Carolina bands.

The lineup features Temperance Leagues from Charlotte and The Last Tallboy and Oulipo, who both call Raleigh home.

Check out the song "Ain't Nobody Listening" by Temperance League below. You can also check out a video of The Last Tallboy performing at The Pour House in 2009 below as well (video shot by Mann's World). And last but certainly not least, stream the EP That Is What I Said (And I Dove Into The Water) by Oulipo at the bottom of this post.

Craig Finn announces 2012 tour, coming to Chapel Hill

Photo by Mark Seliger

Craig Finn, lead singer of The Hold Steady, will be hitting the road with his solo band in early 2012 to support his debut solo album Clear Heart Full Eyes, due out January 24 on Vagrant Records.

The tour will stop at Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Saturday, March 3. Marcellus Hall will open. Tickets will go on sale on Saturday, December 16 via Etix for $12.

Stream the groovy, bluesy song "Honolulu Blues" from Clear Heart Full Eyes below.

The Magnetic Fields announces new album & tour, two nights in Carrboro

The Magnetic Fields are gearing up to release their tenth full-length album in early 2012 via Merge Records. The album, titled Love at the Bottom of the Sea, will be out on March 6 and will be the band's first album with Merge since the 1999 breakthrough album 69 Love Songs.

The album is said to be a return to the early days of the band, meaning there will be a lot of synthesizers. Also, none of the album's 15 songs are over three minutes in length. Check out the complete track list below.

An extensive North American tour will follow the release which will bring The Magnetic Fields to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro for two nights, April 11 and 12. Tickets will go on sale on Saturday, December 16 via Etix for $25.

Cults announces hefty 2012 tour, coming to Carrboro

New York indie pop band Cults are hitting the road again in 2012 on a hefty North American tour in support of their self-titled debut album released in June.

The band will play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Sunday, March 4 (stepping up from Local 506 which they played in March 2011). Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, December 14 via Etix for $15.

Check out the music video for "Go Outside" from Cults below where you can also stream the songs "Abducted," You Know What I Mean" and "Most Wanted from the album.

Of Montreal announces new album & tour, coming back to Carrboro

Indie pop band of Montreal will be releasing their eleventh full-length album Paralytic Stalks on February 7. As is the tradition, the band will hit the road to support the album shortly after it's release which will bring them back to the Triangle.

They'll play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Wednesday, April 4. Lonely Dear and Kishi Bashi will open the show. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $17.

Download or stream the epic seven and a half minute song "Wintered Debts" from Paralytic Stalks below.

Win tickets to Mandolin Orange at Cat's Cradle

Mandolin Orange is putting on a special holiday show at Cat's Cradle this Friday, Dec. 16, with special guests Stickley Brothers and Phil Cook & His Feat.

For a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with Mandolin Orange Tickets in the subject line no later than 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14. We will notify the winner that afternoon. Congratulations, Christy R!

Tickets to the show are $10 and available through Etix or Cat's Cradle.

Fun. announces 2012 tour, coming to Carrboro

New York band Fun., featuring Nate Ruess formerly of The Format, are gearing up to release their sophomore album Some Nights on February 21. A tour will immediately follow and an early stop will be in the Triangle.

The band will play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Saturday, March 3. Tickets will be on sale soon via Etix for $17.

Check out the music video for "We Are Young" featuring Janelle Monae below. The song will be on the new album Some Nights.

Video: Chatham County Line performs on UNC-TV

Photo by Kevin Norris

Ahead of their upcoming annual Electric Christmas Tour, local string band Chatham County Line recently stopped by UNC-TV to perform a few songs.The set includes "The Carolinian," "Wildwood," "Crop Comes In" and "Let It Rock." Watch the performance below.

The afformentioned holiday tour will kick off on Wednesday, December 14 at the Pour House in Raleigh. Tickets are $17 HERE.

The tour will wrap up at the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw on Sunday, December 18. Tickets for that show are available HERE for $15.

Tyondai Braxton & Colin Stetson to perform solo sets in Durham

Two very different indie instrumentalists, guitarist Tyondai Braxton (of Battles) and bass saxophonist Colin Stetson (who has performed with Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, David Byrne and many others) will join up for a special double bill in Durham this spring presented by Duke Performances.

They'll perform at Motorco Music Hall on Friday, March 23. Tickets are on sale now HERE or at the Bryan Center box office for $15 for the public or just $5 for Duke students.

Check out a clip of Braxton performing his experimental, electronic music in Barcelona, Spain below. Also, check out a clip of Stetson performing live on WNYC in New York below too. The insane sounds the man can make with only a bass saxophone and no help from loops or other effects devices are impressive.

The War on Drugs & White Rabbits announce March tour, coming to Raleigh

Upcoming indie band The War on Drugs released their new album Slave Ambient earlier this year and are teaming up with White Rabbits for a co-headline tour in March.

The tour will stop at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Friday, March 9. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, December 9 via Etix for $12.

Download the songs "Baby Missiles" and "Come to the City" from Slave Ambient below. You can also stream the song "They Done Wrong / We Done Wrong" from White Rabbits' latest album It's Frightening below as well.

Holiday music from Roman Candle - "It's Christmas, Go On and Say Hello"

Former Triangle band Roman Candle, who now call Nashville home, recently wrote and recorded a new holiday song with Keegan DeWitt which they are giving away.

It's a fantastic original song titled "It's Christmas, Go On and Say Hello" which you can stream or download below. It's not an overly holidayified tune, making it a nice change of pace from the typical barrage of sleigh bells (which are used a bit here as a tasteful accent).

The band have been working hard on a new album which should be out sometime in 2012. We'll keep you posted as more develops on this front.

This week's Local Band Local Beer: John Howie Jr. & The Rosewood Bluff & The Bayonets

This week's free Local Band Local Beer show at Tir Na Nog (on December 8) features Chapel Hill country folk band John Howie and The Rosewood Bluff along with Winston-Salem rock band The Bayonets.

Check out a number of songs from John Howie Jr. and The Rosewood Bluff via the widget below as well as the song "Hesitate" by The Bayonets.

As always, the music starts at about 10 p.m. and the show is ages 21 and up.

Crooked Fingers playing Raleigh in January with Mount Moriah

Photo by Justin Evans

After a fantastic set at the Cat's Cradle in October celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Orange County Social Club and the release of Breaks in the Armor (check out a review and photos HERE), Crooked Fingers will play a proper headlining set in the Triangle in early 2012.

The band will play Kings Barcade in Raleigh on Friday, January 6. Mount Moriah will open the show. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $10.

Stream or download the song "Typhoon" from Breaks in the Armor below.

Cass McCombs announces winter tour, coming to Saxapahaw

Singer-songwriter Cass McCombs will hit the road in early 2012 in support of not one, but two albums released in 2011, Wit's End and Humor Risk.

The tour will stop at the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw on Friday, January 20. Frank Fairfield will open. Tickets are on sale now HERE for $15.

Stream or download the song "The Same Thing" from Humor Risk below. You can also check out the music video for the track below as well.

Neon Indian announces spring tour, coming to Carrboro

Texas indie pop band Neon Indian are gearing up for a busy 2012 touring in support of their latest album Era Extraña.

The tour will bring the band back to the Triangle, this time stepping up to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Wednesday, March 21. Purity Ring will open. Tickets go on sale on Friday, December 9 via Etix for $12. Pre-sale tickets are available now via band's website.

Check out the band's performance of "Polish Girl" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon below.

Atlas Sound announces December tour, coming to Durham

Atlas Sound, the solo moniker of Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox, is hitting the road for a short tour this month to support his newly released album Parallax.

The tour will kick off at the Motorco Music Hall in Durham on Wednesday, December 14. Balkans and Carnivore will open the show. Tickets are on sale now HERE for $15.

Download the song "Terra Incognita" from Parrallax below. Check out a performance of the title track from the album below as well.

Win tickets to Southern Culture on the Skids at Cat's Cradle

Chapel Hill-born alt rock group Southern Culture on the Skids have been touring on the US release of their album Zombiefied, and the trio will be making a stop at Cat's Cradle this Saturday, December 10.

For a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "SCOTS tickets" in the subject line no later than noon on Thursday, December 8. We will notify a winner that afternoon. One entry per person, please.

Tickets to the show are $13 in advance via etix and $15 day of. Jennyanykind will open.

Gomez announces 2012 tour, coming to Carrboro

Photo by Brantley Gutierrez

British rock band Gomez just released their seventh ful-length album, Whatever's On Your Mind, in June and are hitting the road in the U.S. in early 2012 to support it.

The band will come to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Thursday, March 15. Hey Rosetta! will open. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, December 9 via Etix for $20.

[UPDATE 2: Gomez didn't make it to Carrboro for the show on March 15, but it has been rescheduled for Sunday, March 18. Also, Hey Rosetta! is back on bill. The show will start at 8 p.m. with doors at 7 p.m.]

Big Head Todd & the Monsters announces 2012 tour, coming to Raleigh

Rockers Big Head Todd and the Monsters have been going strong for 25 years and will hit the road in 2012 a national tour in support of their latest album, 100 Years of Robert Johnson.

The tour will stop at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Sunday, March 18. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, December 9 via Etix for $20.

[UPDATE: The show at Lincoln Theatre has been cancelled and refunds are available at the point of purchase. Big Head Todd scrapped the Raleigh gig to play a festival in Colorado on March 18.]

Holiday music from Woods - "Christmas Time is Here"

Christmas music is being released in earnest now that we're well into the holiday season, and the latest track comes from Brooklyn-based lo-fi folk band Woods.

The band has released a cover of the Charlie Brown and Vince Guaraldi classic, "Christmas Tine is Here" as a gift to fans. Download the song below.

The band with play Kings in Raleigh on Thursday, December 15 with MMOS. Tickets are available now via Etix for $10.

Archers of Loaf re-releasing 'Vee Vee" in February

Following the re-release of Archers of Loaf's debut album Icky Mettle earlier this year, Merge Records promised that more re-releases would follow. The band's sophomore album Vee Vee is next up.

The album, originally released in 1995, will be out on February 21. The physical release will include the original album remastered by orignal producer Bob Weston as well as 16 bonus tracks. There is also new album art created by Jay Ryan (check it out to the right).

Stream or download the song "Harnessed in Slums" from Vee Vee below.

Bowerbirds releasing 'The Clearing' in March, playing Carrboro

One of the Triangle's best indie-folk bands, Bowerbirds, have announced a new album as well as a nationwide tour to go along with it.

The band will release its third full-length album, The Clearing, on March 6. The album was recorded at Justin Vernon's April Base studios in Eau Claire, WI, and is their first album since 2009's Upper Air. Download the phenomenal song "Tuck the Darkness" in from the new album below.

The tour will kick off at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Saturday, March 17. Tickets are on sale now for $12 via Etix. An opening act(s) have not been announced yet.

The Moody Blues announces 2012 tour, coming back to Durham

British classic rockers The Moody Blues are preparing to celebrate the 45th anniversary of their 1967 album Days of Future Passed next year with a new tour. They'll become one of many bands to make more than one appearance at the Durham Performing Arts Center.

The band will play DPAC for the second time on Sunday, March 25. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 9 via the box office and Ticketmaster.

Check out the band performing the song "Your Wildest Dreams" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon below.