Hopscotch loses Exitmusic, adds four new performers

We knew a few days ago that there was still one blank spot on the Hopscotch schedule but that grew to two after Exitmusic cancelled their set. The good news is that the festival has added four new performers to the lineup which shakes up a few of the club schedules.

The last minute additions are Pictureplane, GDFX, The Psychic Paramount and a solo set by Six Organs of Admittance. All of these additions are to the Thursday night lineup except The Psychic Paramount who will play Friday.

We've updated our PDF version of the schedule to reflect the new changes which you can check out HERE.

The Avett Brothers offer preview of new album, 'The Carpenter'

Fans of The Avett Brothers have just 11 short days to wait until the release of the band's new album, The Carpenter. After a summer of teasers, including the release of the album's second track, "Live and Die," and an animated album cover, the band has released one final tease — minute-long clips of each song in the form of a YouTube video.

You can also listen to the album in its entirety for a limited time thanks to NPR's First Listen.

Check out the album preview and a complete track listing below.

Pinback announces first new album in five years, fall tour

San Diego indie rockers Pinback are gearing up to release their first new album since 2007 this fall. Their new album, Information Retrieved, will be out on October 16 and they'll head out on tour to support it.

The band will play Motorco Music Hall in Durham on Wednesday, November 14. Tickets are on sale now HERE for $15.

Check out the song "Proceed to Memory" from Information Retrieved below.

The Dismemberment Plan announces fall dates, write new music

Reunited DC rockers The Dismemberment Plan recently debuted a bunch of new songs at a show in Baltimore and folks who are lucky enough to see the band on their upcoming fall tour may be lucky enough to hear some of these new tunes.

The band will play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Sunday, October 7. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $22.

Check out a performance of the new song "Daddy Was a Real Good Dancer" from the aforementioned Baltimore show below. Check performances of seven other new songs HERE.

Hopscotch loses a few bands, adds Trash Talk & William Tyler

Hopscotch is about a week away and as to be expected with an event boasting such a large lineup, there are a few last minute changes.

Three bands have recently cancelled their performances, Baroness, Ducktails and Mark McGuire. Two acts have joined the lineup, Trash Talk and William Tyler.

We've updated our PDF version of the schedule to reflect the changes. A replacement for Ducktails at Berkeley Cafe has not been announced yet, so there's a blank on the schedule on September 6 at midnight.

Win tickets to Dead Can Dance at DPAC

Neoclassical world fusion duo Dead Can Dance are on a worldwide reunion tour in support of their new album, Anastasis, their first release since 1996. The band will make a stop at the Durham Performing Arts Center this Saturday, September 1, and we're giving away a pair of tickets to the show thanks to the folks at Cat's Cradle.

For a chance to win, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "DCD tickets" in the subject line no later than noon tomorrow, Thursday, August 30. We will select and notify a winner that afternoon. One entry per person, please. Congratulations, Jim G.!

Tickets to the show range from $32 to $108.50 and are available via Ticketmaster. David Kuckhermann will open the show.

Album Review: Sumner James - 29 Days

To record his first solo album, James Phillips, percussionist and producer for local favorite Bombadil, spent February 2012 camped out in a barn in Portland, Oregon. For 29 days he experimented with electronic music under the pressure of a February 29 deadline.

The result is 29 Days, a collection of 10 varied songs veneered with electronics recorded under the name Sumner James. On the surface these tunes sound much different than the whimsical folk of Bombadil, but deep down they share much of the band’s quirkiness and charm.

9th Wonder to play Rock the Vote event at Duke

The organization Rock the Vote is currently touring college campuses in an effort to register young voters and get them involved in the political process. The tour will make a few stops in the Triangle next week.

They have an event planned at Duke University on Thursday, September 6 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. which will feature performances by 9th Wonder and Buckshot, Rapsody, Rockie Fresh and Skyzoo.

There is also an event scheduled at North Carolina Central University on Friday, September 7 from noon to 4 p.m., but the performers for that event have not been announced yet. We'll let you when that information becomes available.

Ben Taylor announces fall tour, coming to Carrboro

Singer-songwriter Ben Taylor, the son of folk royalty James Taylor and Carly Simon, is hitting the road this fall in support of his new album Listening.

The tour will stop at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro on Wednesday, October 24. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll let you know once it is.

Check out the music video for the funky tune "Oh Brother" from Listening below.

David Bazan announces 'Control' tour, coming to Carrboro

Singer-songwriter David Bazan is joining the long list of acts heading out on the road to play a classic album in its entirety. He'll celebrate the tenth anniversary of Control, the 2002 album of his former band Pedro the Lion, this fall.

The tour will stop at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Sunday, November 18. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $13.

Check out a video of Bazan and his band performing "Magazine" from Control at a 2011 show in Philadelphia below.

Lucero announces fall tour, free Raleigh show

The alt-country punks of Lucero are hitting the road this fall in support of their latest album Women & Work and will make a stop in the Triangle to play a free show.

The band will play the Lincoln Theatre on Tuesday, October 16. Additional details about the show are not available yet, but we'll keep you posted.

[UPDATE: Richard Bacchus and the Luckiest Girls and Larry and His Flask will open. As mentioned previously, the show will be free.]

Bowerbirds to play Saxapahaw in the fall

After returning to the states after a European tour in August and before heading out on a fall tour of the U.S. in October, Bowerbirds will come home for a big show in the Triangle.

The band will play the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw on Saturday, September 22. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketfly for $12.

Check out a video of the band performing a fantastic version of  "Stitch the Hem" from their latest album The Clearing below.

Video: Carolina Chocolate Drops perform for CMT

Local old-time band the Carolina Chocolate Drops are still out causing a ruckus with their latest album Leaving Eden and the band recently recorded a Concrete Country session for CMT.

The band performed the songs "Was You Ever in Quebec," "Cindy Gal," "Country Girl" and "Baby Ain't Sweet Like Mine" for the country network's roots web series. Check out all of the performances below.

The Carolina Chocolate Drops will perform at the Meymandi Concert Hall in downtown Raleigh on Friday, September 21. Tickets are on sale now via the Progress Energy Center box office and Ticketmaster.

Duran Duran feels the love at DPAC

The cheers that roared from the audience as each song began at DPAC on Tuesday night made one thing clear: people love Duran Duran.

The new wavers from Birmingham have been at it for over 30 years. They’ve been touring about 20 months behind their latest album, All You Need Is Now, but their energy never waned as they powered through a 2 hour set.

While some fans dressed up in their best leg warmers and old prom dresses, the show didn’t feel like a nostalgia trip. It wasn’t a reunion show, a comeback tour or farewell concert. Duran Duran played like a band a the peak of its talents. Yes, they just played the damn hits, but they played them well. They played them like they couldn’t care less about respect. They played for love and the audience gladly gave it to them.

ZZ Top announces new fall tour dates, coming to Durham

The sharp-dressed men of ZZ Top have a new album on the way and have extended their 2012 tour to include a stop in the Triangle.

The band will play the Durham Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, October 10. Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 24 via the venue box office and Ticketmaster.

ZZ Top's new album, La Futura, will be out on September 11. Check out a live performance of "I Gotsta Get Paid" from the new album below.

Album Review: Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits

For those familiar with Spoon's Britt Daniel, Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs, New Bomb Turks' Sam Brown, and keyboardist Alex Fischel, Divine Fits will like the sum of its parts and little more. The band combines the grimy grooves of Boeckner and the clean compositions of Daniel with precision. No detail feels left to chance.

The band's debut, A Thing Called Divine Fits, isn’t built on big, overwhelming moments, but rather on the small details that build up to something great. On “My Love is Real,” which sounds like a lost track from Handsome Furs' Face Control, Boeckner sings, “My love is real…until it stops.” Then, in the final chorus, he lets the music dropping out replace “stops” to great effect.

Foo Fighters to play 'Rock the Vote' club show in Charlotte

If you've ever wanted to see arena rock band the Foo Fighters play a rare club show, you'll have your chance during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

The band will play a Rock the Vote show at the Fillmore in Charlotte on Wednesday, September 5. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, August 21, via Live Nation for $50 (+$13 in fees). The tickets are will call only, non-transferable and limited to two per order.

Check out the Foos performing "These Days" from their latest album Wasting Light live on Letterman below.

Keb' Mo' extends 2012 tour, coming to Durham

Acclaimed blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Keb' Mo' has extended his 2012 tour plans supporting his Grammy nominated album The Reflection and will now be making a stop in the Triangle.

He'll play a special solo show at the Carolina Theatre in Durham on Thursday, December 6. Tickets go on sale today, Monday, August 20 at 10 a.m. via the venue box office and Ticketmaster for $29 to $54.

Check out a solo performance of "America the Beautiful" filmed in the East Wing of the White House earlier this year below.

The Flute Flies releases debut album to benefit CyTunes

You may remember a little local supergroup called The Flute Flies who made their debut back in 2008 when they released their debut EP to benefit CyTunes (see more about the charity HERE). The band is comprised of Ivan Howard of The Rosebuds, Reid Johnson of Schooner and Zeno Gill of Pound of Miracles.

The band has finally released their long-awaited full-length album, Yes Means Maybe, digitally via Bandcamp to benefit CyTunes via the pay-what-you-want system (the money will go to he Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University). You can also stream the entire below.

Check out photos from The Flute Flies debut performance at Local 506 in December 2008 HERE.

The Soft Pack announces new album, fall tour

California rockers The Soft Pack will release a new album on September 25 titled Strapped and will hit the road this fall to support it.

The band will play Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, October 2. Heavy Hawaii will open. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, August 17 via Etix for $10.

Check out the catchy, rocking tune "Saratoga" from Strapped below.

Jerry Douglas extends 2012 tour, coming to Durham

Dobro virtuoso Jerry Douglas released a new solo album titled Traveler in June which features fantastic collaborations with Eric Clapton, Mumford and Sons, and Paul Simon just to name a few. He has extended his tour in support of the album to include a stop in the Triangle.

Douglas and his band will play the Carolina Theatre in Durham on Saturday, October 27. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 20 via the venue box office and Ticketmaster for $35 to $40.

Stream six songs from Traveler via the Soundcloud widget below.

The Whigs announces new album, fall tour

Georgia rockers The Whigs will release their fourth album, Enjoy the Company, on September 18 and will be hitting the road on a big fall tour to support it.

The band will play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Friday, October 5. Fellow Georgians, Ponderosa, will open. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, August 17 via Etix for $12.

Stream the catchy rocker "Waiting" from Enjoy the Company below (which you can download for free via the band's website). Check out the song "Navajo" from Ponderosa's new album Pool Party below as well.

Album Review: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Mature Themes

The new album from Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Mature Themes, feels very similar to MGMT’s Congratulations.

Both bands, capable of creating irresistible pop, have resisted the attention and expectations that come with such talents. 2010’s catchy “Round and Round” brought Ariel Pink moderate success, but Mature Themes bears little resemblence to it.

The gossamer “Only In My Dreams” feels built for success and the album closes with a strong cover of Donnie and Joe Emerson's "Baby”, but for most of the album it sounds like the band is actively trying to avoid the sound it made popular. Where MGMT was trying to experiment with new sounds, Ariel Pink is actually returning to previous habits. It appears 2010’s Before Today was an exception and not a new path.

Ben Gibbard announces solo tour, coming to Saxapahaw

Death Cab For Cutie frontman Benjamin Gibbard will release his first full-length solo album on October 16 titled Former Lives. He'll hit the road to support the release in November which will bring him to the Triangle.

Gibbard will play a seated show at the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw on Saturday, November 10. Advance Base will open. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 17 via Ticketfly for $32.

Check out the song "Ichiro's Theme," which is written about former Seattle Mariner Ichiro Suzuki (who was traded to the Yankees), below The song will not be on the new album.

Video: Midtown Dickens performs for KEXP + announces tour with Lost in the Trees

Durhamites Midtown Dickens were recently out in Oregon playing the Pickathon Festival and while they were there, they recorded a performance for KEXP. The trio took to a wooded area to perform the song "Only Brother." Check out that performance below.

Midtown Dickens will set out on a big U.S. tour this fall opening for Lost in the Trees. Check out those dates below (there are no North Carolina dates so far).

And one more thing, check out photos and a write up about Midtown Dickens recent set at Duke Gardens where they were joined by quite a few local friends HERE.

Heartless Bastards announces fall dates, coming to Saxapahaw

Photo by Nathan Presley

Ohio rockers the Heartless Bastards released a new album earlier this year titled Arrow and have announced a few new fall dates in support of it.

The band will play the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw on Halloween, October 31. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketfly for $16.

Check out the music video for "Only for You" from Arrow below.

Tilly and the Wall announces new album & fall tour

Nebraska indie pop band Tilly and the Wall are gearing up for the release of their fourth studio album, Heavy Mood, due out on October 2. As expected, a tour will follow the release, bringing the band to the Triangle.

They'll play Kings Barcade in Raleigh on Tuesday, October 16. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $12.

Stream the the catchy tune "Static Expression" from Heavy Mood below.

New music from The Music Tapes - "The Dark is Singing Songs (Sleepy Time Down South)"

As we first mentioned in June, The Music Tapes has a new album coming out on September 4 titled Mary's Voice. Now you can check out the opening track from the album, "The Dark is Singing Songs (Sleepy Time Down South)," below. You can download the song by going to the Soundcloud page by clicking the logo in the bottom right corner of the widget.

There's no word yet on a tour to support the album, but Julian Koster will likely head out on another living room/caroling tour around the holidays. We'll let you know if he's planning to come back to the Triangle again.

Check out photos and a write up about his stop in Chapel Hill during the 2009 caroling tour HERE.

Hopscotch announces 2012 day parties

The details of the free day parties for the 2012 Hopscotch Music Festival were announced today. There are about 30 day parties in all, more than any previous year, featuring some of the area's biggest bands.

There will be five big official parties, two on Friday, September 7, and three on Saturday, September 8. Here's how those parties break down.

The The Love Language will headline a party at the Contemporary Art Museum on Friday from noon to 5 p.m. that will also feature Lonnie Walker, The American West, The Lollipops and SPCL GST.

Goldenboy to reissue debut album, announces fall tour

California indie band Goldenboy are celebrating the tenth anniversary of their debut album, Blue Swan Orchestra, this year with a remastered reissue which has been out-of-print for a while. The album, featuring two bonus tracks, will be released on October 9.

The band will hit the road on a fall tour that will bring them to Motorco Music Hall's Garage Bar on Sunday, October 21. The show is FREE.

Check out the song "Summertime" from Blue Swan Orchestra below. It features backing vocals by the late Elliott Smith.

Tracey Thorn to release holiday album in October

Singer-songwriter Tracey Thorn, formerly of the band Everything but the Girl, will release a new holiday album this fall. It's titled Tinsel and Lights and will be released by Merge Records the day before Halloween, October 30.

Instead of taking on holiday standards, she's releasing and album of more contemporary songwriters including Jack White, Randy Newman, Joni Mitchell, Ron Sexsmith and other. The album also includes two original songs written by Thorn.

The vinyl release will include the bonus track, "25th December," written and originally sung by Ben Watt of Everything but the Girl. Check out the full track list with original performers and/or songwriters below.

Crooked Fingers & John Vanderslice announce fall tour

Two incredible singer-songwriters, Erich Bachmann (Crooked Fingers) and John Vanderslice, will team up for a fall tour that will kick off in the Triangle.

The bands will play Kings Barcade in Raleigh on Tuesday, October 30. Tickets will go on sale at noon on Friday, August 10 via Etix for $15.

Check out a video of Crooked Fingers performing "Your Apocalypse" from their latest album Breaks in the Armor in a bowling alley at Google below. Also, check out a video of John Vanderslice performing "Convict Lake" from his latest album White Wilderness on KEXP.

The Jealous Sound announces fall tour, coming to Durham

Los Angeles rockers The Jealous Sound released the sophomore full-length, A Gentle Reminder, earlier this year and are hitting the road on another big tour this fall in support of it.

The band will play Motorco Music Hall in Durham on Saturday, October 6. Daytrader will open. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted.

[UPDATE: Tickets are on sale now HERE and at the venue for $10.]

Check out the songs "Perfect Timing" and "Promise of the West" from A Gentle Reminder below.

Album Review: Redd Kross - Researching the Blues

Maybe Ponce de León should’ve stopped by Merge Records to find the Fountain of Youth. With Redd Kross’ Researching the Blues — the band’s first record in 15 years — Merge has once again helped to revitalize a band nearly forgotten.

Researching the Blues is a blast. Redd Kross blow through 10 songs in 30 minutes and it never once sounds forced. If the band felt any pressure to make a successful come back, it doesn’t sound like it. It sounds youthful and carefree.

The album opens at its heaviest with the title track. The crunchy guitars and an exhilarating chorus hit hard making sure that the listener is paying attention as Redd Kross dives into the best track on Researching the Blues next.

Moogfest announces 2012 lineup, Primus, Orbital, Miike Snow & many more

One of the best music festivals in the Carolinas, Asheville's Moogest has just announced their 2012 lineup which, as always, includes a bevy of great performers.

This year's headliners are Primus 3D, Orbital, Miike Snow, Santigold, Richie Hawtin, Squarepusher, Explosions in the Sky and The Magnetic Fields. Other performers include Four Tet, Divine Fits, GZA, Thomas Dolby, Cold Cave, El-P, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Killer Mike and more. Check out the full lineup below.

This year's festival takes place on October 26 and 27. Tickets are go on sale Friday, August 10, at noon HERE.

Generationals announces fall tour, coming to Chapel Hil

Louisiana indie rock band Generationals are hitting the road on short fall tour this October in support of a new EP Lucky Numbers (out in time for the tour) and will make their way back to the Triangle.

The band will play Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Sunday, October 21. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $10.

Check out photos and a review of their set during the Hopscotch Festival last year HERE. Also, check out the music video for "Yours Forever" from the band's 2011 album Actor-Caster below.

Janelle Monáe plays short, fiery set at the ArtsCenter

Photos by Kevin Norris

Grammy nominated R&B/soul singer Janelle Monáe rolled into the ArtsCenter on Saturday evening for a Young Americans for Obama event only announced two days earlier. Word got around, because a large crowd showed up for the concert which saw the Carrboro venue playing the role of a full-on rock club.

Monáe is a force to be reckoned with on stage. She has commanding presence, both vocally and theatrically. She is a woman possessed by the music when she's performing.

Freelance Whales announces new album, fall tour

New York indie pop band Freelance Whales are gearing up for the release of their sophomore album Diluvia, due out on October 9. As is the tradition, the band will hit the road this fall to support the album and they'll make their way back to the Triangle.

They'll play Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, October 30. Geographer will open. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketfly for $15.50. Each ticket will include a full download of the new album when it's released on October 9 as well as a batch of advance downloads on August 20.

Check out a funky little trippy, retro video for the song "Locked Out" from Diluvia below.

The Avett Brothers release details of 'The Carpenter'

The Avett Brothers' new album The Carpenter is a little more than a month from its release (it's out on September 11) and the band have now shared the album art and track list.

You can check out a beautiful animated version of the cover below, which Paste debuted on Tuesday. It will start playing on its own, so you may need to refresh the page to watch the entire thing. It includes a bit of the album's opening track, "The Once and Future Carpenter" (check out a live performance of the song HERE).

You can also check out the album's complete track list below.

Dan Snaith to release full-length album as Daphni

Musician Dan Snaith, aka Caribou, is gearing up to release his first full-length album as Daphni this fall. The album of dance club music is titled JIAOLONG and will be out digitally on October 9 and physically on October 16 via Merge Records.

Check out the music video for the album's third track, "Ye Ye," below along with the track list for JIAOLONG.

Caribou will support Radiohead on their European arena tour this fall.

Janelle Monáe to play Young Americans for Obama concert in Carrboro

Grammy-nominated R&B singer Janelle Monáe is putting her support behind President Obama in Carrboro this weekend with a free concert this weekend for Young Americans for Obama.

The event is Saturday, August 4, from 6-9 p.m. at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro. You must RSVP here in order to attend.

Of course, in addition to the music, a certain amount of campaigning is to be expected.

At the show, we'll also share some tips on effective ways to talk about the President's accomplishments that will help our organizing here in North Carolina. We'll bring other young people into this organization at a critical moment, and make sure as many as possible head to the polls in the fall to support the President.

The Old Ceremony announces 'Fairytales' release show with Megafaun

As we've previously mentioned, The Old Ceremony will release their new album Fairytales and Other Forms of Suicide on August 21 via Yep Roc Records, and now they've announced a big hometown release show.

The band will play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Friday, September 21. Megafaun will open with a special acoustic set. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $10.

If you haven't already checked out "Fairytales and Other Forms of Suicide" and "Star by Star" from the new album, head HERE. Also, check out photos and a review of the The Old Ceremony's recent show at Duke Gardens HERE.

The Spring Standards announces fall tour, coming to Hillsborough

Photo by Shervin Lainez

Up-and-coming New York indie pop band The Spring Standards are hitting the road this fall on a big tour supporting their latest album, Yellow//Gold.

The tour will bring them to a Triangle venue we've never mentioned before, Mystery Brewing Company in Hillsborough. The band will play the brewery on Saturday, September 22. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted.

[Update: The band will be playing the Westoberfest event at Mystery Brewing Company. It is free and will run from noon to 10 p.m.]

Joshua Radin announces fall tour with A Fine Frenzy

Singer-songwriter Joshua Radin released his fourth album, Underwater, yesterday, July 31, and this fall he'll hit the road on a big fall tour with A Fine Frenzy to support it.

The tour will stop at the Carolina Theatre in Durham on Wednesday, November 7. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 3 via the venue box office and Ticketmaster for $25.

Stream the title track from Underwater below. A Fine Frenzy will release a new album titled Pines on October 9. Check out the song "Now is a Start" from the album below too.