I don’t live in NYC. Sometimes that makes me very sad, other times it makes me very happy. Today, I am sad because I would love to check out Apples In Stereo, Cities, Heavy Trash, and American Princess as part of the YepRock showcase at Piano’s on November 2nd.

My misfourtune could be your reward, first to leave a comment will get our two passes. Thanks to Dodge for the image above.

For every great band name there are about a hundred that I think are absolutely awful. While I won’t go as far as to say their name is awful (sorry), I do think the music that Middle Distance Runner is putting out is definitely worth you taking the time to listen to. Hailing from Washington, DC, Middle Distance Runner is quickly amassing a following and garnering some great interest with the release of their record Planes In Flames. Making a name for themselves by playing shows and leaving free CD’s around the city, things are just starting to pick up for this foursome.

I really dig the fuzzed out sound that is present on songs like “That’s A Lie,” and could really see this album growing on me. While REM is not listed as one of their influences on their myspace site, I can definitely hear a lot of Monster-era influence on this record not necessarily assuming that was intentional. Either way this album works from start to finish. With frequent trips to the DC area, I’m looking forward to the chance of catching these guys in concert.

MP3: That’s A Lie
Myspace: Middle Distance Runner

While they’ve been making the rounds in music circles for some time we are relatively just getting exposed to the greatness that is iForward, Russia! For those of you not that familiar with the band I suggest you check out their myspace site for some songs and tourdates. You can check out an interview we did with drummer Katie below.

Q. What music is going to be keeping you guys company on the road? Any albums that you guys have been listening to a lot that you care to recommend?

If we want to listen to music we really like on the road, we all have our iPod‘s or whatever – if we listen to stuff together in the van its has to be something we agree on! so It usually ends up being really cheesy stuff like Meatloaf and Phil Collins. I think we all really like the new Muse album, and we’ve been listening to Snowden a lot recently too.

Q. The Internet has dramatically altered the way bandís can reach an audience. With things like blogs/myspace/etc, what are your thoughts on the power of the internet in terms of helping your music reach a larger audience?

It’s pretty cool, especially for reaching people all over the world. It’s definitely a modern day necessity now, bands without Myspace are loosing out really. Even journalists and record company A&R use things like Myspace to find out about new bands.

Q. We just got ourselves a copy of “Give Me A Wall,” can you describe the recording process and what if anything you learned and will do diferently on your follow-up?

We had a time limit of just over 3 weeks to record the album, and then another 5 days to mix it. We record the instruments track by track – it’s easier to get 1 person to play it right than 3 people to play it right together! We had a load of fun doing it, but we didn’t really have a massive ambition for the album, except to make it as best as we could. Next time we record a bunch of songs, I think we’ll all be a lot more focused and have a better idea of what we want the end product to be like,

Q. You’ve played quite a few US shows by now. What’s the biggest difference between a US audience and those in England/Europe?

Not a lot, its mainly the fact that people who come to see us in the UK know who we are, know our songs and have had the opportunity to see us hundreds of times before. Its cool playing the US because you’re always playing to new people who don’t necessarily know what you do on stage or sound like live, so it’s cool to see their reactions.

Q. Of the bands you’ve been on tour with so far, do you have a favorite? That being said, is there anyone you’d like to tour with in the future?

We’ve been really lucky to tour with some awesome bands, I think our favourites would be Editors, We Are Scientists, The Automatic and The Scare – It’s important to be on tour with people you can have a good laugh with!

Here are a few shows we just added to the MoB shows page:

11/4 – Dosh – Cactus Club, Milwaukee
11/13 – My Brightest Diamond/Pedestrian – Stonefly, Milwaukee
11/20 – The Slip/The Lovely Feathers – Shank Hall, Milwaukee
11/28 – The Black Keys/Dr. Dog – The Rave, Milwaukee

Last week I was once again blown away by Magnolia Electric Co. at the High Noon Saloon. I think it’s definitely fair to toss Jason Molina’s name into the hardest working man in music category. His albums, whether they be put out under Songs:Ohia, Magnolia Electric Co, or his name alone have always gotten heavy play on my turntable. The 2005 live album release Trials & Errors was one of our top 10 favorite albums of last year. However great we find his recorded work, those don’t do nearly as much for me as taking in one of his live performances that are just so raw and wonderful that you really need to experience one yourself in order to understand my point.

Jason was kind enough to take some time to answer 5 questions with us after his recent tour stop in Madison.

Q. You released two albums this year one with your band Magnolia Electric Co. and the other under your name. Were there any tracks that could have crossed over from one album to the other, and was it difficult to know what tracks would end up where?

There are a few on Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go that I think could have been on the Magnolia record. The songs for the LP “Let Me GO” were all written at the same time. I had never really felt comfortable about breaking them up and was finally able to come up with what I thought was a coherent group of songs that lyrically and thematically were united by the recordings themselves. There were similar considerations with each of the sessions that “Fading Trails” were taken from. I think the choice of songs there give a good look into the whole of the individual sessions.

Q. What music is going to be keeping you guys company on the road? Are there any albums that you care to recommend?

I’ve been listening to a lot of shortwave radio on tour. If I can find a roof or a big parking lot I am able to find some wonderful things around 3 in the morning. Great guitar music, songs in languages I’ve never heard before, weird instruments that are gone just as soon as I tune them in.

The tour only EP by Bottomless Pit. They are a wonderful band from Chicago, we did some touring with them and they are working on a new record now at Electrical Audio. These songs on the EP are amazing and pound for pound the playing, arrangements and lyrics are some of the best damn things I’ve heard anyone doing these days.

Q. The Internet has dramatically altered the way band’s can reach an audience. With things like blogs/myspace/etc, what are your thoughts on the power of the internet in terms of helping your music reach a larger audience?

I think that people who have followed my music over the last decade are willing to come out to a show, willing to buy a record at their local shop, or at least order one through the mail. I do understand that getting music to people is important. It is wrong for people to come up to me and say, “well, at least your music is getting out there.” People assume that this is the point to making music. It may be the point for someone, it may be the point for most music makers, I don’t know. To me there is no “point” to making music or anything creativity manifests. It is true that there is an intense demand from old fans to have new music, to have access to it, as well as at least a chance to have the old or out of print things. This is all part of a fluctuating non-formula. It’s end result is that I get to be on the road with the band if you buy our records, I have a way to pay my rent that is not a soul crushing job. I’ve done all that, and don’t plan on going back. Illegally downloading is the same as stealing anything. It sucks somehow down the line. If you pay for it it’s one thing, and it’s a few shades better than stealing music. As long as I am able I will put out the records in the format I intend them to be listened to in. For me it’s vinyl all the live long day.

After a tour with Magnolia Electric Co., you are heading to Australia for some select solo shows. Have you ever been there, and will these shows be just yourself accompanied by a guitar?

These will be solo shows, I’ve toured there before and it is wonderful. I have some really interesting things planned for these shows. We have a lot of friends there and they know how rare it is for a band like us to get over there. These solo shows are hopefully another step on the path to getting the whole Magnolia band over there.

Both you and your band spend a large amount of time on the road. Are there particular places that you always look forward to playing and what do you enjoy during your downtime on tour?

I always look forward to playing at home in Chicago, there are lots of out of the way places that are always a good surprise. Each of the guys have their own favorites.

I usually like a place one part more if there is good food nearby. Also, if there are lots of good friends it makes the shit venues bearable. For me there is no down time on tour.

Myspace: Magnolia Electric Co.
MP3: Magnolia Electric Co – Lonesome Valley
MP3: Jason Molina – Get Out Get Out Get Out

In case you didn’t hear about it anywhere else, you can now stream the new Damien Rice album here.  I’ve listened to it a couple of times now, which is about all I’ve been able to do as I’m working in Washington this week.

Here’s the press release if you’re interested in more info.  The album drops, November 14th

Damien Rice has been deemed by The Los Angeles Times “nothing short of a complete package of art, personality and presence.” His highly anticipated second album, 9–for which Rice wrote, recorded and produced all tracks, as well as designing all of the artwork for the accompanying package–will be released November 14 by Heffa/Vector/Warner Brothers.

9 is the follow-up to Rice’s debut album O, which has sold well over two million copies worldwide. Prior to reaching Gold® sales Stateside, O achieved triple-Platinum sales status in the UK and spent over 80 weeks on the U.K. Top 75 Album Chart. It received extraordinary critical praise and was featured in numerous Best Albums of 2003 lists, including Entertainment Weekly, People, Blender and Rolling Stone, which called O “one of the most gorgeous first albums in recent memory.” Newsweek hailed O as “an out-and-out gorgeous CD…full of undiluted, unfalsified emotions.” The album includes the songs “Volcano,” “Cannonball,” and “Blower’s Daughter,” the central piece of music in Mike Nichols’ Oscar-nominated film Closer.

Rice performed songs from O in a rare two-song performance on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” where he has appeared twice, as well as on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Late Late Show,” “Austin City Limits” and “Last Call with Carson Daly.” In 2003, Rice was awarded the prestigious Short List Prize in the U.S. as well as being nominated for a BRIT Award and an NME Award.

Rice has spent much of the last two years writing and recording 9. He previewed some of the new songs on a summer tour of the U.S. he recently completed with Fiona Apple.

TRACK LISTING:
1. 9 Crimes
2. The Animals Were Gone
3. Elephant
4. Rootless Tree
5. Dogs
6. Coconut Skins
7. Me, My Yoke And I
8. Grey Room
9. Accidental Babies
10. Sleep Don’t Weep