Spoon – “Written in Reverse”
“Written in Reverse” is the new single from Spoon’s upcoming Transference LP due out January 19th via Merge. And considering our site’s name, you might guess we’re more than just a little bit excited about their seventh full-length effort. In other words, it gives us a nice excuse to post the [...]

After releasing five albums and playing the drums with a little band called Fleet Foxes, a man known as J. Tillman is set to release Year in the Kingdom on September 22nd (via Western Vinyl). This is a man who writes and plays unbelievably gorgeous music, yet is not safe from obscurity. However, the growing [...]

Amazon’s got a bunch of great music available for free download, with samplers from the excellent rosters of both Sub-Pop and Anti-Records.
Sub-Pop 2009 sampler:

Flight of the Conchords – “Hurt Feelings”
Vetiver – “Everyday”
Handsome Furs – “I’m Confused”
Obits – “Pine On”
Red Red Meat – “Gauze”
Vaselines – “Son of a Gun”
Blitzen Trapper – “Furr”
Fleet Foxes – “Mykonos”
Iron & [...]

[Weekly roundup of the week's notable CD releases - try before you buy. Check out our upcoming CD release schedule for all 2009 releases.]

Artist: Great Lake Swimmers
Album: Lost Channels
Sample: “Pulling on a Line”
The Canadian folkies are back with their fifth album, Lost Channels, following up on 2007’s critically acclaimed Ongiara. Considerably more produced than their [...]

In case you haven’t heard the gorgeously tortured songs of J. Tillman before, the phrase “better late than never” comes to mind. Somewhere between Nick Drake, Iron & Wine, Ryan Adams and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy in sound, Tillman has quietly released six beautiful records, including his most recent, Vacilando Territory Blues (released January 20).
Tillman got [...]

After what seemed like a series of odd delays and false starts, the lineup finally got released today for this year’s Coachella Music Festival. It’s a good one. Really good. Headlining each day are Paul McCartney on Friday, The Killers on Saturday and The Cure on Sunday (before you scoff at Friday’s closer, Uncle Corey’s [...]

[The Blogmine is a weekly feature where your fearless Stranger Dance staffers dig up all the gold hidden around the blogosphere. Feel free to pass along any interesting stories we may miss.]
Yes, I know that’s a mime, not a mine …

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs tip the name of their new album: It’s Blitz. Exciting news [...]

While I may not get their appeal, I’m certainly in the minority about the Fleet Foxes – they are the undoubted queens of the indie rock ball at the moment. So, rejoice all ye folky, harmony faithful, the Seattle quintet is bringing their roadshow to The Fillmore on April 14, and the following night at [...]

Fleet Foxes were the musical guests on this past weekend’s Saturday Night Live, becoming just the seventh indie band to take the storied SNL stage.
We were struck by a few things while watching the episode. First, SNL still isn’t funny (thank god for DVR). Second, the Foxes seemed a little out of place during the [...]

Everybody’s favorite hirsute folkies (ours too) are set to rock serenade the television masses tomorrow night as guest musicians on Saturday Night Live. Rosario Dawson will host. While we haven’t watched more than 20 minutes worth of SNL in years, we assume it’s safe to say that the Foxes’ performance — they’re rumored to play [...]