New Bat for Lashes video: so pretty, not as weird as it could be

Friday, for the first time, I will get to see my beloved (to the point it's kind of unnerving) Bat for Lashes in my hometown of Minneapolis! I have seen Natasha Khan et al. a myriad of times in London, but never before here. And so I am super excited, and I was pumped to no small degree to see the new video for "Sleep Alone" posted on Stereogum. (Um, mainly because it meant I would have to do very little searching for this week's blog post. I am actually not a huuuuuuuge fan of this song on its own, but after watching the video, I actually think I like it more. Not that I dislike it, I'm just totally nutso over some of the other tracks from Ms. Khan's latest, Two Suns.)

I really like this video for the following three reasons:

1. Natasha Khan is soooooo pretty!!! Also the video itself is pretty.
2. I, too, have recently been dealing with raging bouts of insomnia. Soooooo annoying. Time to start drinking heavily before bedtime!!
3. I also get a kick out of putting small plastic shapes into larger ones. (Ok, not technically true, but her bedroom certainly does look enchanting afterwards!)

So, please enjoy this video and forgive me for my posting laziness. It's summer and I got shit to do, like go to Lilliput, the crappy castle-themed mini-golf/BUMPER BOAT family fun center I was never allowed to go to as a child, but always wanted to go to. I think Natasha Khan would be into it.





Epic tour listing:
8.07.09 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
8.09.09 - Chicago,IL - Lollapalooza
8.12.09 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
8.13.09 - Boston,MA - Paradise Rock Club
8.15.09 - Washington,DC - 9:30 Club
8.17.09 - Atlanta,GA - The Loft @ Center Stage
8.19.09 - Austin,TX - The Parish
8.20.09 - Dallas, TX - The Loft
8.22.09 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre
8.25.09 - Vancouver, BC - ?
8.26.09 - Seattle, WA - Neumo’s
8.27.09 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
8.29.09 - San Francisco, CA - Outside Lands Festival
8.31.09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Music Box Theatre @ Fonda
9.05.09 - Stradbally, Ireland - Electric Picnic
9.11.09 - Isle Of Wight - Bestival
10.01.09 - Bournemouth, England - Bournemouth Opera House
10.02.09 - Brighton, England - Brighton Dome
10.04.09 - Cambridge, England - Corn Exchange
10.05.09 - London, England - Roundhouse
10.06.09 - London, England - Roundhouse
10.09.09 - Bristol, England - Colston Hall
10.10.09 - Liverpool, England - O2 Academy
10.12.09 - Nottingham, England - Rock City
10.13.09 - Leeds, England - O2 Academy
10.14.09 - Manchester, England - Manchester Academy
10.16.09 - Cardiff, Wales - Great Hall, Cardiff University
10.17.09 - Sheffield, England - Octagon
10.19.09 - Glasgow, Scotland - O2 Academy
10.20.09 - Edinburgh, Scotland - The Picture House
10.28.09 - Berlin, Germany - Postbahnhof
10.29.09 - Hamburg, Germany - Uebel & Gefahrlich
10.30.09 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg Oude Zaal
11.02.09 - Luxembourg - Den Atelier
11.04.09 - Paris, France - Olympia

Creepy but possibly awesome new Bat For Lashes video

Seriously, I can't decide if I like it or loathe it. As many people know, I am completely crazy about Natasha Khan and her slightly mystical kiiiiiinda Kate Bush-esque output. I love her headbands. I love her giant percussive stick. I do not love the album art for her recently released second album, Two Suns, but that's okay. Because it's been on repeat at my house (well, that and the aforementioned Pet Shop Boys song "Heart" with the video where vampire Sir Ian McKellen steals Neil Tennant's wife) and is awesome. Because I enjoy procrastinating, last Friday I watched the video for lead single "Daniel" instead of doing something else. This is the video in question. You see, when I was just starting high school, I was sleeping over at a friend's house and we were hanging out in the basement eating bad food and watching even badder TV. Jerry Springer came on and the episode was some screwed up variant on the Make-a-Wish thing, entitled "I Wanna Be a Porn Star." So Jerry, being the kindhearted fellow he is, sets this up for the lady and sends a camera crew to follow her on her path to this dream. Basically the theme of the porn she was working on was that an Earth Woman lands on a foreign planet where she meets some sexy aliens--but really they weren't sexy at all, they were kinda gross (DUH, it's porn) and my friend and I actually changed the channel and watched some lame movie instead. The weird black costumed dancers in the "Daniel" video look very similar to the porn aliens. You see my dilemma. So go ahead! Check out the song! But maybe minimize the window while the video plays. Unless of course, you're into that sort of thing.

Finally, a Gossip Girl cast member records a pop song

I am ending my long blog hiatus (due to SXSW, actually being productive, etc.) and not because I just bought the new Bat for Lashes or Neko Case or Marissa Nadler albums (which I did) and think they're awesome (I don't know--I haven't listened to them). No, it took a greater purpose. A more consuming passion that blabbering on about post-punk or whatever the aforementioned three artists are. I am referring of course to the new "leaked" single from Leighton Meester, the actress who plays my favorite person ever, Blair Waldorf, on TV's greatest show ever, Gossip Girl. So some of the people who heard it when I posted it on my Facebook page think it's weird. WHATEVER. I think it's awesome. Yes, the chorus is weird. But weird good. Kinda like the way Ed Westwick looks. Check it out on Perez Hilton. And yes, this is probably the only time I will ever link to Perez Hilton. MAYBE.

New Bat for Lashes album details!!!

Finally!!! The band that unmasked my previously unknown appreciation for harpsichord-laden, mystical imagery driven indie ballads has set a date for their follow-up album to 2006's Fur and Gold. (Note: I may LOVE this band, but it doesn't mean I generally love all artists who write songs inspired by Joan of Arc who use kinda medieval instruments and remind me of unicorns and stars and stuff. That would seriously ruin my aggro post-punk "I like Big Black" cred. I only like this band. And I like them SIGH a lot.)

But just the facts, please. Bat for Lashes' second studio album, Two Suns, is slated for an April 6, 2009 release on Astralwerks. And now, behold: (from a press release) "The album features guest turns from the legendary Scott Walker (on album closer “The Big Sleep”), Brooklyn psychrockers Yeasayer, and her own band The Blue Dreams (who toured with her this summer)."

OMG, SCOTT WALKER?!?!?! That is pretty rad. Alas one of my non-album favorites, "Missing Time" isn't listed, but I'm glad about "Moon and Moon." And following the album release, a North American tour is promised!! Woooo!!! Another reason to not give up hope, even considering that I just finished reading Revolutionary Road and now all I can think about constantly is how much I do not want my life to turn out like the lives of Frank and April Wheeler. Eesh.

Tracklisting:
1. Glass

2. Sleep Alone

3. Moon and Moon

4. Daniel

5. Peace of Mind

6. Siren Song

7. Pearl’s Dream

8. Good Love

9. Two Planets

10. Traveling Woman

11. The Big Sleep

Radiohead takes my friends Liars and Bat for Lashes on the road

Dudes, seriously, what the fuck? Why all these good shows, and no way for me to get to them??? I have never been a fan of being rich, but I can now understand how a private jet would really help someone out. Like, for example, if they wanted to attend a Teenage Jesus reunion in NYC and then be back in time for their spotlight performance with the record shop band at their place of employment's 40th anniversary show. And yes, if I had a private jet, I would still totally want to work at that store. But I would pay for a doppelganger to take my place when we had to do inventory. Urgh, I am dreading Sunday/Monday inventory time.

So, Radiohead announced they were having Liars open for them on some dates. Then they announced Bat for Lashes was gonna be on some dates, too. Now, I like Radiohead, I'm not too cool to admit it, but I wouldn't dish out the big $$$ just to go watch them in some awful field in WI or something. But I would however if Liars and B4L were on the bill. This is like my Pitchfork Festival.

Having said that, I will now copy the dates directly from Pitchfork, b/c there is absolutely no way I am reformatting all those dates myself.

Radiohead and friends
04-01 London, England - BBC Radio Theatre at Broadcasting House
05-05 West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre *
05-06 Tampa, FL - Ford Amphitheatre *
05-08 Atlanta, GA - Lakewood Amphitheatre *
05-09 Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre *
05-11 Bristow, VA - Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge *
05-14 St. Louis, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre *
05-17 Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion *
05-18 Dallas, TX - Superpages.com Center *
06-06 Dublin, Ireland - Malahide #
06-07 Dublin, Ireland - Malahide #
06-09 Paris, France - Bercy #
06-10 Paris, France - Bercy #
06-12 Barcelona, Spain - Parc del Fòrum
06-14 Nimes, France - Arenes #
06-15 Nimes, France - Arenes #
06-17 Milan, Italy - Civica Arena #
06-18 Milan, Italy - Civica Arena #
06-20 Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany - Southside Festival
06-22 Scheeßel, Germany - Hurricane Festival
06-24 London, England - Victoria Park #
06-25 London, England - Victoria Park #
06-27 Glasgow, Scotland - Glasgow Green #
06-29 Manchester, England - Lancashire County Cricket Club #
07-01 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Westerpark #
07-03 Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival
07-05 Werchter, Belgium - Rock Werchter Festival
07-06 Arras, France - Main Square Festival
07-08 Berlin, Germany - Wuhlheide
08-08 Jersey City, NJ - All Points West Festival
08-09 Jersey City, NJ - All Points West Festival
08-15 Toronto, Ontario - Molson Amphitheatre
08-22 San Francisco, CA - Outside Lands Festival
10-04 Tokyo, Japan - Saitama Super Arena
10-05 Tokyo, Japan - Saitama Super Arena
* with Liars
# with Bat for Lashes

I am not at all embarrassed to say I'm excited about these Cure tribute albums

OK. So maybe I am a little bit. But as most readers know, I am not AT ALL embarrassed about my deep and undying love for mystical harpsichord band Bat for Lashes. Seriously. And that is why I am repeating this piece of information. (Plus the Cure were awesome when they first started out. So there.)

Now that I've got that out of the way, let's get down to business. There are two Cure tribute albums coming out, and neither of them will probably suck or have an all shitty industrial band roster. (News in and of itself.) One is by Manimal Vinyl and entitled Perfect as Cats: A Tribute to the Cur. The other is by the much-better named American Laundromat Records and called Just Like Heaven: A Tribute to the Cure. The former will include tracks from such people as Bat for Lashes, Cocorosie, Blonde Redhead and a young lady named Lou Doillon who is directly descended from Jane Birkin and the half-sister of Ms Charlotte Gainsbourg. The latter is rumored to feature the Raveonettes, the Rosebuds, and something called Grand Duchy (it's Black Francis and Violet Clark.)

Bat for Lashes is doing "A Forest", which I am very happy with. I really really don't like "Pictures of You." I can't explain it--I just don't.

To peep who's singing what, may I direct you to the Pitchfork article I ripped this news off from.

A week without internet: 7-14 November

Look at these unicorns. Look at how much fun they are having, frolicking about, being magical, and probably listening to Bat for Lashes. "Wow, this castle is the best!!!" they are saying. They're at kind of like a unicorn Club Med, I would guess. "This is the best vacation of all time!" whinnied Sir Silverheart. "Do have some more of this delightful moondew," replied Lady Lovelydreams, nudging a golden teapot towards her mystical husband.

Like these unicorns, I am also going on a "vacation." See, today I graduated from my super classy university in London and you can now call me Abomb, M.A., thank you very much. And somehow this is tied in to me going out of the country for what is sure to be a fascinating and enriching family vacation. (I always think it is worth the $$$ to stay somewhere with a hotel bar--sleazy!!!--but I am not paying, so it's a teetotaling week for me!)

As such, I will probably not have access to the internet and will have to struggle to survive without this essential lifeline. Please keep me in your thoughts and have a drink for me in this week without broadband. Thank you for your continuing support and check back with Diamonds Furcoat Champagne next Thursday for what's sure to be a very special round of posting.

In the meantime, here's a new track from my beloved Bat for Lashes called "Missing Time." Yeah, you know what it's about already, don't you, you there with the X-Files DVD boxset. I was kind of obsessed with it when I saw it performed last Sunday at Koko in Camden. (Yes, those 35 video views are mostly me.) So get mystical and see ya next week!

Bat For Lashes*=Our Stevie Nicks

A recent Dummy magazine interview with Bat for Lashes' Natasha Khan revealed how she felt hurt when people compared her music to Kate Bush and Bjork without considering it for its own merit. Oh no! I love Ms. Khan, and I would never want her to feel bad about overused comparisons. Especially when her style is clearly much more reminiscent of the Fleetwood Mack chanteuse than Bjork. Would Bjork write a song about a wizard? Probably not. Would Stevie Nicks? TOTALLY!!!!!! But she would
probably write it as a duet with Don Henley, and I'm guessing B4L wouldn't go that route.

Think you're too cool for songs about wizards? Well, so did I till I heard her debut album Fur and Gold. I was all listening to that Swans song where Michael Gira and Jarboe dispassionately command someone to (presumably) strip and then shove money into his/her mouth (they're making a point about society today!) and taking notes on the Kill Your Idols NY No Wave DVD for my thesis. Take a cue from M. Gira himself, stop being such a Jesus Lizard-obsessed freak, and open up to your softer side. And, if you're into the tracks you can hear on the Bat For Lashes MySpace page (including a new track, the "Circle Song"--OMG, Geek out!!!), maybe you wanna give me a call and we can watch The Last Unicorn** (starring Mia Farrow, soundtrack by America!) together and have tea parties and talk about elf people.


*Or B4L as I like to call them in homage to dirty south rappers D4L and their 2005 hit "Laffy Taffy", in which they entreat a young woman to

shake that laffy taffy
shake that laffy taffy
shake that laffy taffy, candy girl


**


The Last Unicorn
(The only scene I remember in this movie is when the unicorn looks up and there's a skeleton hanging out in the rafters of a building, probably being mean like I bet skeletons do. The reason I remember it is because it scared the daylights out of me and when I was in church with my parents (the only place I knew of with exposed rafters), I would periodically glance up at the ceiling to see if the skeleton was there. It was not.)