Ok, ok, ok, I get it! New music is just flowing out of the ether, guys! Hungry Villagers,  Medeski Martin & Wood, Pete Doherty, and Children (of all things!), all have new, awesome albums out and tours coming your way. Here’s a round up, apologies for not being able to devote a whole page to each of these deserving bands (the Tart is job hunting, grrrr)… but if/when they come through Chi-town, you know I’ll give you the low-down on the show!

Hungry Villagers have such an achingly good sound. Did you get to see them at SXSW? I so wish I could have! I’m slightly reminded of early REM here, on this song, but you know, better. Three brothers and a friend make up this band, Jacob, Abraham and David Houck plus Ferrik Hallaron IV, and the vocals are deep, rich, just really earthy and hollow in a tonally pleasant way. What could be a real dragging, depressing sound is lifted up by gorgeous jangly guitar work that would please any Brit-pop fan or 90′s American rock hanger-on like me Don’t let me fool you, they sound up to date as well, go to their MySpace page to hear four more songs. And Houston, they’re playing for you twice tomorrow!

Hungry Villagers …..buy it!

Medeski, Martin & Wood, I must confess are new to me, but that’s only because I’ve not made myself familiar with the jazz and rock fusion genre since the days of Steely Dan. And it’s to my detriment! There will be a full album review of this release coming very soon to this page, so I’ll not go into this in detail now. But suffice it to say, this is turning me on something fierce! It is simply gorgeous. Go hear it now. Don’t blame me if you end up wooing your sweetie to this tonight over a glass of wine and some candlelight. There will be some cheek to cheek dancing involved and not those cheeks, the other ones

Amber Gris mp3 Medeski, Martin & Wood Radiolarians II (due out April 14th) …. preorder it!

Medeski, Martin & Wood Shows
04.17.09 – Smith Opera House – Geneva, NY
04.18.09 – B-Side Jazz Fest – Minneapolis, MN
04.19.09 – Loyal Earth Festival – St. Louis, MO
04.23.09 – Congress Hall – Warsaw, Poland
05.01.09 – Beale Street Music Festival – Memphis, TN
05.02.09 – The Studio at Colton Theater – New Orleans, LA
05.23.09 – Summer Camp – Chillicothe, IL
06.04.09 – Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden – Richmond, VA
06.06.09 – 3 Rivers Arts Festival – Pittsburgh, PA

Pete Doherty needs no introduction, surely?But if you’re thinking, “oh no… not him again” just go peek at this song. You might be surprised to find you’re liking it. Always lyrically interesting, it will be fascinating to see where he goes off on his own, no? He’s playing at Troxy tomorrow in London, if you’re around.

You can download an mp3 of “New Love Grows On Trees” by entering your email addy on his site here. Have a listen to him at his MySpace there’s links there to Amazon and itunes to buy the album, darlings.

Now don’t get whiplash here, luvs… but Children is kinda cool if you’re into thrash metal, which I have to admit I get a hankering for sometimes! This is perhaps vocally not exactly what I’m always looking for, but it’s not exactly all growly, there’s some singing in it and I really like that! The guitar work is extreme… great, fast, and hard. How can a tramp like me not like this shit? Ok, and here’s the super cool part; to be released in tandem with the album, pro-skater Ethan Fowler’s Bummer High Skateboards will produce a limited edition, numbered skate deck with Children (to be sold in skate shops, online and at future shows). The deck reflects the cover artwork of Hard Times Hangin’…, done by Kim Krans. Each deck will include a download card on the hang tag where buyers will receive a free download of the album and options to buy other Children merchandise at discount. You know these metal folk know how to merchandise!

Power Spirit mp3Children Hard Times Hangin’ At The End Of The World (due out May 12th) ….. go to their MySpace for tour info, etc…

That’s not all darlin’s, I’m cooking up an awesome contest for you! I’ve got some vinyl… and even though I don’t wanna, I’m giving it all away, xx