Blog: Air & Sea Battle

New London Fire is back with their new album The Dirt, The Blood, The Faith . It's quite the departure from their new-wave debut and their doo-wop followup. So then again, it's natural progression. Check out the video for the track "The Other Side of Town" below and pick up the new record here .

It's weird to think that the camera in your pocket can take as good of photos as a digital camera could just 5 years ago. 5 megapixels is becoming the standard and it's only going to rise. So why hasn't the art of cell phone photography gotten more attention? Well our friends at cellphonephotos.tumblr.com are trying to do their part to change that. Head there now to check it out and even submit some of your best phonetographs!

More than ever we want it to finally be Fall. Summer is skipping away, the leaves have yet to change and we're already wearing jackets even though the weather still calls for short sleeves. But that doesn't mean it can't be Fall in our mouths! So what better way to celebrate the approaching new season than drinking one of the finest pumpkin ales around?? Here at A&SB we highly recommend Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale . The taste of pumpkin is perfect with the addition of cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of cardamom and clove, it sits perfectly on your [...]

As someone who is stuck wearing eyeglasses on a daily basis I am constantly struggling with the complete and total lack of a decent selection out there in the "frame-fashion" world that doesn't completely burn a hole in my pocket. I find a nice pair of frames and then suddenly I'm thinking of ways I can auction off personal belongings in order to afford them. Thankfully I was recently tipped off to Warby Parker , a vintage inspired eyewear company that specializes in low-cost, high-end frames that aren't going to eat away at your bank [...]

PURCHASE | LISTEN So, it's been awhile. Things have been hectic in these parts of A&SB land, mainly because "the man" has been breathing down our neck... and being a small business owner I guess I am "the man" I speak of and I also guess that my neck is broken in order for my head to be positioned in a way for my mouth to reach around to the back of my head. In other words... whoops! This doesn't mean we haven't been feverishly listening to music, going to [...]

Matador Records is turning 21 and to celebrate they're throwing the greatest goddamn party of all time. From October 1st - October 3rd in Las Vegas, NV they will be gathering their classic lineup from '93 - '96, including Guided By Voices featuring their original lineup (Tobin Sprout?!). Other artists include Lineup includes Pavement, Sonic Youth, Come, Belle & Sebastion, Spoon, Cat Power, Chavez, Yo La Tengo, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion & many more. This is good news . Tickets go on sale Friday, July 9th on Ticketfly.com so get ready to sit [...]

New London Fire just finished recording their new record, Happiness Through Radios and Wires , in Woodstock, NY with producer D. James Goodwin . Check out the video below of an impromptu live performance in the studio of the track "I Ran To Hide". Related posts: New London Fire "Water Park" Preview Lapko Studio Photos Joensuu 1685 - "I'm On Fire" (Bruce Springsteen cover)

I have a soft spot for Stars, even for this new track which blatantly goes out of its way to explore a whole new world of fans throughout commercial radio. It's catchy... very catchy and there is nothing wrong with that. My 17 year old, angst-ridden self would be mad at my 28 year old self for saying that... but that little prick had a big mouth and I'm trying to forget him anyway. "I Don't Want Your Body" and "Fixer" are from their fifth LP release, The Five Ghosts , which hit [...]

PURCHASE | LISTEN The first time I put on Ceremony's new record, Rohnert Park , I knew I'd heard it somewhere before. The promotional material told me I was supposed to be reminded of protopunk and 80s hardcore. RIYL Fucked Up, Black Flag, and the Stooges. Maybe. But that didn't sound quite right. Then it clicked. On Rohnert Park , Ceremony reminds me of Flipper , the San Francisco punk band that didn't tune, played terribly and slowly, and [...]

Stream the new EP, Data Bandits , by Rubik below. If you like what you hear, head over to their website and download a copy for yourself for free! Related posts: Rubik To Release 'Dada Bandits' A&SB and Rubik Visit Sleepy Hollow Rubik Performs Live In Oslo Botanical Garden [Video]

Michael Scott, like the majority of Steve Carell's characters, has mostly played the role of the lovable loser on The Office , which wraps up its sixth season tonight on NBC . Michael would do or say something either without thought or with an innocent ignorance, but the audience would always find something redeemable in the character, sigh and then forgive him. Essentially he was treated as if he was a child. You would find your hallway wall covered in crayon, but you'd later discover he was only trying to write you a birthday card. [...]

Head over to iTunes and pick up A New Bohemia , the new release by our friends in LAPKO . The album was produced by the all-powerful D. James Goodwin , was originally released by the all-awesome Fullsteam Record s in Finland and is an intense listen from beginning to end. Stand-out tracks are "Grab The Stick", "Please Need Me" and "I Shot The Sheriff" (which the video below is for). Related posts: Your New Favorite Band: LAPKO [...]

DOWNLOAD NOW It's no secret that we love us some Astronautalis . We wear it on our sleeve. Now he's gone ahead and crafted himself a free mixtape (with help from DJ Fishr Pryce ) that anyone and their pop can download, only providing us with more ammo to help spread the gospel. The album is available as "pay what you want", but we suggest you "pay what you have" to help support Andy in his efforts to eat well/survive on his upcoming tour with Tegan [...]

DOWNLOAD NOW It's no secret that we love us some Astronautalis . We wear it on our sleeve. Now he's gone ahead and crafted himself a free mixtape (with help from DJ Fishr Pryce ) that anyone and their pop can download, only providing us with more ammo to help spread the gospel. The album is available as "pay what you want", but we suggest you "pay what you have" to help support Andy in his efforts to eat well/survive on his upcoming tour with Tegan & [...]

Sometimes a voice makes a record. You Are Here , the debut album from (south) Brooklyn-based Field Mouse , is just that sort of record. A lush blend of shoegaze and 90s indie rock, "You Are Here" is steeped in hazy harmonies, delayed guitars, and emotive strings. But the crowning achievement of the record is the voice of Rachel Browne , whose soft, pristine vocals provide a consistently impressive narration through a stylistically diverse set of songs. "Good at Me" opens the record, and features tight drumming and memorable (read: this will [...]

"Folk punk" is what they describe themselves as. I describe it as "holy shit, that's awesome". Either way, Jaakko & Jay put on a high-energy performance at every show that is hard to forget. As we high anticipate their return to the US, we will watch the above video over and over, remembering the 3 shows we caught while they were here on tour. Pick up their new album War Is Noise and stay tuned for US dates! Related posts: [...]

Milk. Ice cream. In a cup. A shake isn't something you need to think a lot about to consume, and neither is Boston "lo-fi fuzz/punk" band Thick Shakes . Those are the most loving of scare quotes and backhanded compliments, don't worry. Punk! It doesn't really mean anything anymore, does it? This will only add to the confusion, because Thick Shakes is all early-'60s nostalgia. Except, louder? They release stuff on cassette, I guess because they want an excuse not to sell anything. But cassettes are a '70s thing. My brain hurts. Some [...]

In the style of a well-practiced, drunkenly-belted tune by the crew of an 18th century frigate, The Governors' "Got Better Plans" EP survives in a genre littered with failure. Each song in the 5-track short program is catchy, carries the unmistakable tinge of sincerity and is ably performed. But the opening track "Check Thyself Before You Wreck Thyself" best represents their vision: Well thought-out campfire songs with a keen eye for old world aesthetics melded into spontaneous outbursts of modern rock magic. Still, the production of the vocals is a frequent annoyance. After all, [...]

There is no doubt that Rubik is one of our favorite bands and it's because of videos like the one of them playing "Goji Berries" above that keep them always on our radar. Make sure to pick up your copy of Dada Bandits and cross your fingers for a North American tour this Summer. Related posts: Rubik To Release 'Dada Bandits' A&SB and Rubik Visit Sleepy Hollow Rubik Live at CMJ 2009

Download audio file (Lil-Daggers-King-Korpze.mp3) All the way from the town that Dan Marino built (he did that, right?), Miami's Lil Daggers are in Brooklyn over the next few days on some pretty stellar lineups. The track above, "King Korpse", is off of what seems to be an upcoming 7-inch from Livid Records . Honestly, there's not a whole lot of hard info on these guys besides that they are from Florida and put on a good show. And what else do you really need? It's lo-fi garage with an organ! An [...]

• Lil Daggers - King Korpze