Brooklyn-based art-pop band Rubblebucket is heading out on an expansive summer/fall tour. Hitting New York, Los Angeles, SF, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Portland, Atlanta and a series of other cities, the eight-piece art pop group is happy to take their infectious, genre spanning music out on the road.

In honor of the new tour, Rubblebucket is happy to announce Paste Magazine’s premiere of the band’s latest single, “Came Out of a Lady.” Listen to the track HERE. Writing on the site, Paste noted that “As one of the LP’s standouts, “Came Out of a Lady’s” hilarious lyrics perfectly showcase Traver’s buttery vocals, while allowing for the group’s soulful instrumentation to highlight the song’s silly tone.” In conjunction, the band has also premiered their latest video for their “L’homme” with Consequence of Sound this morning. Watch the video HERE and read CoS’ premiere HERE.

2011 has been a breakout year for Rubblebucket. Releasing Omega La La this summer, Rubblebucket has earned praise from across the spectrum, with critics at Paste Magazine, Blurt, Stereogum, and more hailing the band as one of most promising up-and-coming bands in the U.S. Some critics have even gone as far as labeling the band’s upbeat, multifaceted sound “Yes Wave,” in opposition to the nihilistic, late-70s New York genre. Recorded last year at Plantain/DFA Studios with Producer Eric Broucek (LCD Soundsystem, Cut Copy, Hercules and Love Affair) at the helm, Omega La la is the Brooklyn eight piece’s most adventurous record yet, with the band dipping into everything from the dancey indie-pop arrangements to Fela-Kuti inspired afro-beat stomps.

For Rubblebucket, it’s been a long journey to make Omega La La. Led by the musical couple of bandleader/trumpeter Alex Toth and frontwoman Kalmia Traver, Rubblebucket has spent the last four years building a reputation as a band that blurs the lines between psychedelic indie rock, upbeat dance, and radiant, left-field arrangements. In 2009, Rubblebucket released a self-titled album that turned heads. SPIN hailed the band as a "must-hear artist from the CMJ Festival” in 2009 and the band won that year’s Boston Music Award for Live Act of the Year.  The band then relocated to Brooklyn and released the Triangular Daises EP in 2010. A stylistic precursor to Omega La La, the Triangular Daises EP was hailed by The Wall Street Journal, NYLON, Paste, and a host of others.

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Rubblebucket Summer/Fall Tour Dates:
08/13: Burlington, VT @ Grand Point North
08/18: Stephentown, NY @ Bella Terra
08/19: Brooklyn, NY  @ Brooklyn Bowl * 
08/20: Sheldon, VT @ Liberate Festival
09/03: Chicago, IL @ North Coast Festival
09/04: Mohawk, NY @ Moe.Down
09/10: Peru, NY @ Backwoods Pondfest
09/30: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
10/01: Syracuse, NY @ The Westcott Theater
10/05: Philadelphia, PA @ The Blockley
10/06: Baltimore, MD @ Sound Stage
10/08: Roseland, VA @ The Festy
10/10: Lexington, KY @ Cosmic Charlie's
10/13: Urbana, IL @ The Canopy Club
10/14: Chicago, IL @ Double Door
10/15: Grand Rapids, MI @ Founders
10/16: Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
10/17: Iowa City, IA @ Gabe's Oasis
10/18: St. Louis, MO @ The Old Rock House **
10/21: Denver, CO @ Cervantes' Other Side
10/23: Aspen, CO @ Belly Up
10/25: Salt Lake City - UT @ Kilby Court
10/27: Seattle, WA @ Crocodile, Cafe
10/29: Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
11/02: San Francisco, CA @ TBA
11/04: Los Angeles, CA @ TBA
11/05: San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
11/06: Flagstaff, AZ @ Green Room
11/08: Austin TX @ Beauty Bar
11/10: Mobile, AL @ Alabama Music Box
11/11: Live Oak, FL @ Bear Creek Music & Arts Fest
11/12: Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn

* Janka Nabay & Diamond Doves support
** Trombone Shorty co-headline

It’s difficult to decide which was the most remarkable facet of pioneering blues chanteuse Alberta Hunter’s incredible career. Was it her role in the vanguard of the “classic blues” movement of the early 1920s, when she recorded prolifically for Paramount and other labels during the industry’s first foray into the idiom? Her entertainment of grateful U.S. troops during not one war, but two? Or her heartwarming late 1970s/early 1980s comeback on the New York cabaret circuit after more than two decades away from singing professionally, when she was well into her 80s? One fact is inescapable: when she died on October 17, 1984 in New York at age 89, Hunter was a genuine star once more.

In 1974, the singer had largely retired from music due to health concerns. But musical pursuits called once again when club owner Barney Josephson invited her to star for six weeks at the Cookery, his hip Greenwich Village cabaret, in October 1977. The live recording of a subsequent 1981 Cookery performance resulted in Downhearted Blues: Live at the Cookery, which will be released on both CD and 180-gram vinyl August 30, 2011 on RockBeat Records, a new label focused on quality reissues and new recordings by heritage artists, distributed by eOne Distribution. Musicologist Bill Dahl contributed liner notes. (The title was previously available on CD, but has been re-mastered and will now be available on CD and 180-gram vinyl for the first time.)

Born on April 1, 1895 in Memphis, Hunter was weaned on W.C. Handy’s pioneering blues. By 16 she was in Chicago in the midst of a celebrated five-year residence at the city’s Dreamland club, singing in front of King Oliver & His Creole Jazz Band with Louis Armstrong. Hunter made her recording debut in 1921 for Black Swan Records, one of the first black-owned labels, with “How Long, Sweet Daddy, How Long” b/w “Bring Back the Joys.” From there she went to Paramount Records, cutting half a dozen sides including the original “Down Hearted Blues,” which she wrote with piano accompanist Lovie Austin and forcefully revisited on the 1981 live album.  (Bessie Smith, the immortal Empress of the Blues, ended up scoring a bigger hit with the song in 1923.) Hunter continued to record prolifically for Paramount, backed by Fletcher Henderson and, on 1923’s “Stingaree Blues,” Fats Waller.

Having conquered Chicago, Hunter moved to New York in 1923. She recorded for Gennett, OKeh, RCA Victor and Columbia. During this time she ventured to jazz-obsessed France in 1927, where she co-starred with Paul Robeson in a production of Showboat and recorded into the ’30s for HMV. When she returned to the U.S., she recorded for ARC, Decca and Bluebird.  She hosted a radio program in the ’30s and Broadway welcomed her back in 1939, when she shared the stage with Ethel Waters in Mamba’s Daughters. When World War II broke out, Hunter boldly served her country in the USO, entertaining troops across the globe. She continued into the Korean conflict.

There were scattered post-war sessions. But when her beloved mother died in 1954 and after starring in a Broadway flop, Hunter bowed out of performing to train as a nurse. Upon graduation in 1957 at age 62 — an age at which many folks contemplate retirement — she began a new career at a New York hospital. Other than recording a couple of Chris Albertson-produced LPs cut two weeks apart in 1961 (Songs We Taught Your Mother, a set for Prestige Bluesville also featuring Victoria Spivey and Lucille Hegamin) and Chicago: The Living Legends for Riverside, she kept a determinedly low profile for more than two decades — afraid the hospital would learn how far past mandatory retirement age she was and let her go.

In 1974, Hunter was forced out of her job by hospital regulations. It was October 1977 when Cookery’s Josephson invited her to headline his room. Next, legendary A&R man John Hammond cut an album’s worth of her classics (with a few new ones) for the Columbia soundtrack of director Alan Rudolph’s 1978 film Remember My Name. Dick Cavett and Mike Douglas invited her to brighten their TV talkfests, 60 Minutes profiled her, and Columbia recorded three more albums.

The live recordings that form Downhearted Blues: Live at the Cookery are from one of her many triumphant evenings at the club. Her sense of swing and theatricality remained impeccable, with longtime pianist and arranger Gerald Cook and sturdy upright bassist Jimmy Lewis providing sterling accompaniment. Hunter glided through saucy double-entendre-loaded numbers (“Handy Man,” “Two-Fisted Workin’ Man”), time-honored standards (a rip-roaring “I Got Rhythm,” the tender “Georgia On My Mind”), and the touching ballads “The Love I Have From You” (from Remember My Name) and “You’re Welcome To Come Back Home.”

With three-day passes to the 2011 Pitchfork Music Festival (PMF) sold out, single-day tickets are going fast. Don’t miss out on three outstanding days in Chicago’s Union Park (July 15th-17th) with the most dynamic and forward-looking lineup of any festival in the country. This year's lineup includes TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes, Guided By Voices, Neko Case, Das Racist, EMA, DJ Shadow, G-Side, No Age, Superchunk, How To Dress Well, OFWGKTA, and many more! Full lineup is below and tickets can be purchased here.

In addition to providing a rewarding experience to music fans, PMF takes its responsibility to the environment seriously, and we encourage our audience, musicians, and vendors to do the same.  Last year, PMF recycled 42% of waste by weight (10 tons), and this year, the goal is to break 50%. The following are some steps we’re taking to ensure that our environmental “footprint” is as small as possible.

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Recycling

Managing waste is a very important part of any large gathering, and PMF has put together a comprehensive recycling program to limit what we waste. This year, the Pitchfork Music Festival is excited to introduce a brand new organics recycling initiative, a program that will enable food vendors to send any food waste generated at the festival to composting facilities, rather than to landfill. Our recycling crew works with all of our vendors to help them recycle as much as possible, but we need YOUR help as well!!

If you come to PMF, please recycle your plastic cups and bottles, along with any cans and paper you come across.  We will have more recycling receptacles than ever this year, and your participation is greatly appreciated!

Biking, Walking, and Public Transportation

We're happy to announce an enhanced bike parking area under the Chicago Reader's Biker Villager. Free, secure bicycle parking will be available at the south end of the festival site, which will aid in reducing traffic congestion. We encourage you to bike, walk, or take the bus or train to and from the festival.  For folks coming from the Chicago area, please visit the following to plan your trip:

www.transitchicago.com, www.pacebus.com, www.metrarail.com

If you are traveling from outside Chicago, please consider using a bus or train for your journey:

www.amtrak.com, www.greyhound.com, www.megabus.com

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Sustainable Power

All power for the festival comes from biodiesel fuel, which is cleaner than normal diesel fuel and reduces demand for oil.  For more information on this energy resource, please visit www.biodiesel.org. The festival will also be providing hybrid vehicles for festival and artist transport.

Carbon Offsets

The nature of an international music festival creates the need for a LOT of travel.  All the plane, train, van, and car miles that bring bands and fans from around the globe contribute significantly to the pressing problem of climate change. One way to fight this is to purchase “carbon offsets” that help fund actual projects that reduce emissions causing climate change. Individuals, companies, and other groups can buy these carbon offsets.

PMF Artist Offsets

This year, we are buying carbon offsets to cover the travel of all our musicians.  Please consider purchasing your own!

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The 2011 Pitchfork Music Festival Lineup:

FRIDAY

Animal Collective

Neko Case

Guided By Voices

Thurston Moore

Battles

James Blake

Das Racist

Curren$y

tUnE-yArDs

Gatekeeper

EMA

SATURDAY

Fleet Foxes

DJ Shadow

The Dismemberment Plan

Destroyer

No Age

Gang Gang Dance

Zola Jesus

Twin Shadow

Toro Y Moi

Cold Cave

Wild Nothing

OFF!

G-Side

Woods

Sun Airway

Julianna Barwick

Chrissy Murderbot feat. MC ZULU

SUNDAY

TV on the Radio

Cut Copy

Deerhunter

Superchunk

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti

OFWGKTA

HEALTH

Kurt Vile and the Violators

Yuck

The Fresh & Onlys

Radio Dept.

Baths

Kylesa

Shabazz Palaces

Twin Sister

How to Dress Well

Darkstar

May 31, 2011 brings the highly anticipated debut release from Chicago rock band, Panther Style. The "¡Emergencia!" LP will be available on 180 gram vinyl, digital and CD formats, all including a cover of "Blind Eyes Open" by The Posies.

This project of heavy tasty pop was started by Chicago rock veterans Jeanne McClure, Al Rodis, Dan Lutger, & Melissa Koehl (Mary Tyler Morphine, Siderunners, Dyslexic Apaches, Reptoids) out of a mutual desire to make some beautifully catchy songs that rocked. Drawing influences from The Posies, Big Star, New Order, and U2, along with the seductive feel of in-your- face screaming tube amps and chest pounding bass from The Cult, Fugazi and Failure, their sound brings a refreshing blend of sweet melodies and thick distorted guitars all held together with an air-tight driving rhythm.

"¡Emergencia!" was recorded at B-Side Audio in Chicago with Neal Ostrovsky on a 16-track analog tape machine to capture the warm tones and genuine feel of the band's live sound. All of the music was recorded live with everyone in the same room. It was mastered with Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service. "Blind Eyes Open" was also released on the "Beautiful Escape" Posies cover compilation, by Burning Sky Records.

Soon after the formation of Panther Style, Dan and Melissa got hitched. Soon afterwards Dan and Jeanne jumped in to complete the rhythm section of Melissa's other established project, Reptoids. They brought a commanding presence to match Reptoids progression to a heavier sound and will be releasing the "Invasion" EP in the Summer of 2011.

You can learn more about Panther Style by visiting their website.

Santah was born with their feet planted in the ground and their heads in the clouds. Composed of guitarist/vocalist Stanton McConnell, drummer Steven Plock, bassist Otto Stuparitz, and Tommy Trafton on keyboards, the quintet met at the University of Illinois and with their debut full-length record, "White Noise Bed," they have assembled a kaleidoscopic opus whose reach extends far beyond the Midwest.

Recorded at the late Jay Bennett's Pieholden Studios, where the band found its niche among the studio's forbearers of psychedelic Americana, "White Noise Bed" has a yin and yang aesthetic: sometimes sunny and sometimes stormy, but always running on audible elation. The band takes its cues from the power pop greats of the 70's such as The Raspberries and The Cars, and dresses them in a twangy haze, full of clever, lyrical nooks and crannies ala Wilco and Whiskeytown.

After finishing the record last May, Stan's sister Vivian joined the band, adding her passionate vocals and thoughtful guitar. They have since been touring the country and building their cult following; performing multiple sets at CMJ, SXSW and the Pygmalion Music Festival, and sharing the stage with the likes of Surfer Blood, Cults, Margot and the Nuclear So and So's, Pomegranates and Young the Giant.

Santah isn't just something the listener hears, it's something they feel. Be it a tropical aura of relaxation, the bittersweet mystery of growing up, or the lulling memory of a past love, Santah creates an original sonic journey for all.

Download "No Other Woman" exclusively @ FilterMagazine.com!

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Santah Live

10-May Milwaukee, WI Cactus Club 11-May Des Moines, IA Vaudeville Mews
12-May Iowa, City, IA The Blue Moose Tap House
14-May Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
16-May St, Louis, MO Off Broadway
20-May Lexington, KY Cosmic Charlie's
21-May Chattanooga, TN Collective Warehouse
23-May Columbus, OH Rumba Café
24-May Detroit, MI Lager House
1-Jun Indianapolis, IN White Rabbit
3-Jun Pittsburgh 31st Street Pub
4-Jun New York City, NY Piano's *
7-Jun Brooklyn, NY Knitting Factory ^
8-Jun Cambridge, MA TT Bear's
10-Jun Charlottesville, VA Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
13-Jun Atlanta, GA Smith's Olde Bar
16-Jun Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge
17-Jun Champaign, IL Cowboy Monkey
18-Jun Chicago, IL Beat Kitchen

* = w/ The Dig and Dinosaur Bones
^ = w/ Brian Bonz and Stationary Set