We gave it a mouth

Baltimore’s Wye Oak, a member of the talented roster at Merge Records, was unable to find an unoccupied venue for a show in Phoenix on Friday, so the duo instead will play an in-store at Stinkweeds with touring partner Pomegranates.

The show will get under way around 7 p.m. with Phoenix’s Turn Back, O Man. A $5 donation goes to the bands.

Wye Oak is due to release its second album, The Knot, on July 21. Listen to/download the lead single, Take It In, below.

[MP3]: Wye Oak | Take It In

With the unveiling of the Metro Light Rail in December 2008, the greater Phoenix area finally has a decent mass-transit system on which to host busker-esque performances by local musicians. (Sorry, buses just won’t do.)

Like the Black Cab Sessions, the folks behind the The Train Tracks capitalized on the novelty of public transportation in this city – The Arizona Republic has devoted an entire index to these futuristic people movers – by bringing you “raw and uncut performances from local artists.”

With 11 performances recorded, The Train Tracks is starting to (ahem) pick up some steam. (Aside: Would really love it if these videos were embeddable.) And on Friday, Miniature Tigers, one of Phoenix’s it bands (check the Daytrotter session), took their turn to play for the rush-hour crowd. I didn’t get to make it because of work, but my good friends Jay and Carrie were on hand to take some pictures of Charlie Brand and Co., the rest of which I’ve posted below the mp3.

FYI: The masked man is Rick Schaier, the band’s drummer and the brains behind Alvin Band, whose terrific song, Glowing Tree, was played by Miniature Tigers the last time I saw them.

Also, Miniature Tigers will be playing The Phix on May 15, part of a six-week tour with Kevin Devine.

[MP3]: Miniature Tigers | Cannibal Queen

While Jimmy LaValle has kept busy as a member of the newish Adam Franklin/Sam Fogarino band Magnetic Morning, he appears ready to unleash a new record by The Album Leaf.

According to a MySpace blog post from December, a follow-up to 2006’s Into the Blue Again should hit our ears by fall 2009:

“We are going back to Bear Creek Studios to record our next record in February!! Sub Pop Records will again release it and it should be out Fall of 2009!! We’re excited and you should be to!! It will be the first record recorded with the full live band (everyone you’ve seen playing live since 2003) and not just Jimmy.”

It’s probably a safe bet to assume that Jimmy & Co. will be trotting out new material when they play July 22 at the 200-seat Farnsworth Studio Theater at Mesa Arts Center. Tickets ($15 plus venue fees) are on sale now.

I’ve not been inside this particular theater at Mesa Arts Center, but at 200-seat capacity, this has a chance to be a spectacularly intimate/exclusive sort of event (I see only four tour dates listed for The Album Leaf).

[MP3]: The Album Leaf | Always For You

Here’s the link to the Official McDowell Mountain Music Festival!

That’s right!!! We have free tickets to giveaway for both days of the McDowell Mountain Music festival. This year’s lineup is impressive to say the least. MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD, HOT TUNA, NEW RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE, HAVEN JAMES, THE FLAMING LIPS, MATISYAHU, RAILROAD EARTH, BLACK CARL and tons more! All you have to do is RESIGTER yourself as a user at www.silverplatter.info and then send an email to silverplatterinfo@gmail.com letting us know you’re registered and would like to enter the drawing! easy!

SXStateside is a music showcase with new and emerging musicians all over the US, making a pitstop at Phoenix’s Rhythm Room before reaching SXSW in Austin, TX.  2 stages outside and inside with over 7 bands that night on 3/16.

Princeton

L.A.K.E.

Golden Boots

Dusty Rhodes and the River Band

The Blakes

Rafter

Viva Voce

Note: there are plenty of video highlights on the Silverplatter youtube channel! 

RECORD STORE DAY 4/18

Wow, do we have major news! Record Store Day is April 18th this year and the labels are going all out this time! We’ll be getting tons of exclusive and majorly LIMITED pieces created for record stores on Record Store Day! We’re totally excited and wanted to let you in on some of the initial info we’ve found out. We’re putting the finishing touches on our event planned for that day, so stay tuned for more info. Here’s an initial list of stuff you can expect to see on record store day. Because this stuff is so limited we’re not quite sure how many we’ll be getting of each item. We’re doing our best to ensure we’ll have all the goods. Unfortunately no reserves or holds. All sales will be on a first come first served basis. List is subject to change.

AKRON FAMILY 7″ BAD RELIGION 7″ BLITZEN TRAPPER 7″ BOOKER T 7″ CURSIVE/LADYFINGER 10″ FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS 7″ GASLIGHT ANTHEM LP LONEY DEAR/ANDREW BIRD 7″ MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO 7″ OBITS 7″ PRETENDERS 7″ SILVERSUN PICKUPS- PIKUL LP COLOR FRED CD VETIVER 7″ TOM WAITS 7″ IRON AND WINE- LIVE CD DR DOG/FLOATING ACTION 7″ CAMERA OBSCURA 7″ ELVIS PERKINS 7″ JAY REATARD/SONIC YOUTH 7″ SONIC YOUTH/BECK 7″ PAVEMENT- LIVE IN GERMANY LP ARTHUR RUSSEL LP BURNING SPEAR CD QUEEN- 1ST EP CD UNKLE 12″ THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES 12″ THRILL JOCKEY LP COMPILATION WHITE HILLS LP OMAR RODRIGUEZ LOPEZ- CRYPTOMESIA LP JESUS LIZARD- 9X7INCH SET THAO/THERMALS 7″ WILCO DVD ELVIS COSTELLO 7″ WHISKEYTOWN 7″ TIFT MERRITT CD SUBLIME 7″ COLD WAR KIDS CD DECEMBERISTS 7″ DEPECHE MODE 7″ DEREK TRUCKS BAND CD YEAH YEAH YEAHS 7″ LEONARD COHEN 7″ BOB DYLAN 7″ BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 7″ SLAYER 7″ BRANDI CARLILE 7″ MODEST MOUSE 7″ BLACK KIDS 7″ GOMEZ 7″

It’s never too early to think about cramming into a small arts space in the middle of the Arizona summer and losing your body weight in sweat to see an indie band.

In this case, it will be well worth it. Handsome Furs are booked for Chyro Arts in Scottsdale on June 12, another Stateside Presents production. Tickets ($13) for the all-ages show are available here beginning Saturday. The Cinnamon Band opens.

Face Control, released this past Tuesday, just got an 8.0 from Pitchfork.

[MP3]: Handsome Furs | I’m Confused

If we’re lucky, the show will resemble this zombie-filled video for I’m Confused.

In more show news, Stateside is reporting sellouts for Cursive at the Rhythm Room on Sunday and Bonnie Prince Billy at Modified on April 3 at Modified.