Ra Ra Riot's beautiful 2nd album the orchard is in stores now! Available in a variety of formats, including a limited-edition deluxe CD+DVD version that includes a 38-minute behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the record, directed by Taryn Gould and Emily Kowalczyk.

Ra Ra Riot will be touring like maniacs this fall, playing dates in the US and Canada throughout September, October and November — check for details here.

The new album from Ra Ra Riot, the orchard, will be in stores next week, but you can hear it now as part of NPR's Exclusive First Listen. The new video for the song boy has also premiered this week on MTV2 and online at MTVu.

Also, if you missed their live performance last week on XPN's World Cafe, you can still listen to it here.

The Independent Film Channel has posted a feature about the Ra Ra Riot documentary, the making of the orchard on their website. The documentary will be included on a DVD in the limited-edition versions of the band's upcoming release, the orchard, due out August 24.

If you own a TV, be sure to tune into Late Night with Jimmy Fallon this coming Monday, August 9th, on NBC, to see Menomena's network television debut! And if you're in New York that day and want to attend the taping, click here and you'll be directed to the Fallon "Band Bench" Sweepstakes form — enter to win seats on the bench surrounding the stage during Menomena's performance (and remember to include the code word MEN in your entry form).

Such a great band... there's a lot of room for your ear to roam on Mines. [8.2] - Pitchfork

Menomena, the acclaimed Portland, OR, based art-rock trio, have released their fourth full-length record, mines, and it's available now. In addition to the full-length album (available on CD, double LP, or digitally as MP3s or FLAC files), we also have a double seven-inch gatefold single with exclusive non-album tracks (limited to 1000 numbered copies — we have very few copies left, so order now!), two different posters (including the limited-edition hand-numbered glow-in-the-dark screen-printed poster, with design by Tyler Stout), and a new t-shirt.

Due out August 24th, Ra Ra Riot's the orchard was hailed this week by NPR as "Incredible... An epic album with soaring strings and fat bass lines," and is now available for pre-order. It will be issued in standard physical and digital versions, as well as a number of special editions including limited colored vinyl, and a bonus DVD featuring a beautiful 38-minute impressionist behind-the-scenes documentary on the writing and making of the album, directed by Taryn Gould and Emily Kowalczyk.

Boy, the first single from the orchard, is available now at iTunes, where it can be purchased along with keep it quiet (bear) (a stripped down version of an album track that the band previewed last month) and a cover of Sparks' saccharin and the war. The track boy is currently streaming at Stereogum and available as a free MP3 via rarariot.com.

Currently on tour in Japan, Ra Ra Riot will return to North America next month, making appearances at the Osheaga and Bumbershoot festivals and supporting Devo at this year's Columbus Ohio State Fair, before kicking off a headlining tour beginning with a September 21-24 stretch in New York and running through late November.

Menomena will release their fourth full-length record, mines, on July 27th. The record is now streaming in its entirety as part of National Public Radio's Exclusive First Listen series right here. Additionally, our friends at Stereogum are offering the track TAOS for free download, here.

This fall, David Bazan and his band will embark on a 31 date US tour in support of his release curse your branches. Bazan is fantastic live, but don't just take our word for it: http://www.vimeo.com/12771254.

Phantogram has been busy this spring: a national tour with The Antlers, a West Coast tour with The XX, and Canadian dates with Metric. Now they're kicking off the summer season with more dates in Canada, London and Paris, plus a co-headline show with Caribou at Governor's Island in New York on July 16th. The NYC show is free — more information is available at thebeachconcerts.com.

Abraham Lincoln once said, "I’m a slow walker, but I never walk back." The same holds true for fellow sons of the Prairie State, Maps & Atlases, who, despite a flurry of activity since their inception in 2006 are only now releasing their full-length debut. But it's been worth the wait: Not only is perch patchwork the Chicago quartet's first long player, it's also their first masterpiece — a beautiful suite of songs that should rightly place the band in indie rock's upper echelon.

Syracuse quintet Ra Ra Riot premiered Keep It Quiet, a two-minute preview on the making of their sophomore album, the orchard, this week at RaRaRiot.com. Directed by Taryn Gould and Emily Kowalczyk, Keep It Quiet provides a brief glimpse into the idyllic setting in which the new album was written, including exclusive performance footage shot in the orchard that inspired the record's title.

Ra Ra Riot also just announced an extensive North American tour in support of the orchard. Preceded by appearances at the Osheaga and Bumbershoot festivals and a support slot for Devo at this yea'’s Columbus Ohio State Fair, the tour kicks off with a September 21-24 four-night stand in New York, with coast to coast headlining dates running through to late November.

Mates of State's brand new video for True Love Will Find You In The End is up at abcnews.com/amplified, as well as an exclusive segment documenting the making of the clip. The video, which is also viewable on the band's website, was a concept hatched over beers by Jason and ABC reporter Dan Harris and was ultimately realized as a unique collaboration between Mates of State and ABC.

Tonight in Central Park, NYC! John Roderick will sing a duet with Aimee Mann as part of the SummerStage 25th anniversary celebration, featuring the songbook of Simon and Garfunkel. More information can be found here.

Mates of State will be releasing a new album, called crushes (the covers mixtape) in two weeks. Recorded and produced by the band, and mixed by Peter Katis (The National, Swell Season, Interpol, etc.), the album will be available digitally on June 15 from the band's website as well as at all fine digital retailers. A brand new video for Nick Cave's "Love Letter" is up now on the band's site. Mates of State will also be going on a 27-date US summer tour, which will feature Free Energy, comedian Todd Barry on select dates, comedian Nick Thune on select dates, and special variety and sideshow acts to boot. Tickets are available here.

Syracuse NY's most beloved export Ra Ra Riot will issue its second full length album, the orchard, on August 24. Produced by Ra Ra Riot and Andrew Maury and mixed by Chris Walla (with one assist from Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij), the orchard is 10 more stunning offerings of the bittersweet and endearing Ra Ra Riot musical genius. More details about the upcoming album will be coming soon.

Nada Surf bring their trademark sense of harmony and musical craftsmanship to 12 of their favorite songs with their upcoming release, if i had a hi-fi, the band's first album of covers. The band has been selling copies at their shows, but it will become widely available on CD, LP and digitally on June 8th via the band's own label.

Nada Surf will be interviewed and performing on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic on Wednesday, May 26th — tune in if you're in the Los Angeles area, or listen on the station's website.

Menomena, the Portland, OR, based trio, will release their fourth full-length record, mines, July 27th on Barsuk (and in Europe July 26th on City Slang). Fans can now download the album track five little rooms via www.menomena.com/mines (or, for you Twitter users, tweet #menomenaMINES).

Sometimes you have to chase your true love — and sometimes, a dog pees all over it. - Pitchfork

We couldn't have said it any better. Pitchfork premiered the latest Ramona Falls video russia yesterday in advance of the band opening west coast dates for The National next week. We could divulge more details, but really you should just check out the video here.

Pearly Gate Music and Barsuk Records are excited to announce that, beginning today, BrooklynVegan is streaming the self-titled debut release by Pearly Gate Music exclusively for one week.

Pearly Gate Music will be hitting the road this summer with Freelance Whales, Frog Eyes and Beach Fossils.

Head on over to Daytrotter, where they've just posted the Say Hi session, featuring four live in-studio versions of songs from oohs & aahs.

Rocky Votolato will be touring Europe throughout the month of May, and then playing a few dates in the US in June and July, including some shows with mewithoutYou. He's also just announced a new video for the song silver trees, which was filmed by the good folks at One Day's Wages. Ten percent of the royalties from Rocky's new album, true devotion, will be donated to One Day's Wages to help alleviate extreme global poverty. Watch the video here.

EW.com is premiering the Alan Wilkis remix of Phantogram's mouthful of diamonds just in time for their sold out Los Angeles show with The Antlers. Alan Wilkis, a Brooklyn-based artist, producer, and remixer, has previously remixed tracks for Yeasayer, RJD2, Phoenix, The Temper Trap, The Very Best, White Hinterland, and many more. You can take a listen to this joyous new-wave inflected delight here.

Phantogram is also excited to announce that they'll be supporting The XX on upcoming dates this June after a run of headlining dates crossing the continent throughout May.

Ramona Falls is hitting the road again — this time with Brooklyn's beloved The National. In advance of these dates, today RCRDLBL premiered a remix of russia, one of the standouts from Ramona Falls' debut full-length intuit. This work of remixology was performed by the underground internet phenomenon of Aaron Brink (aka ABX) and Steve Reidell (aka STV SLV), the Chicago-based duo known collectively as The Hood Internet.

If the combination of Ramona Falls and The Hood Internet isn't amazing enough, Weezy himself drops in for a verse to up the ante even more. That's right: Ramona Falls + The Hood Internet + Lil Wayne. Check it out here

Ben Barnett is a musician who has, all his life, documented experiences through song. After releasing eight albums, six singles and five splits as Kind of Like Spitting over the course of a decade, retiring the moniker and reinventing himself as Music Director of Seattle's Paul Green School of Rock, Barnett has now emerged triumphant with a new band, Blunt Mechanic It is far from hyperbolic to enthusiastically assert that the debut album is Barnett's finest work to date, and that he has created the culmination of his musical and personal explorations in a way that is powerful, relatable, inspirational, ineffable and communicable, and there's just no stopping that kind of force.

The debut album is out now, and is on sale for a special limited-time price of EIGHT BUCKS(!!) in the shop.

Great news: Menomena will be releasing their fourth full-length, mines, this summer (July 27th). Additionally, the band has teamed up with The Helio Sequence for a limited-edition 7" in celebration of Record Store Day 2010. The 7" features Menomena's pilgrim's progress and Helio Sequence's converter, a digital download code, and a special letterpress cardboard packaging designed by the bands. Pilgrim's progress is currently streaming at Pitchfork.

We're excited to announce that Chicago's progressive songsmiths Maps & Atlases are set to release their debut album on June 29, 2010. Entitled perch patchwork, the record was produced by Jason Cupp (The Elected, Nurses, Cast Spells). The band's unique style melds the technicality of progressive music and the idiosyncrasies of art rock into a fascinating and oddly accessible sound all their own. Known for their virtuosic musical ability, Maps & Atlases write pop songs with a magnificent aptitude for texture and a distinctive blend of both the intricate and organic.

Dates for a pre-album release tour have been confirmed — check here.

Death Cab for Cutie's the open door ep, a companion to 2008's full-length, narrow stairs, is available now on 180-gram vinyl. This Grammy-nominated EP features 4 new studio tracks plus a demo version of "Talking Bird".

The first official video from Phantogram, for mouthful of diamonds, premiered this week, and can be viewed on a variety of websites (for example, here).

Following a massively successful SXSW (where they received "Best Of" nods from USA Today, Spin, and NPR) Phantogram will continue to tour in support of eyelid movies throughout the year. To kick off the tour season, they have a run of dates lined up with The Antlers, headlining shows at Hoboken, NJ's Maxwell's, and NYC's Bowery Ballroom, and Sasquatch Festival over Memorial Day weekend. 2010 promises to be a banner year for Phantogram. Stay tuned, there’s surely more to come!

Daytrotter is back with another run of Barnstormer dates, taking a handful of favorite Daytrotter recording alums out to tour the rustic, old barns of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois for some more nights to remember. One and all are encouraged to attend and caravan with the tour; grilling with, camping out, and staying at the same campgrounds and bed and breakfasts as Daytrotter and the bands (which include Ra Ra Riot, Pearly Gate Music, Delta Spirit, Nathanial Rateliff, and Free Energy). It will be five days that no one will soon forget.

We're excited to announce the signing of Chicago's Maps & Atlases. Their debut full-length will be released this summer, and if you'll be in Austin, TX next week for SXSW, there will be lots of chances to see them perform. Details about the forthcoming album and spring tour dates will be coming soon.