Optical Atlas

The Late B.P. Helium (Bryan Poole from of Montreal) will be playing a rare live set on Friday, December 11th, at the Caledonia Lounge in Athens.  He’ll be opening for the Arcs.  Athens folks, mark your calendars.

I share with Still Flyin’ a deep and abiding passion for the month of October and the holiday of Halloween.  In honor of the single greatest week of the year, here’s Still Flyin’s video for “Good Thing It’s a Ghost Town Around Here,” from their album Never Gonna Touch the Ground.  (For those interested, I’ve also been trying to watch 31 horror films in 31 days, and writing about each at my new personal blog.)

Still Flyin’s “Good Thing It’s a Ghost Town Around Here,” from their album Never Gonna Touch the Ground, was recently featured on HBO’s Entourage.  Thanks to David Hugh for the tip.

Little Fyodor, one of the first artists to be released on the Elephant 6 Recording Company label, has a new album out, Peace is Boring.  You can order the CD here, or download it here.  He’s also featured, for the second time, in his own comic strip.

Umbrella Weather, the debut album from Laminated Cat, is out today from Garden Gate Records.  The cover art is by Will Cullen Hart (cat drawing) and Bill Doss (lettering), and the album was engineered by Craig Morris (Thee American Revolution).  Ordering info should be up shortly at the Garden Gate website.  My review is here.

Starting tomorrow, Athens welcomes a new pop festival: the Kindercore/Owl Scooters Hootenanny, which over three days and two venues (the Caledonia and the 40 Watt) will feature an impressive roster including Kindercore bands old and new.  Among those are a reunited Masters of the Hemisphere (I swoon!), which means, naturally, that offshoots Still Flyin’ and Je Suis France are playing as well.  Also reuniting for the festival: dance pop icons I Am the World Trade Center.  Plus the lovely Venice is Sinking, Ruby Isle, The Young Sinclairs, Maserati, The Agenda, Allison Weiss, and more.  Win a scooter, get a free scooter oil change, or just enjoy great music.

Still Flyin’ recently dropped by Daytrotter, and the session was posted yesterday, framed by Daytrotter’s Sean Moeller as the ideal summer band (appropriately). Thanks to Joe for the link.

You can download the session here.

Their debut album, Never Gonna Touch the Ground, is out now from the Ernest Jenning Record Co.

San Francisco’s pop supergroup Still Flyin’ has a new single out on Moshi Moshi Records, The Hott Chord is Struck (b/w “Like a Dog Chewing on His Favorite Bone”). But perhaps they harbor a true passion for Smashing Pumpkins?

Here are some U.S. hammjammin’ dates for September (note that the last is with Folklore):

09.19.09 Athens, GA @ 40 Watt (Kindercore/Owl Hootenanny)
09.20.09 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
09.21.09 Knoxville, TN @ Pilot Light
09.22.09 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
09.23.09 Washington, DC @ DC9
09.25.09 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
09.26.09 Boston, MA @ Cafe 939
09.27.09 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas

If you’re in Athens on Saturday, September 19th, stop by the 40 Watt for a superior musical lineup brought to you by Kindercore Records and Owl Scooters: Maserati headlines, with San Francisco supergroup Still Flyin’, the Young Sinclairs, Ruby Isle, Venice is Sinking, and The Yes of Course filling out the bill.  Doors open at 9.

Here’s the latest video from Still Flyin’, from their new single “The Hott Chord is Struck,” as well as the video for “Ryan’s Song” from Venice is Sinking.

Still Flyin’, who have released one of my favorite albums of the year with Never Gonna Touch the Ground, have announced more dates, including five with Love is All.  Observe:

5.08.09 Sacramento, CA @ Blue Lamp
5.09.09 San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord
6.08.09 Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s w/Love is All
6.09.09 Portland, OR @ Holocene w/Love is All
6.11.09 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of The Hill w/Love is All
6.12.09 Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex w/Love is All
6.13.09 San Diego, CA @ Casbah w/Love is All

Still Flyin’ and the brand new Folklore will be joining up on the East Coast next month for some shows.  (Still Flyin’ will also be hitting up a number of shows at SXSW.) Here are the dates:

Still Flyin’ & Folklore East Coast Tour Dates

04/03/09 Brooklyn, NY @ Union Hall
04/04/09 Boston, MA @ PA’s Lounge
04/05/09 New York, NY @ Cake Shop
04/06/09 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s