IMA judge and renowned songstress Nicole Atkins will host an evening with up-and-coming country blues band River City Extension this Friday at Bowery Electric in NYC. The event is in celebration of River City Extension’s forthcoming album, The Unmistakable Man, which comes out May 11th on XOXO Records.

Nicole served on the judging panel for The 9th Annual Independent Music Awards, and her music has been featured in commercials for American Express and Old Navy. She appeared twice on The Late Show With David Letterman, performing solo and alongside Canadian singer-songwriter, Feist.

Please visit www.NicoleAtkins.com and www.RiverCityExtension.com for more information.

The Black Keys served as judges for The 9th Annual Independent Music Awards.

Brothers Tracklisting:
1) Everlasting Light
2) Next Girl
3) Tighten Up
4) Howlin’ For You
5) She’s Long Gone
6) Black Mud
7) The Only One
8 ) Too Afraid to Love You
9) Ten Cent Pistol
10) Sinister Kid
11) The Go Getter
12) I’m Not The One
13) Unknown Brother
14) Never Gonna Give You Up
15) These Days

Semi-psychedelic indie rock heroes The Apples in Stereo, unveiled a new track on Tuesday. The song, aptly titled “Dance Floor,” is from the band’s new record for YepRoc/Simian Records/Elephant 6, titled Travelers in Space and Time. In a recent interview with Stereogum, The Apples’ leading man, Robert Schneider described “Dance Floor” as “one of the biggest productions” he’d ever undertaken. Full of vocoder, scattered electronics, and a certain amount of theatricality, the song brings to mind kindred spirits ELO and Of Montreal, while still maintaining The Apples in Stereo signature sound.

You can download “Dance Floor” here.

The Apples in Stereo have the unique distinction of not only winning an IMA, but also judging The IMAs. The Apples in Stereo will release Travelers in Space and Time on April, 20th.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter to get the latest updates on IMA artists and judges!

Suzanne Vega has always been an artist that followed her own muse, and nearly 30 years into her professional music career, she’s proving that she hasn’t lost that inspiration by partnering with Nimbit, the popular direct-to-fan music platform. The partnership allows Vega to forego the traditional artist/label avenue, and instead market and sell her music across a variety of channels including SuzanneVega.com, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, and Vega’s social networking sites.

Vega’s first Nimbit-backed release, Close Up Vol. 1, will feature acoustic reworkings of love songs from her back catalog, and will serve as the first in a series of acoustic based re-recordings. The record will be packaged in a variety of different purchase options.

“I noticed a lot of artists, like Carly Simon and Dar Williams, were recording acoustic versions of their songs, which is a way of owning the masters,” Vega told the New Yorker in a recent interview. “You don’t own the original recordings, but at least you own something.”

Vega is a repeat judge at The Independent Music Awards, having served annually since 2007.

For more information on Nimbit or to find out how it works for independent artists, visit www.nimbit.com

Two-time IMA Judge and perennial music icon, Peter Gabriel, will release his new record, Scratch My Back, on March 2. The album is the first in a series of song exchanges in which Gabriel and other leading artists reinterpret each other’s music.

Always the adventurous musician, Gabriel is once again pushing the boundaries of creativity with Scratch My Back, using orchestral instruments and voice in lieu of the expected guitars and drums.

The result is a transformed and reinterpreted collection of cult favorites and classic tracks ranging from Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ and (former IMA Judge) Lou Reed’s “The Power Of The Heart’ to Arcade Fire’s ‘My Body Is A Cage’ and a Bon Iver’s ‘Flume’.

To help craft his recording, Gabriel enlisted composer/arranger John Metcalfe, producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd’s The Wall, Lou Reed’s Berlin), and engineer, mixer and producer Tchad Blake, who previously worked with IMA Judges Suzanne Vega and Tom Waits.

Gabriel will support Scratch My Back with the upcoming New Blood Tour, which will feature Peter performing with a 54-piece orchestra.

Listen to Peter Gabriel cover Bon Iver’s “Flume” here.
Listen to Peter Gabriel cover Arcade Fire’s “My Body Is A Cage” here.

Peter Gabriel first came to international prominence with the success of Genesis, a band that he co-founded while still at school. Since leaving Genesis in 1975, his recording career has included seven studio albums, film soundtracks for ‘Birdy’, ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’ and ‘Rabbit Proof Fence’ as well as live and compilation albums. His wider musical career has included multiple Grammy Awards, the creation of the now global WOMAD festival, and recurring participation in the judging panel of The Independent Music Awards.

Scratch My Back Album Track Listing:

1. Heroes
2. The Boy In The Bubble
3. Mirrorball
4. Flume
5. Listening Wind
6. The Power Of The Heart
7. My Body Is A Cage
8. The Book Of Love
9. I Think It’s Going To Rain Today
10. Apres Moi
11. Philadelphia
12. Street Spirit (Fade Out)

New Blood Tour Dates:

3/22 – Paris, France
3/24 – Berlin, Germany
3/25 – Berlin Germany
3/27 – London, UK
3/28 – London, UK
4/28 – Montreal, Canada
5/2 – New York, NY
5/3 – New York, NY
5/7 – Los Angeles, CA
5/8 – Los Angeles, CA

ORDER NOW: http://www.blink182merch.com

9th IMA Judge Tom Waits has taken his talents to the big screen. He’s currently starring as Mr. Nick in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, alongside Christopher Plummer and the late Heath Ledger.

Here’s the 411 on the film:

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fantastical morality tale, set in the present day. It tells the story of Dr. Parnassus and his extraordinary ‘Imaginarium,’ a traveling show where members of the audience get an irresistible opportunity to choose between light and joy or darkness and gloom. Blessed with the extraordinary gift of guiding the imaginations of others, Dr. Parnassus is cursed with a dark secret. Long ago, he made a bet with the devil, Mr. Nick, in which he won immortality. Many centuries later, on meeting his one true love, Dr. Parnassus made another deal with the devil, trading his immortality for youth, on condition that when his first-born reached its 16th birthday he or she would become the property of Mr. Nick. Valentina is now rapidly approaching this ‘coming of age’ milestone and Dr. Parnassus is desperate to protect her from her impending fate. Mr. Nick arrives to collect but, always keen to make a bet, renegotiates the wager. Now, the winner of Valentina will be determined by whoever seduces the first five souls. Enlisting a series of wild, comical and compelling characters in his journey, Dr. Parnassus promises his daughter’s hand in marriage to the man that helps him win. In this captivating, explosive and wonderfully imaginative race against time, Dr. Parnassus must fight to save his daughter in a never-ending landscape of surreal obstacles – and undo the mistakes of his past once and for all…

HANSON ANNOUNCE “FIVE OF FIVE” SPECIAL CONCERT SERIES LEADING UP TO APPEARANCE AT THE BAMBOOZLE FESTIVAL FIVE CONSECUTIVE CONCERTS AT NEW YORK’S GRAMERCY THEATER, EACH CONCERT FEATURING ONE OF THE BAND’S FOUR PREVIOUS ALBUMS IN THEIR ENTIRETY, AND THE PREMIER OF THEIR UPCOMING SPRING 2010 RELEASE

New York, December 15th 2009, three time Grammy nominated independent artists, HANSON today announced that they will be performing at The Bamboozle festival on Saturday May 1st. Leading up to this prestigious festival appearance and in anticipation of their spring album release, the band will be hosting an exclusive five-night engagement at New York City’s Gramercy Theater, during which the band will be performing, in their entirety, each of their four previous albums, leading up to a worldwide premier of their spring full length.

Schedule as follows:

April
26 – Middle of Nowhere
27 – This Time Around
28 – Underneath
29 – The Walk
30 – New album
May 1st – The Bamboozle Festival

Regarding the upcoming concerts Taylor Hanson said “It’s great to be a part of this year’s Bamboozle festival, and especially on the heels of a new record we wanted to bring together a live music event that was really unique, something that allows us and our fans to share the music we’ve created over more than a decade like never before”. Added Isaac “We could not think of a better way to span the old and the new music than in this live setting”.

Concert tickets go on sale today Dec 15th, in conjunction with The Bamboozle festival, with limited ticket packages made available exclusively through the bands official site Hanson.net.

The announcement of these special events follows the digital release of the band’s new EP, Stand Up Stand Up, which was released physically on the band’s recent “Use Your Sole” tour with HelloGoodbye. The EP, now available via all digital outlets, features four brand new acoustic songs and the new full album track “World’s On Fire”, previewing the band’s Spring 2010 album.

Zac Hanson says, “The EP is about engaging fans of the band early, with a first look at some of the new songs, as well as bridging the gap between the last album, The Walk, and the coming record”.

View a live performance of new music from the conclusion of the band’s recent Use Your Sole Tour, which broadcast live on Hanson.net on Nov 11th to an audience of fans in more than 30 countries around the world, go to Hanson.net/alive. Also look for the band to premiere more live streaming events in conjunction with their spring album release. For more on HANSON, go to the official site – Hanson.net.

Get it now on iTunes.

The Crystal Method have been referred to as America’s answer to the Chemical Brothers. A dance-based electronic duo with a definite rock band feel, the comparison would seem appropriate, although it tends to erase what makes the group distinct: a solid base in American hip-hop, rock, soul, and pop.

Formed in 1993 by Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland, Crystal Method is the most recent stop in a string of projects that led them from their native Las Vegas (and some forgettable four-track stabs at vocal house music), to the early-’90s L.A. rave scene. Drawn in by its youthful idealism, Jordan and Kirkland became absorbed by L.A.’s underground club culture and began knocking out tracks inspired by their experiences. On the strength of one of their demos, Crystal Method signed to Steve Melrose and Justin King’s City of Angels imprint in 1994, and their debut single, “Keep Hope Alive,” appeared soon after. The title was in reference to L.A.’s waning rave scene (burdened by constant police pressure and a string of random violent incidents) and became something of an anthem due to the endless barrage of remixes and alternate versions that appeared.

The pair’s demand to be taken seriously as a band (as opposed to the enforced anonymity of most techno acts, and something of a new concept for American dance producers) extended to incessant live performances, and Crystal Method’s increasing popularity both in the clubs and among radio jocks led to a deal with Geffen affiliate Outpost Recordings in 1996.

The group’s debut LP, Vegas — an unabashed party record bathed in acid, funk, rock, and big beat hip-hop — appeared in mid-1997 and sold very well. The follow-up Tweekend was released four years later, and the duo inaugurated a series of mix albums (Community Service) in 2002. Third album, Legion of Boom, followed in 2004 with their soundtrack to the film London landing a year later. In 2006 they teamed with iTunes for an exclusive release titled Drive. The mix was made to accompany any aspiring athlete’s workout session and was re-released on CD in 2008 with four bonus tracks. In 2009 they released Divided by Night, the first album to be recorded at the duo’s state-of-the-art recording studio Crystalwerks.

FROM AOL RADIO:

Pete Wentz, lyricist and musician of the pop/punk rock band Fall Out Boy, joins us this week as AOL Radio’s guest blogger — sharing with us 10 underrated lyricists overlooked because of their loose association with the label “emo.” Check out his list below — which includes lyric highlights hand-picked by Wentz himself — and download Fall Out Boy’s Compilation album ‘Believers Never Die — Greatest Hits,’ available Nov. 17!

10) Brand New: ‘Jesus Christ’

Written by: Jesse Lacey
Lyric Highlight: “Jesus Christ, I’m alone again / So what did you do those three days you were dead? / Cuz this problem’s gonna last more / Than the weekend” (Read More)

9) Say Anything: ‘Mara and Me’

Written by: Max Bemis
Lyric Highlight: “There are babies with guns beheading / Their friends in shopping malls around the world / Yet somehow Kings of Leon /Still find the time to write songs about girls” (Read More)

8 ) Kevin Devine: ‘Keep Ringing Your Bell’

Lyric Highlight: “I won’t go back out til my memory starts / Erasing itself into something less brutal / Some beautiful bullshit I pretend to belong to” (Read More)

7) The Postal Service: ‘The District Sleeps Alone Tonight’

Written by: Ben Gibbard
Lyric Highlight: “…after the bars turn out their lights / And send the autos swerving into the loneliest evening / And I am finally seeing why I was the one worth leaving” (Read More)

6) The Academy Is…: ‘Down and Out’

Written by: William Beckett
Lyric Highlight: “Always up or down / Never down and out / You dream of demons while you sleep / They’ll make you stutter when you speak ” (Read More)

5) Butch Walker: ‘Going Back/Going Home’
Lyric Highlight: “I’m not happy with myself these days / I took the best parts of the script and I made them all cliche” (Read More)

4) Refused: ‘Summer Holidays vs. Punk Routine’

Written by: Dennis Lyxzén
Lyric Highlight: “Rather be forgotten, than remembered for giving in” (Read More)

3) Panic! at the Disco: ‘Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off’

Written by: Ryan Ross
Lyric Highlight: “Oh now I do recall / We were just getting to the part / Where the shock sets in / And the stomach acid finds a new way to make you sick” (Read More)

2) Manic Street Preachers: ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’

Written by: Richey Edwards
Lyric Highlight: “Life lies a slow suicide / Orthodox dreams and symbolic myths / From feudal serf to spender / This wonderful world of purchase power” (Read More)

1) Manchester Orchestra: ‘Shake It Out’

Written by: Andy Hull
Lyric Highlight: “I felt the world begin / To peel off all my skin / And I felt the weight within / Reveal the bigger mess that you can’t fix” (Read More)