Jukebox the Ghost Interview

During CMJ this past October I did an interview with Ben Thornewill of Jukebox the Ghost. Due to circumstances beyond my control I was not able to finish transcribing and posting it until now. I am very sorry for the delay. Here it is (finally) for your viewing pleasure.

News on Shuffle (NoS): interview with Ben of jukebox the Ghost. So, first question for you is about the album: How different was it working on the new one now that you've been kind of established and have a fan base?

Ben: The main difference w/ this record is the amount of time we got to spend on it, and how the time was spent. So instead of doing the first record, doing a record in 12 days, which is how we did the first record, we recorded and mixed, which is crazy in the recording world, we got to spend 40 days on it and really take our time. and it wasn't 40 straight days, it was like we'd go in during the week and have the weekends off

NoS: it wasn't biblical?

Ben: It wasn't biblical no. Making a record it feels like a task of biblical proportions.

NoS: It came out good though. it came out very good.

Ben: I am very pleased with it, yeah.

NoS: Do you listen to your music at all?

Ben: I haven't listened to the record in a long time actually. You listen to it so much when you record it and so many variations of the songs and the mixes that by the time the record's out you're plum sick of listening to it.

NoS: Do you have a favorite song off the album?

Ben: I think the interlude came out really well, and I think, I mean all the songs came out fairly well. I really love the build-up in Summer Sun. It's only about 10 seconds of material but I think it came out incredibly well.

NoS: On both albums, actually, I really like how a lot of the songs kind of connect to each other and one goes right into another.

Ben: We're all about that sort of thing.

NoS: A lot of bands right now, because you just mentioned how people don't listen to CDs anymore, and a lot of bands keep that in mind and just make singles, and you're one of the few bands I know that still makes albums.

Ben: Yep, absolutely.

NoS: I really, really appreciate that. On the song So Let Us Create, it might just be a total coincidence, but I thought I heard a little George Harrison in there.

Ben: It is total coincidence, and I had obviously heard that song but I don't think I ever really listened to it until after the fact and then found out it was the same chord progression. It happens. And it's a different statement of it, but the chords are the same, I hope the key's not the same. I'm not sure there.

NoS: I don't think it was. It was similar enough that you could hear it, but it wasn't like "oh that's the same song".

Ben: It was not at all on purpose. It was only one of those after the fact, oh it happens to be the same chord progression.

NoS: Moving on to the tour - how was this one?

Ben: Really good. Full, all around the country and people were at every show and it was really encouraging.

NoS: Do you have a best moment? Worst moment?

Ben: Worst moment was Milwaukee. It was a late show on a Tuesday night. It was 21 up, and there were people there but it was just weird. Some shows are just strange. Highlights are two was in New York, in Chicago it was sold out.

NoS: New York was a great show too.

Ben: New York was a great show too, but there was a tornado and there was some stuff in the way. But Chicago was amazing, and San Fran was amazing. really all around. It was a great tour.

NoS: Obviously there's a lot of traveling with a tour. What were some ways you guys kept entertained on the road?

Ben: On this stretch for the first time we had wireless internet in the van, which was completely life-changing. So we got to keep up with things. It's crazy, internet in the van.

NoS: So some of the stuff like the Tumblr and all that you did -

Ben: Almost every single Tumblr or Gumblr review we did from the van.

NoS: I noticed a lot of "loves"

Ben: A lot of loves. It's hard to hate something.

NoS: So you're done with the main headlining tour now, right? And next is opening for Guster and Barenaked Ladies.

Ben: We do four shows with Guster coming up next week, and then hit the road for three weeks with Barenaked Ladies.

NoS: How exciting is that?

Ben: I can't wait.

NoS: Any other bands in the future - if you could tour with a band, it would be…?

Ben: It will never happen but I would love to tour with Vampire Weekend.

NoS: Never say never. Because they will hear that and surprise you. And you will find out that they are huge fan of yours and will want to tour with you.

Ben: That would be really nice.

NoS: That would be really nice. I would totally go to that tour. I dig Vampire Weekend.

So after Barenaked Ladies, do you have any other plans? Or are you just taking a break?

Ben: We have about a week off for Thanksgiving and then we're back on the road for another two weeks doing another headlining run in a bunch of cities we didn't hit during this previous headlining tour.

NoS: Alright, so all of those people complaining "You didn't hit my city"…

Ben: We're coming back, yep.

NoS: Keep an eye out on the website, which came out really good.

Ben: Thank you

NoS: It was under construction for a long time, but it was worth the wait. Speaking of "online" - a lot of promoting with bands now is social networking - Twitter, Facebook, all that stuff. But then you find that it's hard to keep a separation between the public band stuff and then the personal -

Ben: yeah, the line definitely blurs, especially with Facebook. I haven't taken myself down yet, and I get friend requests pretty much every day from fans, and it just is what it is. But I keep my friends and my stuff in one place, and the band stuff is somewhere else.

NoS: And then, the people that are friends with you on Facebook - Do you find that a lot of times you'll get comments on photos or something from people that you haven't necessarily even met yet? Does that get kind of weird?

Ben: Not photos. I mean, when I do big postings about like, like when we did Letterman I got tons, and half were from close friends and family and half were from strangers. But that's stuff meant for the public.

NoS: Last question - What's your favorite music, artist, band, whatever that you like to listen to? And do you think that you are influenced at all by them?

Ben: Influence is such a funny thing. Yes, I do think, I would say - the last artist I really fell for was St Vincent. That's close to a year and a half ago now that I really fell for this band. And it's not like I emulate or try to write songs that sound like her, but I use - somewhere in my subconscious is the stuff that she does and knowing how she does it. And I use that sometimes as a reference point. But I think you'd be hard-pressed to dig into a song and find a quote-on-quote influence directly related to St Vincent.

NoS: Thanks a lot.

Ben: You're welcome

Best of 2010

Instead of doing a list of my top albums for this year, I thought I would just mention some notable releases. I will say that my favorite album this year, without a doubt, was Jukebox the Ghost. April Smith and Kids of 88 probably come second and third respectively. (But then I look at Arcade Fire and feel like maybe they should be third instead). See, this is why I don't do "top" lists. It gets tricky. As for the rest, I just really enjoyed them but couldn't possibly rank them in any order. Josh Ritter was especially good for helping me get through quite a few papers and exams. A few I'll admit I didn't get a chance to hear in their entirety, but I heard enough to feel comfortable mentioning anyway.

Albums:
Jan 12 - Contra by Vampire Weekend
- Of the Blue Colour of the Sky - OK Go
Feb 23 - Songs for a Sinking Ship by April Smith and the Great Picture Show
March 2 - Smoke & Mirrors by Lifehouse
March 9 - The Monitor by Titus Andronicus
March 16 - Habits by Neon Trees
March 30 - Evelyn Evelyn by Evelyn Evelyn
April 13 - Congratulations by MGMT
Virtues by Amber Pacific
April 27 - Love It To Life by Jesse Malin
May 4 - So Runs the World Away by Josh Ritter
June 15 - American Slang by The Gaslight Anthem
June 29 - We've All Been There by Alex Band
Aug 2 - The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
Aug 3 - Hear Me Now by Secondhand Serenade
Aug 16 - Sugarpills by Kids of 88
Sept 4 - Everything Under the Sun by Jukebox the Ghost
Sept 14 - Hurley by Weezer
A Thousand Suns by Linkin Park
Sept 21 - Hands All Over by Maroon 5
Sept 28 - Lonely Avenue by Ben Folds & Nick Hornby
Oct 19 - Come Around Sundown by Kings of Leon
Words, Words, Words by Bo Burnham (comedian)
Nov 22 - Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys by My Chemical Romance
Dec 7 - Wonders of the Younger by Plain White T's

Top Concerts:
Did a quick count and I have seen Jukebox the Ghost almost every month this year. That is really impressive (not only for me, but for them coming to NYC that often). Of course, being my favorite band, they are on my top concerts list, but I would hate to have to pick which time was the best (secret show at Pianos? cd release? opening for BNL?) so I'm just going to say for the bajillionth time that this band is AMAZING live and you should go check them out and experience their awesome for yourself.

Moving right along…

Other contenders this year include:
Alex Band Aug 6th @ Highline
Josh Ritter Aug 8th on Governor's Island
Yula and the eXtended Family Sept 2nd @ Highline
Titus Andronicus & Free Energy Sept 25th @ Webster Hall
the first annual Tinderbox Festival Sept 26th @ Southpaw
The World/Inferno Friendship Society's Hallowmas Oct 31st

That last one especially was a night to remember. The band went almost the entire year without playing, so it felt almost like a family reunion being there. The day was filled with great music, plus I met loads of new and awesome people that I still talk to thanks to the magic of the inter-webs. Also have to say CMJ this year was especially good. It was a crazy week that completely wore me out, but it was oh so very worth it. Also worth it was going to see Ben Folds Dec 14th at Beacon Theater despite just getting over being sick. He and Josh Groban rank in my list of people who are too talented for words. Speaking of which, I also saw Josh Groban do a short set at the Apple store in Soho. That should go on the list too. See, there were just way too many great shows to list them all. It's just one of the many reasons I love New York so much.

Well, that about wraps up another year in music here. Did I skip over any of your favorite albums? See any shows that I was unable to attend? Feel free to add your 2 cents in the comments section below.

Jukebox the Ghost + Barenaked Ladies = A Perfect Fit

When Jukebox the Ghost first announced they would be opening for select dates on the Barenaked Ladies tour, naturally I was excited. Mostly I was thrilled for the band that they would be getting that kind of exposure (and be able to say they toured with another really cool band). I didn't actually think about how well the two bands would work well though. Their styles were more alike than I imagined. I'm not just talking musically either - both bands also have a quirky/fun stage presence that makes their shows even more enjoyable. I've always been a passing BNL fan, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed their set (even though I didn't necessarily know all the words to their songs). There were a lot of great moments during their set, but two that will stick out for me are 1) the closing number, where they mashed together a bunch of covers and danced around the stage like the crazies they apparently are, and 2) the first encore number when Ben from Jukebox came on stage to play piano with them.

Yes, it all comes back to Jukebox the Ghost, doesn't it now?

I mean, obviously I would not have gone to this show if I did not enjoy me some Ladies, but the opening band did have some strong influence on my actually buying the tickets. For me, BNL have always been one of those bands I would only go see depending on the opener. I can't think of a better excuse to finally check them out than my boys from Jukebox the Ghost. And let me tell you something, the band did not disappoint. They played a really solid set of their 8 best songs. There wasn't as much banter as there would be at one of their headlining shows, but that was to be expected. Obviously they would want to squeeze in as much music as possible in the time allotted. There were a couple stories added to the mix though - just enough to give the potential new fans a taste of this bands unique and oh-so-interesting personality. (Ex: Ben describing his taped-up synth and declaring, "Duct tape does amazing things." - Classic). It was much different seeing them play a venue like the Mayo Theatre, but it was also cool to see what their set looks like with the added lighting. Whoever was in charge of lights for the evening did a great job with both bands in timing the lights with the music. Kudos on your professionalism, Mayo tech crew.

Overall I would say the show was a huge success. The room was almost completely full during the opening set, which means lots more potential new fans for the band. Based on a casual glance of the room, I would say they won a few new hearts over with tonight's set. And the crowd definitely enjoyed BNL's set, myself included. Obviously I expected them to be good (or I wouldn't have gone), but they blew my expectations out of the water. Where once I was a passing fan, now I am super in love. I could not have asked for a more perfect night.

Jukebox the Ghost set list:
Schizophrenia
The Sun
Hold It In
Half Crazy
Empire
Summer Sun
The Stars
Good Day

Side note - Just wanna take a minute to be slightly not professional and brag that I almost completely guessed the set list for tonight. Half Crazy was a maybe that depended on length of set, and Summer Sun was a very pleasant surprise. Other than that, I so called the rest of this list! I know it's lame to be proud of this, but let me have my moment anyway. And sorry I don't have BNL's set list but I don't know the names of all their songs well enough. There are very few bands actually that I know the names of every song they've done. Usually I just know a song when I hear it. Sorry if this makes you like the blog slightly less. I try to make up for it with a passion for music and lots of enthusiasm. Hopefully that is enough.

CMJ Day 4 - feat Brooklyn Vegan & Force Field showcses

Yesterday included a bit of borough hopping between Brooklyn and Manhattan. First up was the Brooklyn Vegan showcase at Public Assembly. This included two rooms of free music and free alcohol (if you like Blue Moon or Firefly). There was also a table selling BV shirts, proceeds of which go towards "Music Has Power" (The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function). Good music + a good cause = good party by the Vegan. There's another one today that has a sick line-up. Gonna head there first thing today.

One other thing worth noting about that BV party is one of the bands: Shrag. This band was from the UK, which got me thinking about how many bands travel from all over the world (especially places like the UK and New Zealand) just to come to CMJ. I think it's really cool how this festival gives people a chance to experience music from not just all over the country, but from different parts of the world as well. Because let's face it, how many of us are going to be visiting New Zealand any time soon?

Next stop was the Impose showcase to catch the band Dark Dark Dark. They were really fun, and had lots of different instruments (including accordion, trumpet, and clarinet). I really enjoyed this band and would definitely want to check them out again.

Final stop for the evening was the Force Field showcase at Pianos. The line-up included Lord Huron, La Sera, Violens, Woven Bones, Wild Nothing, and The So So Glos. I really went to see Violens and So So Glos, but all the bands did a pretty good job (although I definitely enjoyed some more than others). Wild Nothing are playing that Brooklyn Vegan showcase today, in case anyone is interested in checking them out. If you're looking for a recommendation, consider this it.

One more thought before I bring this one to a close.

You all know how much I enjoy talking about my favorite band, Jukebox the Ghost. Well, I found a great conversations starter for this topic has been the tote bag I bought from their Music Hall show last month. It was because of this bag that I met someone from The Wild Honey Pie and got a great conversation about blogging and the band and music in general. Later that same night I got another comment from someone who knows the guitarist's sister. So there are two lessons we can take from this: 1) a band's merch makes for really good promotion and conversation starters, and 2) it is a small little world that Jukebox the Ghost is slowly taking over.

Speaking of promotion - let me take this final opportunity to invite you to Bar Matchless tonight for the TJO Presents showcase, featuring Matt Koziol, Sydney Wayser, F. Stokes, Stuedabakerbrow, Incadeo, Like Trains & Taxis, Alyson Greenfield, and Hank & Cupcakes. It's going to be a great night, and it's FREE. Two reasons you should come out and party with us.

CMJ Day 3 - feat. Yep Roc Records showcase @ Bowery Electric

Last night was a late start for me, since I had to wait till after class to get to the city. Once I got in I met up with a friend and we walked over to The Living Room to check out McAlister Drive. Got the tail end of their set, but liked what I heard. It was after 11pm at this point, so I headed over to Bowery Electric for the final two bands on the Yep Roc Records showcase: Drink Up Buttercup and Jukebox the Ghost. I knew I dug Drink Up Buttercup from seeing them before, but I had forgotten just how much I love them. They have a ton of energy when they play and are incredibly fun to watch. I had been feeling sick with the allergies all day, but I totally forgot about that once they got into their set. Funniest moments included the addition of a trash can as an instrument for one of their songs (which immediately reminded me of Stomp and how they use lots of things like that to make music), and the drummer's obvious enthusiasm through most of the night (especially the last song). I think I mentioned this from the last time I wrote about this band, but dude gets really into his playing. You can say that about all of the members, but it's especially true for him.

Speaking of drummers I enjoy - nice segue - Jesse from Jukebox the Ghost is possibly one of my favorite drummers ever. I have had a couple conversations with different people this week about how he really adds something to the band and isn't just a beat in the background. It's more like he adds the heartbeat to them, and he deserves a little shout-out for that.

Moving right along... I thought Jukebox had a much better set here than they did the night before. That's not to say the previous show was bad, it just wasn't as good. For one thing, last night's set was a lot longer. For another, I like the sound at Bowery Electric much better than at The Delancey. There also seemed to be a lot more energy from both the band and crowd at this place. The band played mostly songs off the new album, but upon request ended with a few older one's, including "Beady Eyes" and the fan favorite "Good Day," which had a little something special about it this time around (again, I mean more so than usual). They also called Drink Up Buttercup on stage for a cover of one fo their songs. Afterwards I made my usual rounds to catch up with people. I mentioned on Twitter last night that Shervin asked me if I was their biggest fan. Said person would be their tour manager/go-to-for-just-about-everything person. He was the first person I met who was connected to the band, and I always enjoy seeing him at shows.

That about wraps up my coverage of CMJ Day 3. All that's left is a few thousand words in pictures.

Drink Up Buttercup

 Jukebox the Ghost

Jukebox the Ghost Set List:
Schizophrenia
Interlude/The Stars
Nobody
The Sun
Popular Things
Summer Sun
Empire
Half Crazy
Hold It In
Drink Up Buttercup cover
Beady Eyes
Good Day

CMJ Day 2

Day 2 of CMJ was packed with enough cool things for two people to go too... and then some. I chose to spend my afternoon at the Sneak Attack Media showcase at The Delancey. The line-up included Kitten, PVT, Kids of 88, Cassette Kids, and Jukebox the Ghost. Unfortunately I was running errands in midtown that took longer than I thought they would, so I missed the opening act. A friend told me they were good though. Not surprised, the whole line-up for this show was exceptional. I especially dug Kids of 88. They have a ton of energy. I got my hands on a copy of their cd and hopefully will get a chance to review it soon. Of course it goes without saying that I enjoyed seeing Jukebox again. They didn't play for that long, but it was still a fun little set. The real news with them though is I got a chance to interview Ben, so look for that to be posted sometime next week. The only reason it has to wait that long is because I'll be too busy giving you the latest CMJ news (and helping on one showcase Saturday).

                                           PVT

 

                                           Kids of 88

 

                                          Cassette Kids

 

Jukebox the Ghost

After the Sneak Attack showcase finished we got dumpling from Vanessa's (highly recommend - cheap but good eats) and moved on to Fontana's to catch a few minutes of Fort Wilson Riot. From there I was lucky enough to get into the sold out Bad Books show at Bowery Ballroom. The band was dressed to impress, and boy did they impress me. It's worth noting here that I have not had a chance to listen to their recently released album yet (although it is on my laptop waiting for me to do so). This meant I was experiencing the band in much the same way as my first experience with Kevin Devine - not really knowing what to expect but being really impressed within the first few songs. It is also worth noting that there was much more banter at this show than there was for Kevin's show at Music Hall last night. They announced they "are not a one time band" and will be releasing another record at some point. That was one announcement that was music to my ears. The set ended with most of the band filing off stage, leaving Devine and Andy Hull. Things I learned on this night: Kevin Devine knows how to play the drums. They performed one last song before ending their main set. The encore was a combination of Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra songs, Hull picked the KD songs and Devine picked the Manchester material. Another thing I learned on this night - "Just Stay" is equally good the second day in a row. Same goes for "Cotton Crush".

Bad Books Set List:
Highway of Death
Baby Shoes
Holding Down the Laughter
How This All Ends
Wouldn't Have To Ask
Please Move
The Plan
Mesa, AZ
I Begged You Everything
Texas

Encore:
Just Stay
Now That You're Home
Cotton Crush
Your A Mirror

I'm not sure which part of this night was cooler - seeing Kevin Devine two nights in a row, or seeing him and Jukebox the Ghost on the same day. All I know is CMJ has been a blast so far, and it is just getting warmed up. Tonight is the Yep Roc Records showcase, where I will see Jukebox again as well as Drinkup Buttercup.

Jukebox the Ghost video + CMJ news

Sorry I've been absent lately. A few things I should have mentioned by now but haven't for one reason or another.

First off, I meant to post this video Jukebox the Ghost uploaded from their "Free Pianos" shows this summer. Your humble blogger makes a special guest appearance as "overly excited fan".



Also, CMJ starts today (in case you didn't know). Tonight is Kevin Devine's show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tomorrow he premieres his new band "Bad Books," which features members of Manchester Orchestra. Also tomorrow is the Sneak Attack Media showcase, where I will be saying hello to the blog's favorite band, Jukebox the Ghost. There are lots of other great shows happening all week. I will be talking more about the different shows each day, including a review of KD's set, which should be up either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Do you have any shows you want promoted this week? Either comment below or shoot me an email at munchkin275@hotmail.com

Two New Videos

Hey there, music lovers! A couple new music videos have come out recently that I felt like sharing. One is Jukebox the Ghost video for the first track off their new album.



The other is from Jesse Malin's album "Love It To Life"



Jess Malin was just at Union County Music Fest, which I owe you a blog post on. As for Jukebox, they can be seen in Brooklyn, NY at Music Hall of Williamsburg this Thursday September 16th. This is their first show in the area since the new album came out, so you're not going to want to miss this.

Jukebox the Ghost - Everything Under the Sun (A Review)

i have been a fan of Jukebox the Ghost for some time now (about 2 years actually), and have listened to their debut album a couple dozen times. I never thought I would hear a more complete and fun-loving album ever again - I should have anticipated them outdoing themselves in their next try. Their sophomore album Everything Under the Sun is everything I could ask for and then some. Just when I thought I couldn't love this band anymore - it's as if this album is their answer to that.

The first track is Schizophrenic, which starts off racing and lets you know you're listening to a band that likes to have fun with their music. I defy you to not dance around your room right along with this opening number. I could almost feel the energy fill the room as the song progressed.

After a few fun dance numbers, they slow it down a bit with Summer Sun. Even still, there is a quiet energy still present. It is like a breath of fresh air after you've been dancing in the rain. It picks right back up and rushes into the next track, Mistletoe. One of the things I have always loved about this band is how well their first album blended together. Each track seemed to have some connection to the ones surrounding it. Even some of my favorite artists have one or two songs in their albums I can usually skip, but that is not true with Jukebox. Every song adds something special and would be missed in the overall listening experience of the album as a whole. Some artists give you singles - this band gives you albums. You can tell a lot of care and attention has gone into choosing each song to make it fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. That level of attention is part of what makes their music special. It also makes it very hard for me to choose a favorite song. You know that feeling when your favorite song come on and you say, "Oh, I love that song!"? Well I should probably just say, "I love that band!" because I do. I love them a lot. Does that make me biased in writing this review? Possibly. So here's the challenge for you - listen for yourself and tell me I'm wrong, that my excitement over this new album coming out is misplaced. If you make it through the whole album without smiling once, well then I will consider myself corrected.

Everything Under the Sun is currently available for pre-order & will be released Sept 7th. The band just announced this morning they will be on Dave Letterman tonight, so take advantage of this chance to get a free preview. Their next New York date will be Sept 16th at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Your humble blogger will be the one in the front taking a million pictures, dancing like there's no tomorrow, and congratulating the band after on continuing to be awesome.

Thinking Back: The Anniversary Post

The blog's 1st birthday came and went with not much more than a mention on Twitter about it. I meant to do this whole post on the music world and things I love about it, but I think that's something that will actually sound better when I'm fresh from rambling about it with someone else (although if I warm up now it might just happen later in this post). When this blog was first created, it was honestly something done out of boredom and a passing interest in writing. I wasn't sure how long I would be able to stick with it, but I figured it would probably be a summer thing. It's now a year later and the blog is still alive and kickin' - which I am absolutely thrilled about. A lot of my posts don't get much notice, but the ones that do are about the things I care most about. It makes me really happy to see people respond to the same things that I get excited over. I try to keep track of the traffic to the site, and was very proud to see the number of views for the Alex Band CD review and some of the entries on Jukebox the Ghost. The CD review was both fun and scary to write at the same time. I was a little intimidated by that one, so it was great to get all the positive feedback after it was posted. The best part though was hearing Alex say he liked it. It's great hearing from artists and getting to talk to them (both via the Internets and in person). It's one of the things I wanted to talk about in the "reasons why I love the music world" post that looks like it's starting to blend into this one. I love getting to meet artists and seeing how they interact with their fan base. My favorite examples right now are, again, Alex Band and Jukebox the Ghost. I've been to a lot of Jukebox shows and have been able to talk at least briefly with them every time. It's gotten to the point where when we see each other we're usually catching up on life since the last time we saw each other.

Another really cool example of interacting with artists is actually a comedian: Chris Hardwick. I already did a whole post on him so I won't repeat too much, but Chris met up with everyone after his set finished, and I had a really good conversation with him. It was definitely one of those "my life is awesome" moments.

This has probably been the most personal blog post I have ever done, but I always get sentimental during anniversaries. It's time to get back to work now, but I'll leave you with a fun little thing as a birthday present to the blog and it's readers. It's something that was posted on w00tstock.net - it's a spoof on a previous meme that was absolutely hysterical (once you realized it was a joke). And since I feel like adding a video to the end of this thing too, here's one of the most featured artists on the blog doing a very fun cover of Donna Lewis' "I Love You Always Forever"




I'm working on a little project of my own that involves this song, but it's just in the planning stages right now. Hopefully I'll have something to show you guys soon. For now, enjoy and have a great day.

Jukebox the Ghost pre-order + tour

Lots of exciting things happening in the world of Jukebox the Ghost. First of all, they are going to be at Lollapalooza this weekend. (Knock 'em dead, boys!) This is just the start of what will be their "Yay our album has finally been released" tour. They're probably calling it the "Everything Under the Sun" tour, but my title is what all the fans are likely saying. Full list of dates follows:

AUGUST
6 - Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza BMI Stage
7 - Chicago, IL - Official Lollapalooza After-Party at Bottom Lounge (12:30am)

SEPTEMBER
15 - Boston, MA - Great Scott *
16 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg *
17 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar *
18 - Charlottesville, VA- The Southern Cafe & Music Hall *
20 - Louisville, KY - The Vernon Club *#
21 - St Louis, MO - Cicero's *#
22 - Little Rock, AR - Juanita's Cantina Ballroom *#
23 - Houston, TX - House of Blues *#
24 - Austin, TX - The ND at 501 Studios *#
25 - Frisco, TX - Oysterfest *#^
28 - San Diego, CA - The Loft UCSD #&
30 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo #&

OCTOBER
2 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill #&
4 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios #&
5 - Seattle, WA - High Dive #&
7 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court #&
8 - Denver, CO - Hi Dive #&
9 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown Jr #
11 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry %
12 - Milwaukee, WI - The Cactus Club %
14 - Indianapolis, IN - MOKB Presents @ Radio Radio %
15 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Brillobox %
16 - Washington, DC - The Black Cat %

* = w/ Via Audio
# = w/ Hooray for Earth
& = w/ AB & the Sea
% = w/ Elizabeth & the Catapult
^ = w/ Rhett Miller, Ekterklang, Bowerbirds, and more

Also, don't forget to pre-order your copy of "Everything Under the Sun" while there's still time. The album will be available to the public on Sept 7.

Jukebox Rocks 92Y Tribeca

Jukebox the Ghost held a preview show for their upcoming album "Everything Under the Sun on July 13th at 92Y Tribeca. The band is no stranger to the city, and it showed in another enthusiastic crowd. The night was filled with mostly songs from the new album, but there were a few fan favorites selected for the second half of the show. First the crowd got to hear the new album in its entirety. The band thanked it's audience for sitting through songs they were not familiar with, but there was really no need. Many of the songs had been played at previous shows (to the point where many in the audience knew some of the words), and the whole album sounds like it will be well worth the wait fans have had to endure. The album will be available to the general public on September 7th, but the single "Empire" is available for download now on their website (linked to above) or the widget at the top of the main page of this blog.

Jukebox the Ghost - Summer News Edition

Summer may have been unbearably hot for us, but it is heating up in a good way for Jukebox the Ghost. The band has a new album that will be released September 7th on Yep Roc Records. It's called "Everything Under the Sun" and you can snag a free download of "Empire" from their new website (which is currently under construction but has a link to the download in the bottom corner). The band will be appearing in NYC on July 13th for an intimate show at 92Y to preview the new album. If you're not in the NY area (or just feel like traveling) they will be playing a few festivals - Lollapalooza in Chicago, Forecastle in Louisville, and FLO Fest in Leesburg, VA. And finally, there will be a full album release tour in the fall, so look for more news on that. Not excited yet? Maybe this will help:

Jukebox the Ghost - Everything Under the Sun from Eyestar Pictures on Vimeo.

Why I Love Technology - Starring Jukebox the Ghost

I have already mentioned how much I love Twitter and all the reason why. Let me add to that how much I love technology in general. First there was the post on Twitter this morning that said:

Good mornin' tweeters. We're playing 5 shows in NYC today (one in every borough) ! Come find us.

I then followed a link to this note on Facebook that gave locations and times for each spot they were going to hit. Then I used my cellphone to call a couple friends to make plans to meet up (and postpone plans with two others for tomorrow afternoon). So yeah, I love technology. Without it I would never have been able to have one of the most epic adventures ever. In case you missed it, I got plenty of pics and video footage of the event. I'll update this post as soon as I finish editing everything (which should be no later than this weekend). Until then, this is News on Shuffle signing off.

Jukebox the Ghost Album Announcement

If you haven't noticed it yet, this blog really likes the band Jukebox the Ghost. We mentioned in our live review that the album would be out come early September. Now there is a video announcement with an official date and title, as well as a preview of one of the songs. The album, titled Everything Under the Sun, will be released September 7th. You can be sure there will be a review up here the day after it is made available to listen.

Jukebox the Ghost - Everything Under the Sun from Eyestar Pictures on Vimeo.

Jukebox the Ghost is currently on tour with Free Energy. Their New York date was last week, but they will be back in NYC on July 13th for a show at 92Y. Stay tuned for more news on this awesome band, plus all the other upcoming summer shows that might be worth checking out.

Jukebox the Ghost Light Themselves On Fire At Bowery Ballroom

Last night Miniature Tigers, Jukebox the Ghost, and Free Energy played to an incredibly packed Bowery Ballroom. Miniature Tigers were the opener, and they succeeded in warming up the crowd for the main event with their unique beats. Next was Jukebox the Ghost, who played the best set I have ever seen from them since my first performance of theirs at Knitting Factory (back when it was still on Leonard St). They played a good mix of old and new tunes, with a cover thrown in the middle. They began with Static and ended with Good Day (which seems to be their classic final piece). The cover I mentioned was Donna Lewis "I Love You Always Forever", which they gave a fresh feeling to that made the song their own. They also played the classics "Hold It In" and "Victoria" (among others) and some new stuff as well. It was announced that the band has signed with Yep Rock Records and the new album will be released early September. For all the latest news be sure to follow the band on their Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter. I also recently discovered their last.fm page, which elicited possibly a little too much excitement. For me, it showed how big these guys are getting and the bright future they have ahead. After the show, I told Ben about that possibly being the best set ever and how I wasn't just saying that because of a bias I have for the band. One of the other things I love about them (besides their music) is ever since that day we talked after the Union Square show I have been able to talk to some of the members (and those surrounding them) at every show I have been to. (Note: I have been to almost every show they have played in NYC since that first time I heard them). This isn't about being crowned #1 Fan though. This is to try to share something special I found out there in the music world. Don't want to take my word for it? Then find out for yourself. The next date in the area is July 13th at 92Y (which would make it a smaller show than the Bowery one). Although this date has not been posted on the website, it was announced at the show last night. (Anyone affiliated with the band can feel free to correct me if I heard this wrong).

Going back to last night's show, the final act for the night was Free Energy. This was the only band I had never heard before, but they definitely lived up to their name. There was plenty of energy from both the stage and the audience. It was a great end to what I would describe as a lively and energetic night. I've never walked away from a show feeling both energized and exhausted before, but that was what happened last night. I wonder if that's how the bands who perform feel as well? Anyone who wants to provide an answer to that one can either leave a comment or email me at munchkin275@hotmail.com.

Lollapalooza Lineup Announced

It was fun playing guessing games, but now the truth is out there. The lineup for this year's Lollapalooza has been confirmed, as well as days for each band set to perform. So, are you ready?

You sure?

Alright then. Here it is:

Friday, August 6th:
Lady Gaga
The Strokes
Jimmy Cliff
Hot Chip
The Black Keys
Devo
New Pornographers
Chromeo
Dirty Projectors
Mavis Staples
Matt & Kim
Drive-By Truckers
Jamie Lidell
Fuck Buttons
Raphael Saadiq
The Walkmen
Los Amigos Invisbles
The Big Pink
Cymabalks Eat Guitars
B.o.B
Balkan Beat BOx
Wavves
American Bang
The Constellations
Javelin
Foxy Shazam
Semi Precious Weapons
My Dear Disco
The Ettes
Jukebox The Ghost
These United States
2ManyDJs
Tiga
Erol Alkan
Caspa
Peanut Butter Wolf
Cut Copy (DJ)
Ana Sia
FreeSol
BBU Vonnegutt

Saturday, August 7th:
Green Day
Phoenix
Social Distortion
Spoon
Cut Copy
Erykah Badu
Slightly Stoopid
Grizzly Bear
Gogol Bordello
Metric
AFI
The xx
Blues Traveler
Edward Sharpe
Deer Tick
Stars
Wild Beasts
Rogue Wave
Dawes
Warpaint
The Soft Pack
Rebelution
Harlem
Mimicking Birds
Kissaway Trail
Morning Benders
Royal Bangs
Dan Black
Dragonette
Skybox
Mynameisjohnmichael
Empire of the Sun
Perry Farrell
Rusko
Kaskade
Wolfgang Gartner
Joachim Garraud
Beats Antique
Steve Porter
Ancient Astronauts
DJ Mel
BBU Vonnegutt
Only Children
Lance Herbstrong

Sunday, August 8th:
Soundgarden
Arcade Fire
MGMT
The National
Cypress Hill
Wolfmother
Yeasayer
X Japan
MUTEMATH
The Temper Trap
Frightened Rabbit
Blitzen Trapper
The Cribs
Minus THe Bear
Switchfoot
Mumford & Sons
The Dodos
Hockey
The Antlers
Ike Reilly
Company of Thieves
Nneka
Miniature Tigers
HEALTH
Violent Soho
Freelance Whales
Band of Heathens
Shawn Fisher
Neon Hitch
Digitalism
Felix da Housecat
Flosstradamus
Mexican Institute of Sound
Dirty South
Nervo
Didi Gutman (Brazilian Girls)
Team Bayside High
Dani Deahl

I love all the headliners, especially Green Day, Arcade Fire, and MGMT. My biggest and best surprise though was Jukebox the Ghost being included. This band seems to be having quite a good year. They already have been on one tour and have plans for another this summer. Oh, and don't forget the trip they took to SXSW, I'm sure they won't. Jukebox have a couple New York dates coming up, including: May 29th at Bowery Ballroom and June 12th at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Jukebox the Ghost @ Bowery Ballroom

I'm not sure whether it was here or Twitter that I mentioned having a surprise in regards to my trip to see Jukebox the Ghost at Bowery Ballroom earlier this month. It took longer than expected, but my surprise is finally ready for the masses. See, I was asked to write a review for Beyond Race Magazine, and I thought it was only fair to wait until it was posted on their website before I did the same here. So here is my part of the review. The other section on the headliner (Tally Hall) was written by my friend who works at the magazine. (He also edited some of my bits, because I am, to be perfectly honest, not that good a writer). The complete review has been linked to above, in case you want to take a look. So, without further ado, I present: Jukebox the Ghost.

The following is my review as written by your humble blogger. There are a few edits on the BRM post, but that was probably for the best. Consider this the "deleted scenes" at the end of the movie, if it so pleases you.

Fresh from a month in Europe, Jukebox the Ghost played to a packed house at Bowery Ballroom. The band always has something special to offer their audience, and this was no exception. Whether it be ghosts for Halloween or Christmas lights strung everywhere, the stage is always an element of the experience. The staging this time was set with bubbles blown from members in the audience, turning the room almost into a playground. The comparison seems appropriate, for if Jukebox could be described with one word it would be “fun.” Not only does it fit the audience's experience, but what the band seems to feel as they perform. Ben (their keyboardist) tells stories of their tour or some other tale as if he's sharing this with a group of friends who have stopped by for a friendly visit. Two other members (Tommy and Jessie) shared that they caught a bug while in Europe. “Jessie is actually too sick to do this next song – but he's going to play it anyway,” Tommy comments before starting his favorite dance tune from their new album (release of which is unknown at this point). This shows a dedication to their music (and their fans) that is remarkable. You can tell they enjoy performing just as much as the audience enjoys watching them. The crowd dances and sings along throughout the set. There is even participation during a few of the songs. This is especially evident with the fan-favorite “Hold It In”, which they concluded their set with. Not only does the audience sing along, but there is also clapping which not only adds to the rhythm of the song, but also brings a wave of joy as the song progresses. It's as if you have become part of the experience, part of the fun. And that is just one more way Jukebox the Ghost becomes not just another band, but something truly special.

Jukebox the Ghost Make Plans to Haunt the U.S.

Jukebox the Ghost, who have been working on a second record, are now planning a U.S. tour to share all their new tunes with us. Exciting news for fans everywhere. The list of dates is as follows:

March
03 - Boston, MA - Great Scott #
04 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
05 - Ithaca, NY - The Haunt #
06 - Westport, CT - Toquet Hall #
07 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Smalls Theater #
09 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Blind Pig #
10 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection #
11 - Madison, WI - The Frequency #
12 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall #
13 - St Louis, MO - Firebird #
15 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues #
16 - Houston, TX - House of Blues #
17 - Austin, TX - SXSW
18 - Austin, TX - SXSW
19 - Austin, TX - SXSW
20 - Austin, TX - SXSW
22 - Nashville, TN - Rocketown #
23 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl #
24 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 #
25 - Washington, DC - The Black Cat #
26 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar #
27 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's #

# = w/ Tally Hall, Skybox

A short documentary about the new album is also available.

Bands Just Wanna Have Fun

I follow a very select few bands on Twitter, but when I do it usually is because they have that extra special something that makes them worth following. I like to call it The Fun Factor. This brings us to the reason we are here tonight. We're here to have fun. It's why we follow you all over the state (or country) and it's why we buy more of your merch than anyone elses and it's why we give you more of ourselves than other bands. All of this because you are a band that knows how to have fun.

One band that I fell in love with from the first song because of this "Fun Factor" is Jukebox the Ghost. They recently released a cover of the song 'Temptation" and this video I found of them performing it live reminded me of how fun their music is and how much fun it is watching them perform.