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The Shins' James Mercer: TAS In Session

Posted 2-27-12 by , Alisa Ali
Tags: James Mercer, The Shins

For nearly five years, The Shins' return seemed unlikely. Frontman James Mercer had disbanded The Shins' lineup in 2009 and was focused on his new project with Danger Mouse, Broken Bells. But last summer, Mercer announced that The Shins would return with a new album and lineup and he has fulfilled that promise with Port of Morrow, The Shins' fourth album. Port of Morrow won't be released until March 20, but  earlier this month Mercer visited WFUV and The Alternate Side for an intimate acoustic session. Listen to that interview and live set on TAS' sister station 90.7 WFUV on Tuesday, February 28 at 9 p.m. ET and after the jump, check out exclusive live performances of "Simple Song," "Australia" and "New Slang."

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Dan Mangan: TAS In Session

Posted 2-24-12 by , Alisa Ali
Tags: Dan Mangan

Vancouver folk musician Dan Mangan has steadily built a critically-acclaimed career, receiving four nominations earlier this month for the Juno Awads, Canada's equivalent of the Grammys.. His highly-praised third album, Oh Fortune, was released on Arts and Crafts last autumn, produced by Colin Stewart. Mangan is presently on tour in Australia, but he will head to Austin for SXSW next month. A lengthy journey through Europe is planned for April. The busy Mangan slowed down just long enough to bring his band to the Bronx for a session with The Alternate Side and after the jump, read highlights of that interview and watch performances of four songs from Oh Fortune.

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Peter Wolf Crier: TAS In Session

Posted 2-21-12 by , Alisa Ali
Tags: Peter Wolf Crier

One of the many hundreds of bands headed to SXSW in a few weeks is Minnesota-born band Peter Wolf Crier, which began as the duo of Peter Pisano and Brian Moen. The group's sophomore album, Garden of Arms, dropped last autumn via Jagjaguwar. Peter Wolf Crier open for Damien Jurado on the West Coast this April following their Austin stopover in March. Pisano, Moen and new member Kyle Flater visited The Alternate Side not long ago and discussed their unconventional recording techniques (and even treated us to a surprising cover of INXS' "Never Tear Us Apart"). Listen to the session when it airs on TAS on 91.5 WNYE this Friday, February 24 at 11 a.m. and streaming on The Alternate Side.

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TAS In Session: Laura Gibson

Posted 2-16-12 by
Tags: Laura Gibson

Laura Gibson's first two solo albums were noted for their hushed intimacy, but for her third release, the Portland, Oregon songwriter wanted to "err on the side of confidence" and set a new challenge for herself.  The result, the more assertive La Grande, is still bathed in Gibson's poetry and gentle observations, but the sound is bolder and more layered. Gibson and her bandmates visited The Alternate Side for a intriguing and candid interview late last month and you can listen to the session tomorrow, Friday, February 17, on TAS on 91.5 WNYE at 11 a.m. ET or streaming on The Alternate Side. After the jump, check out video performances of songs like "La Grande" and "Milk-Heavy, Pollen-Eyed."

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The Barr Brothers: TAS In Session

Posted 2-13-12 by , Alisa Ali
Tags: The Barr Brothers

Brothers Andrew and Brad Barr of the trio The Slip, credit a serendipitous encounter during a Montréal gig as the catalyst behind not only a life-changing move to Canada, but the genesis of their latest project, The Barr Brothers. The band released its self-titled debut last fall on Secret City Records and found themselves kicking off 2012 with an appearance on "The Late Show With David Letterman." Recently the quartet came by WFUV and The Alternate Side for a session which airs tonight, February 13, at 9 p.m. ET on 90.7 WFUV. After the jump, check out their live Studio A performances of  "Beggar in the Morning," "Old Mythologies" and more.

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Hospitality: TAS In Session

Posted 2-6-12 by , Alisa Ali
Tags: Hospitality

A chance meeting with K Records' Karl Blau pushed Brooklyn-based band Hospitality towards their first EP in 2008, which Blau produced. More friendships landed the trio on the doorstep of Merge Records, which just released the band's self-titled debut last week. Hospitality, who open for Tennis at Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg in early March, made a cross-borough visit from Brooklyn to the Bronx last month for a TAS session. After the jump, check out highlights of the interview. watch the videos and this Friday, February 10, listen to the session, which includes performances of tracks like "All Day Today" and the unreleased "Monkey," on TAS on 91.5 WNYE at 11 a.m. and streaming on The Alternate Side.

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Blitzen Trapper: TAS In Session

Posted 1-31-12 by
Tags: Blitzen Trapper

Blitzen Trapper, which released a brand new video for its single "Taking It Easy Too Long" earlier this month, kick off a West Coast tour on March 4 in Arcata, California. During their last visit to New York, Blitzen Trapper dropped by TAS and our sister station WFUV for a live session, exploring songs off of the band's latest album, American Goldwing. After the jump, check out performance videos of tracks like "Fletcher" and "Might Find It Cheap" and listen to the archived session.

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Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: TAS In Session

Posted 1-30-12 by
Tags: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

The nearly five-year span of time between Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's 2007 album Some Loud Thunder and 2011's Hysterical led many fans to think, during the band's dormant period, that a break-up was inevitable. That wasn't the case, despite CYHSY's many outside projects and frontman Alec Ounsworth's own 2009 solo record, Mo Beauty. The quintet recruited busy producer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Okkervil River) for Hysterical, the band's third album and they have been on the comeback trail since its release. CYHSY kick off a UK and European tour tonight, January 30, in Leeds, England. After the jump, interview highlights and performance videos, and listen to the session this Friday, February 3 at 11 a.m. on TAS on 91.5 WNYE and streaming on The Alternate Side.

 

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Xylos: TAS In Session

Posted 1-26-12 by , Alisa Ali
Tags: Xylos

Brooklyn's electro-popsters Xylos released their self-titled debut last spring, but the melodic quintet are already working on their second album, test-driving new songs in live shows like tonight's gig (January 26) at New York's Hiro Ballroom at the Maritime Hotel with Deadbeat Darling and Roma!. Late last fall, the band came by TAS' Bronx studios for a live session and chat with Alisa Ali. After the jump, check out old and new tracks like "Summer Song,"  "X-Ray" and "Eastern Pose."  

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TAS In Session: The One AM Radio

Posted 1-25-12 by
Tags: The One AM Radio

Last year,  Los Angeles pop trio The One AM Radio released their sweetly sad album, Heaven Is Attached by a Slender Thread, and in late December, the band gathered every gratis track and video they'd posted in 2011 in one convenient bundle for free download. Heaven Is Attached by a Slender Thread marked the first time that frontman and songwriter Hrishikesh Hirway had ever worked with an outside producer, Tony Hoffer of Beck and Phoenix fame, who mixed the record. The One AM Radio dropped by The Alternate Side's studio for a very special session and after the jump, check out video performances of "An Old Photo of Your New Lover," "Sunlight" and "In A City Without Seasons.

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Chairlift: TAS In Session

Posted 1-23-12 by , Alisa Ali
Tags: Chairlift

When one of Chairlift's founding members, Aaron Pfenning, left the Brooklyn band in 2010 to pursue his own solo career, it was a bruising blow for a young group that seemed to be doing well. Remaining members Caroline Polacheck and Patrick Wimberly didn't abandon Chairlift, but took their time recording their second album, Something, which comes out tomorrow, January 24. The band recently dropped by for a session and performed several tracks from the new record, including the tongue twisting "Amanaemonesia" and "Frigid Spring" (which seems to describe this clement winter). After the jump, check out highlights and videos. Listen to the session this Friday, January 27, on TAS on 91.5 WNYE at 11 a.m. ET and streaming on The Alternate Side.

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Loney Dear: TAS In Session

Posted 1-16-12 by , Alisa Ali
Tags: Loney Dear

Emil Svanängen, who is far better known as Loney Dear (he dropped the comma a couple of years ago), is a quirky fellow with a penchant for richly textured, shimmering songs, as explored on his latest album Hall Music, out now on Polyvinyl. The Swedish singer and songwriter will be touring Europe and North America this winter and spring with Of Montreal and the trek includes a stop at Webster Hall on March 31. Not long ago he dropped by The Alternate Side and played a generous set of songs from both Hall Music and 2009's Dear John. Listen to the session this Friday, January 20, on TAS on 91.5 WNYE at 11 a.m. and streaming on The Alternate Side.

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Austra: TAS In Session

Posted 1-9-12 by
Tags: Austra

One of the more intriguing bands to emerge in 2011 is Toronto's Austra, a sensually-charged electro-pop band led by the coolly insouciant, classically-trained singer Katie Stelmanis. Like her vocally distinctive Domino Records labelmates Anna Calvi and Wild Beasts' Hayden Thorpe, Stelmanis' robustly operatic voice elicits attention, but rides effortlessly and prettily upon Austra's lustrous synth-scapes. The band, now a sextet, dropped by The Alternate Side recently and played a generous mini-set, nestled between observations about censorship, their cryptic video for "Lose It" and working with dance producer Damian Taylor. Listen to the session this Friday, January 13, on TAS on 91.5 WNYE at 11 a.m. ET and streaming on The Alternate Side.

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We Are Augustines: TAS In Session

Posted 1-2-12 by , Alisa Ali
Tags: Pela, We Are Augustines

Although We Are Augustines' Billy McCarthy, Eric Sanderson and Rob Allen are receiving enthusiastic praise for their powerful 2011 debut, Rise Ye Sunken Ships, the album was born from harrowing and heartbreaking circumstances. The band, cobbled together from the remains of longtime Brooklyn favorites Pela, overcame not only the abrupt and messy dissolution of that group,  but profound family tragedy, financial destitution and the darkest depths of depression. Not long ago, the trio dropped by The Alternate Side studios to play tracks from the new album, like the deeply personal "Book of James,"  and frankly discussed their determined road from utter despair to invigorating rebirth. The session will air on TAS on 91.5 WNYE this Friday, January 6, at 11 a.m., also streaming on The Alternate Side.

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We Were Promised Jetpacks: TAS In Session

Posted 12-29-11 by
Tags: We Were Promised Jetpacks

One of the biggest (and oldest) New Year's Eve celebrations in the world, Scotland's Hogmanay, raucously marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new (and Scotland even has their very own bank holiday for much-needed, post-Hogmanay recovery). The Alternate Side thought that the fast-approaching holiday was a fine time to visit the very special session that Edinburgh's own We Were Promised Jetpacks did for us not long ago, marking the autumn release of their sophomore album, In the Pit of the Stomach, out now on Fat Cat Records.

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TAS In Session: Flashback 2011, Part 2

Posted 12-27-11 by
Tags: Art Brut, Elbow, Fool's Gold, James Blake, Low, Megafaun, Milagres, The Shivers, Twin Sister, YACHT

Last week, The Alternate Side posted the first part of TAS in Session: Flashback 2011 featuring artists like The Drums, Laura Marling and Real Estate. This week, round two of some of The Alternate Side and our sister station WFUV's favorite performances from the last year, including the pensive wizardry of James Blake, the stirring poetry of Elbow and the sprawling pop boulevards crossed by Fool's Gold.  In addition to revisiting highlights, like Low's far-from-somnolent "Try To Sleep," or YACHT's incendiary "Dystopia," we'll also link to the original sessions and update you on what's coming up in 2012 for many of TAS' notable artists and bands.

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Mates Of State: TAS In Session

Posted 12-22-11 by , Russ Borris
Tags: Mates of State

San Francisco's Mates of State, the married duo of Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner, released one of the strongest albums of their career in 2011, the effusively crafted Mountaintops. Their busy year included a lengthy tour, a stint on "Late Night with David Letterman" and a festive recording of "A Visit from St. Nicholas" for Fuse (along with Robyn, Portugal.The Man and DJ Khaled) ... and a visit to The Alternate Side's Studio A. Hammel and Gardner played a mini-set of songs from Mountaintops for TAS and chatted about their love for Lars Ulrich and why "selling out" is a misnomer for today's musicians.

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TAS In Session: Flashback 2011, Part 1

Posted 12-19-11 by
Tags: Beirut, Cults, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Laura Marling, Man Man, The Antlers, The Naked and Famous, The Radio Dept., The Raveonettes, The Vaccines

Over the past twelve months, The Alternate Side, alongside our sister station WFUV, has hosted dozens of live sessions in our studio with a vivid, inspiriting array of musicians and bands. We've had the chance to shift from The Antlers' luminous introspections to the muscular, shambolic rock of Man Man and end up at the gentle-but-lethal songwriting of Laura Marling. We wanted to revisit some of our favorite performances from many of those sessions, like The Naked and Famous' stirring "Young Blood" or Beirut's accordion-spurred anthem "Santa Fe," and give you updates on what's coming up in 2012 for many of these artists and bands.

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Handsome Furs: TAS In Session

Posted 12-12-11 by , Alisa Ali
Tags: Handsome Furs

It's not been an easy month for Handsome Furs. The married duo of Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry had to cancel shows in Bucharest and Vienna last week due to what they called a "personal trauma." But this devoted couple, who make a point of touring far-flung locales from Myanmar to Sibenik, have always persevered. Their third album, Sound Kapital, reflects that wanderlust and determination. Earlier this fall Boeckner and Perry dropped by The Alternate Side for a fascinating live session, dipping into songs from their latest album. You can hear that session on TAS on WNYE this Friday, December 16, at 11 a.m. or streaming on The Alternate Side.

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Twin Sister: TAS In Session

Posted 12-5-11 by , Alisa Ali
Tags: Twin Sister

Twin Sister is a clever exercise in duality. The band is from Long Island and Brooklyn. They love a good disco tune, but relish a melancholy twist. After releasing their crafty 2010 EP Color Your Life, which featured the breathy kiss of "All Around And Away We Go," Twin Sister signed with Domino Records. Their debut album, In Heaven, came out earlier this  year. The band plays Bowery Ballroom on December 17 and they  dropped by The Alternate Side not long ago for a session, playing In Heaven selections like "Bad Street" and "Daniel." You can hear the session this Friday, December 9 on TAS on 91.5 WNYE or streaming on The Alternate Side.  

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