02.05.10 GOWNS R.I.P.
As of last week, the collaboration between artists Erika Anderson, Ezra Buchla, and Corey Fogel, also known as GOWNS, has ceased to breathe.

The band had been together for about 5 years, creating in that time a small-run EP known as Dangers of Intimacy, the critically acclaimed LP Red State, a recently released Latitudes Session for Southern Records, as well as a standout appearance on the Live At The Smell DVD.

"Before this we were just finishing work on a piece for our next record, and I think in many ways it's one of the best things we've done. At 17 minutes long, it's a good representation of everyone doing the best of what they do best: it's got Corey's frenetic yet graceful drum patterns, Ezra's swelling viola drones, a rhythmic and powerful guitar line, and a vocal and lyrical style that is at once direct and oblique."

The band is offering it as a free download - I'd like to think of this as our final release. STAND AND ENCOUNTER - http://somedarkholler.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/gowns_stand.mp3

01.08.10 Mincemeat or Tenspeed Guest Feature on Dusted
David Harms of Mincemeat or Tenspeed is featured in the latest Dusted Featured Artists column. He has composed a unique top-10 mash-up featuring some awesome mentions, including Best Thing Written About Music Ever from David Fair about learning to play guitar.

01.05.10 Mincemeat or Tenspeed West Coast Mini-Tour
Mincemeat or Tenspeed will be playing a few exciting shows on the West Coast this month, including the first night of The Smell's Anniversary Fest! MMOTS will be joining Robin Williams on Fire, Slimo Soo, and Realicide.

09.24.09 Double Dagger & Dan Deacon Unveil Poster Contest
Post Typography (Bruce and Nolen from Double Dagger's design firm) has created an amazing poster for the upcoming Dan Deacon tour this fall! In addition to the amazing work, Dan Deacon is holding a contest to name each of the 243 cartoon characters drawn on the detailed work below!

Prizes include:
01 $500 cash
02 A portrait of you painted by Dan Deacon.
03 One of the last copies of Wham City Box Set #1.
05 A copy of each of Dan Deacon's first eight impossible-to-find releases: Silly Hat vs. Egale Hat, Meetlemice, Goose on the Loose, A Green Cobra Is Awesome vs. the Sun, Porky Pig, Twacky Cats, Live 2003, and Acorn Master.

You can find out more details here.

07.21.09 Black Ladies Play Final Show
Black Ladies have decided to call it quits. They are going out in style with a special finale show at the Hideout on Friday 7/24! With Death, also come re-birth: Paper Mice will be celebrating their record release! Also the amazing ladies of Heart-shaped Hate and The Arts of Life Band!

06.17.09 Double Dagger Mad Libs!
Double Dagger have designed this awesome, all-purpose DIY flyer for their upcomming US Summer Tour. Check it out, customize it for yourself, and plaster it all over your town!

03.13.09 Double Dagger + Future Islands Mini-Tour!
Double Dagger will teaming up with Baltimore pals, Future Islands for a mini tour commencing soon!

02.27.09 Colin Langenus + Jo Dery at Cinders in NY!
Join Jo Dery in celebrating the release of Quietly Sure- Like the Keeper of a Great Secret at Cinders Gallery in Brooklyn, NY on Sunday, March 8th at 7pm. Jo will be showing some of her animated films & videos (including the brand new movie "Woodpecker in Snowshoes") and showing off Quietly Sure to all interested parties. Colin Langenus (USAisaMonster) will be playing music and fun should be had by all (word is there will be popcorn).

01.22.09 The Mae Shi Play Popscene!
The Mae Shi are playing a special show tonight at San Francisco's longest running Brit-pop party extravaganza thinger, Popscene! The band is scheduled to set off on a nice little tour right afterwards that will take them up the West Coast, Canada, and back to America's heartland. Check out the dates to the right!

The Mae Shi's HLLLYH has been included on the Village Voice's Pazz + Jop 2008 list! Check it out here.

12.20.08 Black Ladies Unveil New Lineup
Black Ladies have been laying low for a bit this Fall and early Winter season, however all that is about to change! Black Ladies will be debuting their new three-piece line-up, that's right, you heard me correct - at Ian's Party fest in Elgin in January! The longtime duo have added Todd from Chicago math-rock veterans Voltage on guitar!

Witness the unveiling of the new lineup at Ian's Party '09. You can find more info at Ian's Party Official Site.

12.01.08 USA on TMT
USAisaMonster's recently released Space Programs (Load) is reviewed on Tiny Mix Tapes www.tinymixtapes.com/The-USAISAMONSTER.

11.16.08 Double Dagger Announce Next Record on Thrill Jockey
Double Dagger have announced that they will be releasing their next full-length on Chicago's Thrill Jockey Records. The Baltimore trio are settling down to finish writing an recording material for their third album after a fall of touring with the Dan Deacon's Baltimore Round Robin Tour and a series or regional solo legs. Thrill Jockey is currently distributing 2007's critically acclaimed Ragged Rubble, as well as Double Dagger's recent 7"s on Terra Firma and Toxic Pop.

11.05.08 USA Is A Writer
The fine folks at Dusted have spotlighted USA Is A Monster in their Listed feature, where they interview bands about their favorite artists and albums. Check out what Colin had to say about his favorite NYC bands here: http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/774.

11.05.08 Baltimore Round Robin Round Up
Impose Magazine is running some cool, reflective coverage of the amazing Baltimore Round Robin tour! http://www.imposemagazine.com/round-robin-revisited/9192/

09.15.08 Double Dagger + Baltimore Round Robin Tour!
Double Dagger will embarking on the first ever Baltimore Round Robin Tour in a few short weeks! Along with tour organizer, Dan Deacon, Double Dagger will be joined bu 27 ither amazing Baltimore bands such as Ecstatic Sunchine, The Death Set, WZT Hearts, Jana Hunter, Nautical Almanac, and Videohippos! You can now find up-to-date show info at: www.baltimoreroundrobin.com! Find out about Feet Night and Eyes Night and how to get tickets!

09.02.08 Black Ladies to play Permanent Records Bash
Black Ladies will be headlining a very special show this weekend to celebrate Permanent Records' 2nd Anniversary. Black Ladies will perform along with Cacaw (ex-Coughs), Alla, Lazer Crystal, and Three-Eyed Skull at AV-Aerie (2000 W. Fulton) on Saturday, September 6th.

08.26.08The Mae Shi on NPR: Song of the Day
"Run To Your Grave" from The Mae Shi's HLLLYH has been picked as Song of the Day on NPR today! Read about it all at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93976009!

07.22.08 Whartscape in Pictures
Pitchfork is running some nice coverage of Whartscape 2008, complete with some great photos of Double Dagger and The Mae Shi. The Mae Shi's HLLLYH is also featured as part of Pitchfork's 2008 Overlooked Records.

07.11.08 Win Tickets to See The Mae Shi in NYC!
Are you in the NYC area? We are looking for a few good helpers to let people know that The Mae Shi will be back in town headlining at The Cake Shop. Put up posters and hand out hand bills and we will send you a pair of tickets to the show.

If you're interested, please email Meghan Richardson at richardson@nettwerk.com and we will get you promo items right away (please note pictures of your work will be required).

07.08.08 The Mae Shi on SPIN.com!
SPIN is running a thorough review of last night's Mae Shi show in Minneapolis at the Uptown! Complete with some great photos and fan interviews.
http://spin.com/articles/mae-shi-tear-apart-minneapolis-uptown-bar

06.11.08 The Mae Shi Added to Sled Island Festival
The Mae Shi have been added to the Sled Island Music Festival in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on June 25 at Broken City! The band will perfom alongside Mogwai, Broken Social Scene, Wire, The RZA, and The Gutter Twins.

06.11.08 The Death Set Add More
The Death Set have extended their support of the Mae Shi through their previously announced NYC (Cake Shop) and Brooklyn (Market Hotel) shows! Check out The Mae Shi, The Death Set, Double Dagger, and a slew of other amazing bands at Whartscape 2008! Check out Wham City's site for details on purchasing tickets and finalized line-ups: www.whamcity.com

05.23.08 The Mae Shi + The Death Set
The Mae Shi have just announced that the Death Set will be joining them on the following dates of their summer tour!!!

07.09 CHICAGO, IL Abbey Pub
07.13 MONTREAL, QC Zoobizarre
07.14 BOSTON, MA Great Scott
07.15 BURLINGTON, VT
07.16 PROVIDENCE , RI AS 220
07.17 DANBURY, CT Heirloom Arts
07.19 BALTIMORE, MD Whartscape
07.20 PHILADELPHIA, PA Barbary
07.22 WASHINGTON DC, The Velvet Lounge

05.02.08 Double Dagger on Rolling Stone.com
Double Dagger is featured today on Rolling Stone.com! Check out the "kick ass hardcore group" as they play tomorrow and later next week with the mighty Japanther!

04.29.08 Mae Shi Video Madness
The Mae Shi's amazing video for Run to Your Grave has been making waves all over the internet for a while now. Check out Pitchfork TV's feature. The video has also been included in a special episode of New York Noise. Check it out when it airs again this Saturday (5/3).

04.14.08 Higher Muxtape Out Now!
We've put together a Muxtape of our favorite artists as of late. Go to www.higher.muxtape.com to listen to rare, live and unreleased tracks from Double Dagger, Scary Mansion, USAisaMonster and The Mae Shi..

03.28.08 Double Dagger Guest Edit on Paper Thin Walls
Double Dagger appear this week as guest editors on Paper Thin Walls. Bruce, Nolen, and Denny present three of their most favorite bands! Check out their reviews here: www.paperthinwalls.com/singlefile/day?day=2008-03-28.

03.10.08 Y'all Can't Win
We're throwing a SXSW party for all our artists and friends who are going to be travelling to Austin this year! Saturday, March 15th 12:30-5:30PM at West's Art Music and Wine - 408 Josephine St.

NRSZ (SF) 12:30
SSSSPECTRES (NY) 1:00
KIT (OAK) 1:30
THE MAE SHI (LA) 2:00
SCARY MANSION (BKLYN) 2:45
GROUPER & INCA ORE (collab set) (PDX) 3:15
GOWNS (OAK) 4:00
EVANGELISTA (LA/OAK) 4:45

www.myspace.com/westswineartandmusic
SXSW Show Flyer: Front | Back

02.25.08 Double Dagger, Gowns, Usaisamonster on Cardboard comp.
Cardboard Records is releasing a new 2xCD compilation entitled Love And Circuits, featuring some of the most amazing bands around today. In addition to Double Dagger, Gowns, and The Usaisamonster, the compliation includes Maps & Atlases, High Places, The Oh Sees, along with a Trey Told 'Em (Greg Gillis) track that remixes all of the 56 other artists. You can pre-order the double CD here, which is scheduled to ship 3/4/08.

02.18.08 The Mae Shi Featured on Paper Thin Walls!
Paper Thin Walls is running a feature piece on the Mae Shi's new full-length, HLLLYH. You can stream the record in its entirety and find out what the band has to say about the new release, track by track!

02.14.08 Mae Shi HLLLYH 2xLP to be released by Yosada
The Mae Shi's upcomming full length, HLLLYH, is going to be released on vinyl by the fine folks over at Yosada Records. The gatefold 2xLP version will be released in a limited run of 600 (250 swirled vinyl/ 350 Black). You can find out more info about the LP release and pre-order the vinyl at Yosada Records.

02.03.08 Gowns LP released by Kill Shaman
Gowns' debut Red State is now available for the first time on LP. The LP version contains alternate mixes and a new song not available on the CD version. It is now available for purchase at Kill Shaman with 100 on gold vinyl and 400 on black vinyl!

01.23.08 Scary Mansion on Phoning It In
Scary Mansion will perform on the Providence call in music and interview show Phoning It In this Thursday January 24 at 22:15 EST (10:15 PM). You can listen online here: http://www.bsrlive.com/archives/show.php?s=100.

01.22.08 Scary Mansion CD Release
Scary Mansion's full length debut CD Every Joke Is Half the Truth is available for purchasing via Revolver USA. You can order it direct from ZUM via paypal at http://zumonline.com/artists.

01.21.08 Double Dagger On Pitchfork
Double Dagger's Ragged Rubble has received a solid review on Pitchfork Media! They band recently added some great shows in January and February with Parts & Labor, Ecstatic Sunshine, and Brooklyn's Knyfe Hyts, along with a mini-tour with Hunchback in March.

01.18.08 Team Shi Joins Team Higher
The Mae Shi have joined the Higher PR roster for their upcomming release HLLYH on their new Team Shi label. The band will be touring Europe for the latter half of January and early February. Check out the Mae Shi page for more release and tour details.

12.22.07 Double Dagger & Gowns Make Best of 2007 Lists
Dont Quit Your Day Job has named Double Dagger's Ragged Rubble and Gowns' Red State as Top 10 albums of 2007. Dan Deacon also gives Ragged Rubble props on Pitchfork's Guest List: Best of 2007.