The Invisible Hand - Video Games

Click play above (or download from All Everyone United, No Modest Bear, or No Fear of Pop) to check out the new fuzzed out power pop song Video Games by Charlottesville, VA’s Invisible Hand, due out on one side of a split 7” with Borrowed Beams of Light (posted below) October 3rd. As I mentioned yesterday, pre-orders will be announced in the next few weeks, so stay tuned. If you like what you hear, check out one of the many other releases we carry by Invisible Hand in our store, including a split 7” with the Alphabet, a Cassette entitled Sinister Hand, a free digital download of a 4 song EP, and a split 7” with Boone, NC’s Naked Gods.

Invisible Hand has a few dates coming up in the immediate future:
09/03/2010 // Charlottesville VA @UVA Ampitheatre w/ Andrew Cedermark
09/03/2010 // Lynchburg VA @Rivermont Pizza
09/04/2010 // Harrisonburg VA @Blue Nile  w/ Andrew Cedermark, Visitations
09/07/2010 // Charlottesville VA @Tea Bazaar w/ War On Drugs, Cinnamon Band
09/23/2010 // Chesapeake VA @Winston’s Cafe
09/24/2010 // Williamsburg VA @Meridian Coffee House w/ Diggin’ Up Virgins
09/25/2010 // Raleigh NC @King’s Barcade  w/ Whatever Brains, Supervacations
10/11/2010 // Charlottesville VA @The Jefferson w/ Extraordinaires, Andrew Cedermark

Borrowed Beams of Light- “Julie (What’s That Spell?)”

“Oskar (No Modest Bear) and I just posted 2k10’s most wonderful love song. I think. Seriously. Julie by Borrowed Beams of Light (whose mastermind Adam Brock is Invisible Hand’s drummer) might well be this year’s most innocent and most beautiful love song, three minutes of absolutely heartbreaking longing. Julie, you’re making my head feel lighter.”-No Fear of Pop

Click play above to check out one of two Borrowed Beams of Light tracks from their upcoming split 7” with Invisible Hand, out October 3rd! This track was originally featured on Royal Rhino Flying Records’ Qeens Jew Compilation, available here. Pre-orders will be announced in the next few weeks, so stay tuned. If you like what you hear, head on over to our store to pick up the Beams’ debut EP. Many congrats to frontman Adam Brock on his recent engagement. Head over here to check out his fiance’s acclaimed debut novel!

Check in tomorrow to stream a brand new Invisible Hand song from the flip side. 

Click the image above to download Order’s 14 song CD-r entitled “Party Favor.”

Thomas Dean’s Charlottesville-based Electro Rap-punk / Garage pop brainchild ORDER (formerly Order of the Dying Orchid) just released a 14 song mixed bag of songs / video game soundtrack B-sides, available for free via zip file above. Stream the title track, “Party Favor” at the top of this post, and listen to Whatever Brains / Order Frontman Rich Ivey pitch a holiday on which L.A. bands battle gangs. I’m pretty sure he says something about penetrating a tambourine.

You can check out two more songs from Order’s new CD right here:
slather up 
invisible hands or delicate nothing 

Check out Order in September around Virginia:
09/17 // Harrisonburg, VA @Blue Nile w/ PC Worship, Turbo Fruits
09/18 // Washington, DC @Velvet Lounge w/ Hello Babies, Lubec
09/19 // Charlottesville, VA @The Southern w/ Aids Wolf, An Albatross, PC Worship (Witchmond Fest)

You can pick up ORDER’s recently released LP on Creature Feature Records in our store HERE, and you can find out more about all 5 of these weirdos here.

Whatever Brains - “Rapper’s Delight II 7” + Digital Download
F/NF010 (co-release with Sorry State Records)
500/black
BAND WEBSITE
FOR SALE NOW! PRE-ORDER HERE.
PACKAGE DEALS FOR THE BRAINS:
1. All four Whatever Brains 7” Singles for $16! ORDER HERE.
2. (F/NF002) “Nesting 7” + (F/NF010) + “Rapper’s Delight II 7” for $8! ORDER HERE.

YES.

Pre-orders are up for the new Whatever Brains single, their best offering yet. We’re excited to be a part of this co-release with Sorry State Records, who, by the way, just posted up pre-orders for their newest LP by Double Negative (go look at this thing, so shiny). If you haven’t heard the Brains yet, “you must live under a rock.” “get outta town!” “takes one to know one!” I’ve been up since 5:30 AM.

With a little bit of luck, the Brains might just have this in time for their August tour:
08/01/2010 // VA Richmond @Strange Matter
08/02/2010 // MD Baltimore @Golden West
08/03/2010 // PA Philadelphia @Danger Danger Gallery
08/04/2010 // NY Brooklyn @Death By Audio
08/05/2010 // PA Pittsburgh @Helter Shelter
08/06/2010 // OH Columbus @Cafe Bourbon St
08/07/2010 // NC Boone @Boone Saloon
08/08/2010 // NC Charlotte @The Milestone
Regardless, they’ll definitely have it in September:
09/10/2010 // NC Raleigh @Berkeley Cafe (Hopscotch Fest)
09/19/2010 // NC Chapel Hill @WXYC BBQ Interview
09/23/2010 // NC Chapel Hill @TBA
09/24/2010 // NC Durham @The Layabout
09/25/2010 // NC Raleigh @King’s

Jeff Byers says: “Four months since the release of “Nesting,” the Whatever Brains return with their fourth single, “Rapper Delight II”. The Brains pump the brakes on this one, slowing the tempos down for two-thirds of the single without losing any of their lo-fi garage-rockish intensity.“What Makes a Man Make ‘What Makes a Man Start Fires’” and “Rappers Delight II” are destined to be classic porch jammers this season waiting for the charcoal to light up. The single offers Raleigh’s Brains production value and reverb levels at their best as they definitely “stepped up their game.” Perfectly jangly when needed, the single is the perfect compendium to staying awake well beyond the point of reason. Just remember it’s not passing out if it’s in your own bed.”

Ben Schlabach - Comes In Nines
from his upcoming 7” Lathe, “Massanetta,” in an edition of 50 on clear plastic.
Pre-order HERE for $6.00.
Buy it with his Cassette Tape “They Grow Up So Fast” HERE for $7.50.

Today marks the first day for pre-orders on Ben Schlabach’s (aka Uncle Ben aka Bengine aka “I just want everyone to see my birthday chub,” aka the douche bag in front of you at the post office with 16 7”s to media mail) newest release, “Massanetta.” He’s trying something a little bit different this go-round, and releasing an ultra-limited (edition of 50) 3 song 7” Lathe on Clear plastic, available for pre-order now, and on his next slew of shows with John Hostetter starting this Thursday:

07/22/2010 Harrisonburg, VA // Clementine Cafe
07/23/2010 Richmond, VA // Sprout
07/24/2010 Lancaster, PA // Downtown Isaac’s
07/25/2010 Lancaster, PA // Downtown Isaac’s
07/26/2010 Manassas, VA // Center St. Bar and Grille
07/27/2010 Pittsburgh, PA // Commonplace Coffee
07/28/2010 Newport, KY // Southgate House
07/30/2010 Virginia Beach, VA // House Show

***All shows w John Hostetter

Here’s what his wife Melanie has to say: “Massanetta, the second solo release by Ben Schlabach, brings you three new songs that compliment yet exceed the tunes from his first release, “They Grow Up So Fast”. Expect the same catchy alt-country sound with Jason Summer’s smooth pedal steel, but thickened by the addition of a subtle yet incredibly effective distorted electric guitar that gives the tunes an added boost. Be prepared to put back a few drinks while listening to Ben’s descriptive story-telling lyrics only to be drawn to the dance floor by the driving melodies. But don’t even consider putting your drink down, because we’re asking Prince to teach us how to party like it’s ‘99”

If you’re not convinced, and you like to watch outrageous drunk people heckle each other in an unbelievably un-PC fashion, watch this video of John and Ben playing Crayola house in August 2009  (thanks Zach Motyka! *Tons of great show videos over here Harrisonburg, Btw), and I guarantee you’ll cancel your plans when they roll through your area. “Should I just like play one cord and you guys can hang out and drink beer? Is that what’s goin’ on?”