KRS Mail Order Freaks

Salutations: Happy Holiday Work Week

Welcome to the working week, freaks…listening to Elvis Costello….so good.

ok..I added some new shirts over the weekend by The Raincoats and Marnie Stern

The Raincoats T Shirt is designed by Ana Da Silva and features the artwork from the Fairytale in the Supermarket 7”

I also have added a few T Shirt & LP packs (save $7 per pack) for the holidays

We announced more details about the new Xiu Xiu record

and

Slim has been updating his blog about KRS


xoxo

Tobi Vail
Kill Rock Stars
Mail Order Freaks Internationalé

New T Shirts: Raincoats & Marnie Stern

KRS515T The Raincoats - Fairytale in the Supermarket White on Asphalt T


KRS515T2 The Raincoats - Fairytale in the Supermarket White on Olive T


KRS486T2 Marnie Stern - White on Raspberry Dog T

More T Shirt + Vinyl Packs for the Holidays!

T Shirts and 7”s are $5 off , T Shirts and CDs are $8, LPs & T Shirts are $7 off:

http://www.buyolympia.com/killrockstars/sale

KRS500TLPPACK   Thao - Know Better Learn Faster LP & T Pack $23


KRS495TCDPACK   Horse Feathers - House With No Home T &  LP Pack $23


KRS485T1LPPACK Deerhoof - Offend Maggie T & LP Pack $23


KRS455TLPPACK   Elliott Smith - New Moon T & LP $25


more vinyl & t shirt  packs:

KRS298T27PACK Bikini Kill - New Radio 7” & T Pack $15

KRS510T7PACK Horse Feathers - Cascades T & 7” Pack $15

Tour Dates

Deerhoof

December 2009
8 - Edinburgh, Scotland @ Club Bongo
9 - Liverpool, UK @ The Kazimier
10 - Minehead, UK @ ATP 10 Year Anniversary - (w/ Melvins, Dirty Three, Tortoise, etc.)
12 - Minehead, UK @ ATP 10 Year Anniversary - (w/ Melvins, Dirty Three, Tortoise, etc.)
15 - Tel Aviv, Israel @ Barby
17 - Lucerne, Switzerland @ Suedpol

Explode Into Colors

November 2009
28 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge - w/ May Ling, Breakfast Mountain
December 2009
12 - Salem, OR @ IKE Box
13 - Seattle, WA @ Vera Project - w/ The Thermals
January 2010
31 - Portland, OR @ McMenamins Kennedy School

Gossip

November 2009
24 - Fribourg, Switzerland @ Fri-Son
25 - Munich, Germany @ Tonhalle
26 - Berlin, Germany @ Columbiahalle
27 - Brussels, Belgium @ Halles De Schaerbeek
28 - London, UK @ HMV Forum
29 - Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy Birmingham
30 - Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy

Horse Feathers

November 2009
26 - Oslo, Norway @ Revolver
27 - Bergen, Norway @ Kafe Knoderen
28 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Last Waltz @ Bonden Bar
29 - Gothenburg, Sweden @ Woody West
30 - Kiel, Germany @ Weltruf
December 2009
1 - Giessen, Germany @ MUK
2 - Rosenheim, Germany @ Asta Kneipe
3 - Karlsruhe, Germany @ Cafe Nun
4 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands @ Paradiso
5 - Gent, Belgium @ Kraakpand
6 - Brussels, Belgium @ Rotonde/Botanique
7 - London, UK @ Hoxton Bar and Grill
8 - Oxford, UK @ Jericho Tavern
9 - Manchester, UK @ Dulcimer
10 - Glasgow, UK @ Nice and Sleazy
11 - Dublin, Ireland @ Academy 2
12 - Belfast, Ireland @ Speakeasy

Panther

November 2009
28 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom - w/ Ramona Falls, Helio Sequence

Portland Cello Project

December 2009
4 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater - Holiday Sweater Show
5 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern - Holiday Show/Bad Sweater Optional
12 - Eugene, OR @ Cozmic Pizza

The Shaky Hands

November 2009
24 - Poznan, Poland @ Klub Pod Minoga
25 - Prague, Czech Republic @ Klub 007
26 - Koeln, Germany @ Tsunami
27 - Utrecht, The Netherlands @ Le Guess Who Festival
28 - Haarlem, The Netherlands @ Patronaat
December 2009
2 - Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory
3 - Baltimore, MD @ Golden West Cafe
4 - Charlotte, NC @ Milestone
5 - Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn
7 - Memphis, TN @ Hi Tone Cafe
8 - Covington, KY @ Madhatter Club - w/ The Rural Alberta Advantage
9 - St Louis, MO @ Off Broadway - w/ The Rural Alberta Advantage
10 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Conservatory - w/ The Rural Alberta Advantage
11 - Austin, TX @ Emo’s Jr
12 - Dallas, TX @ The Cavern - w/ The Rural Alberta Advantage
14 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room - w/ The Rural Alberta Advantage
15 - Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater - w/ The Rural Alberta Advantage
16 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill - w/ The Rural Alberta Advantage
31 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge - w/ Quasi, Inside Voices

Thao

January 2010
19 - Cologne, Germany @ Blue Shell
20 - Hamburg, Germany @ Gruner Jager
21 - Berlin, Germany @ Magnet
22 - Munich, Germany @ 59to1
23 - Vienna, Austria @ FM4 Festival @ Arena
24 - Innsbruck, Austria @ PMK
25 - Mulhouse, France @ Noumatrouff
27 - Milan, Italy @ Casa 139
28 - Basel, France @ Kaserne
29 - Paris, France @ La Maroquinerie
30 - Brussels, Belgium @ Botanique

The Thermals

December 2009
11 - Portland, OR @ Berbati’s Pan - w/ Dirty Mittens, White Fang, all ages
12 - Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s - KEXP Yule Benefit w/ Cave Singers, The Builders and The Butchers - 21+
13 - Seattle, WA @ Vera Project - w/ Explode Into Colors, Dirty Mittens

More Xiu Xiu News!

XIU XIU’S DEAR GOD, I HATE MYSELF DETAILS REVEALED

Dear God, I Hate Myself
(Kill Rock Stars)
Release date: February 23, 2010

Track list:

1. Gray Death
2. Chocolate Makes You Happy
3. Apple for a Brain
4. House Sparrow
5. Hyunhye’s Theme
6. Dear God, I Hate Myself
7. Secret Motel
8. Falkland Rd.
9. The Fabrizio Palumbo Retaliation
10. Cumberland Gap
11. This Too Shall Pass Away (for Freddy)
12. Impossible Feeling

Read almost any piece about Xiu Xiu and you’ll see words like ‘harsh’ or ‘brutal’ — the same words that appear before ‘truth’ when an unwavering eye is turned on any intimate detail of our lives. Fair descriptions of the themes central to the music, they sit incongruous to the refined, intricate, and beautiful approach taken in crafting the twelve tracks on Xiu Xiu’s new album Dear God, I Hate Myself.

The two biggest constants throughout Xiu Xiu’s catalog are honesty and evolution. This remains true with Dear God, I Hate Myself as it delivers a look at responsibility, fear, healing, and societal roles wrapped in rich gothic pop music. The sound is still distinctly Xiu Xiu, but Jamie Stewart’s vocals are finally effortless paired with vibrant melodies full of subtlety and the distinct sonic accents expected of this anticipated Xiu Xiu release. The result is a record that proves that art can be pop and pop can challenge you to look inside yourself.

Stewart is joined by new full-time band member Angela Seo on piano, synth, and drum programming; with production handled by Jamie and Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier. Together they’ve crafted a fully grown sound for Dear God, I Hate Myself with elements from goth and pop that are expertly performed by a crop of brilliant musicians. Saunier himself plays on much of the record as does Ches Smith (John Zorn, Terry Riley, Marc Ribot) who supplies timpani, conga and moog along with a broad range of other instrumentation. Deerhoof’s John Dieterich is all over a rendition of the traditional folk song “Cumberland Gap” and Xiu Xiu is even joined by the Immaculata Catholic School Orchestra in Stewart’s ode to heartbreak and healing, “This Too Shall Pass Away (for Freddy).” The title track, one of four songs done primarily on a Nintendo DS, explores the relationship between faith and despair with a layer of commentary provided by the bizarre sounds of the music itself.

Each new Xiu Xiu release has evolved alongside the lives of Jamie Stewart and company. On this record you’ll find more intensity and introspection than ever before, but sonically and lyrically it continues to move forward with a subtly new perspective — hyper-focussed yet aware of a larger, external picture unfolding. The pace of the record grips you, the music offers layers of detail, and the themes focus on not just the past or stark present but hint towards vespers of the future as well. Dear God, I Hate Myself will challenge you and force you to look inside yourself, but only after you get lost in the music. It’s passionate, it’s energetic, and it affects you.

Dear God, I Hate Myself is a beautiful piece of humanist art. It’s an important addition to the growing body of intelligent music from Xiu Xiu. And it’s a brilliant gothic pop record that can stand next to anything.

for more on xiu xiu, check their artist page

Underground Group of the Week: Talk Normal

While not exactly a Demo of the Week type of band* Talk Normal are still pretty unknown so I thought I would link to them today since the are on tour. According to myspace they are:

ANDRYA AMBRO

SARAH REGISTER

check out their video for In a Strange Lan

*they have recently released a full length on rare book room records

so far one of the Demo of the Week rules has been a group can only have 7”s or a self-release out in order to qualify, but really we aren’t super strict about this stuff…really the only difference is we don’t contact the band directly or offer a free mp3.

Thao in Bitch: The Break Up Soundtrack

Thao Nguyen’s Wallow-worthy Breakup Mix

1. Karen Dalton “Just a Little Bit of Rain”
2. Prince “When You Were Mine”
3. Jackson 5 “Who’s Loving You”
4. Lucinda Williams “I Envy the Wind”
5. Karen Dalton “Something’s on Your Mind”
6. Magnetic Fields “The One You Really Love”
7. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles “You Really Got a Hold on Me”
8. Songs: Ohia “Just Be Simple”
9. Neil Young “Harvest”
10. Cowboy Junkies “Blue Moon Revisited”

check out the latest by Thao here

New in Distro: Viv Albertine Never Come CDR

Limited Edition Self-Released CDR by Viv Albertine, legendary innovative guitarist and original member of The Slits.

CD & T Shirt Pack of the Day: Xiu Xiu

Xiu Xiu 2009 T & Women As Lovers CD Pack $20 (regularly $28)
Get the Xiu Xiu 2009 T & Women As Lovers CD Pack together at a discount for a limited time only.