The Ladybug Transistor brings laid back pop to Kings

All photos by Kevin Norris

Brooklyn quintet The Ladybug Transistor made a stop in Raleigh Saturday evening for a show a Kings supporting their new album Clutching Stems.

The band sounded great as they rolled through a set heavy on songs from the new album, starting out with the soaring "Caught Don't Walk." The band's lush pop filled the room, captivating the small, but attentive crowd.

After playing the groovy "Breaking Up on the Beat," they flashed back 14 years, taking a request for the the classic "Rushes of Pure Spring" from their 1997 album Beverley Antonale.

Win tickets to The Ladybug Transistor at King's

The Ladybug Transistor is on tour supporting their latest album, Clutching Stems, and will make a stop at King's in Raleigh this Saturday, July 16. Thanks to the folks at Merge Records, we have a pair of tickets to give to one lucky reader.

To enter our drawing for a pair of tickets to the show, email trianglemusicblog at gmail dot com with "Ladybug tickets" in the subject line no later than Wednesday, July 13, at 3 p.m. We will randomly select and notify a winner that afternoon. One entry per person, please. Duplicates will not be counted.

Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 day of show. Doors are at 9 p.m. James Husband and T0W3RS will open the show.

Click here for our review of Clutching Stems.

Album Review: The Ladybug Transistor - Clutching Stems

Throughout their 16-year career, The Ladybug Transistor’s records have been incredibly consistent in quality and style. Clutching Stems subtly departs from the pastoral style the band has cultivated over six previous albums.

This new album is more somber and even urgent at times. This isn’t music to lie in the grass to like past albums; it’s music to ride a bike to. The lush, organic arrangements the band is known for remain, but here the band puts them into motion.

Video: The Ladybug Transistor play "Clutching Stems" during XX Merge

Let us flash back to the summer of 2009 and the fantastic XX Merge Festival in Carrboro and Chapel Hill. New York band The Ladybug Transistor was part of the festivities and played a great set at the Cat's Cradle on July 25, 2009 (see photos and a review HERE).

The band were clearly eyeing the future as they played the festival almost two years ago, because while in town, the band filmed a performance of the song "Clutching Stems" in a hotel room at the Holiday Inn. The song is the title track of the band's forthcoming album due out on June 7, 2011. Watch the performance below where you can also download the song.

The Ladybug Transistor announces summer tour, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Kenji Kitahama

The Ladybug Transistor are gearing up for the release of their new album Clutching Stems, due out on June 7 via Merge Records and wil hit the road shortly after in support of it.

The band will hit Kings Barcade in Raleigh on Saturday, July 16. Tickets are available via etix for $8. James Husband (of Elephant 6 and of Montreal) will open the show.

Download the title track from the band's forthcoming album below and check out photos and a review of their set at XX Merge at the Cat's Cradle in 2009 HERE. You can also find more info on the new album HERE.

New music from The Ladybug Transistor - "Clutching Stems" + new album details

Brooklyn band The Ladybug Transistor are returning later this year with their first new album since 2007's Can't Wait Another Day. The new album is titled Clutching Stems and will be released by Merge Records on June 7.

The album will feature ten new songs, including the title track "Clutching Stems," which you can download below. The full track list is below as well.

The band were in the Triangle in 2009 to play the Merge's twentieth anniversary party, XX Merge, at the Cat's Cradle. Check out photos and a review of their set HERE.

Performances from XX Merge festivities hit the web

While the XX Merge Converse "take away" series still has three more videos to roll out, the big kahuna has hit the web. It turns out we didn't have to wait long to see the results of all those cameras positioned around the Cat's Cradle and Memorial Hall of those nights in July.

A boatload of videos are now available to view over at Bablegum.com including performances by Superchunk, She & Him, Spoon, American Music Club, Telekinesis, Polvo, Pipe, Richard Buckner, Wye Oak, The Clientele, The Ladybug Transistor, Destroyer, Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band, Oakley Hall and Imperial Teen.

So if you were there, go relive at great five nights of music and if you were not there, go check out what you missed. I'm still hoping these performances and many more make their way to a DVD in the not-to-distant future.

XX Merge night 4 at Cat's Cradle: The Ladybug Transistor

Third on the schedule on night four of XX Merge at the Cat's Cradle was The Ladybug Transistor. The set saw the return of bassist Julia Rydholm who played on Friday with The Essex Green. The band played great set of melodic pop songs which included the song "Always on the Telephone."

Frontman Gary Olson played some trumpet and well as guitar and singing lead vocals. Olson popped up on trumpet during Spent's set on Friday and Annie Hayden of Spent returned the favor by joining Ladybug Transistor on backing vocals for two songs. The group pleased the Cradle crowd, setting them up for the should-be headliner M. Ward who followed. More on that later.

Check out photos of The Ladybug Transistor below. More coverage of night four and coverage of night five is coming soon.

Merge video retrospective: The Ladybug Transistor - "Always on the Telephone"

Here is our ninth video in our Merge Video Retrospective series. This one comes from The Ladybug Transistor's 2007 album Can't Wait Another Day. It is for the melancholy tune "Always on the Telephone" which culminates with the chasing of a departing blimp. It's quite a cool visual that you can see in the still on the right.

Click here for the rest of the Merge Video Retrospective series.