If you have a ReverbNation account (or are willing to get one) and are a fan of Lal Meri (or are willing to become one), the band would like to reward you by giving you a free download of their song, “Dreams Of 18.”

True, you do have to jump through a few hoops to get the song, but we’re in a recession and the band is still encouraging you to steal their music. And “Dreams Of 18″ is a decent song, especially if you factor in the fact that it’s free.

Download the track at reverbnation.com/lalmeri or make friends with Lal Meri at myspace.com/lalmeri.

Their debut album is set to be released February 17^th.

(photo by Nancy Walters)

→ Ben Kweller’s Newest Studio Album Comes With A Dinner and a Movie Poster….

Ben Kweller‘s album, Changing Horses, will be released on Tuesday, February 3^rd. If you pre-order the album before Tuesday, every order you make will count as a contest entry. The grand prize winner of the contest will be invited to eat dinner with Ben Kweller. Apparently price range and location have yet to be determined, but we’re guessing people aren’t entering the contest solely for a shot at a free lobster dinner.

In the video currently posted on his official website, Ben introduces us to Changing Horses and offers a contest rundown:

It feels really good to the touch.
You can’t go wrong.

→ Mates Of State Hit the Road With Black Kids…

Husband-and-wife duo Mates Of State recently announced their upcoming tour dates with Florida-based band, Black Kids!

04.02.09 Richmond, VA @ The National
04.04.09 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
04.05.09 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg
04.06.09 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
04.07.09 Boston, MA @ House of Blues
04.09.09 Montreal, QC @ Cabaret Musee Juste Pour Rire
04.10.09 Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre
04.11.09 Chicago, IL @ Metro
04.12.09 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
04.13.09 Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club
04.15.09 Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater
04.17.09 Seattle, WA @ Neumos
04.18.09 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
04.19.09 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
04.20.09 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
04.21.09 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
04.23.09 Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater
04.24.09 Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
04.25.09 Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse
04.27.09 Dallas, TX @ Granada
04.28.09 Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa
04.29.09 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live

For ticket information, visit matesofstate.com/tour.

→ Stalk Our Every Move…

We have a Twitter account! We’ll be using it for evil random news, updates, and general tomfoolery, so be sure to follow us as soon as possible.

If you really, really like us, you can even arrange to have updates sent to your phone! (Not recommended if you don’t have an unlimited text messaging plan or if you really just don’t like us very much.)

—–

Happy February, everyone!

xoxo,
Audioholic Media

It’s almost impossible to read through an interview about the Black Kids without seeing the words buzz and hype. So let’s just get those out of the way now:

Buzz. And hype.

A five-piece band from Jacksonville, Florida comprised of three guys, two girls, two siblings, five friends, and two black people, the Black Kids got their big push after playing the Athens Popfest last summer. The performance garnered an eruption of media coverage for the band, who spent the following year booking tour dates and building a fanbase with only their four song EP, The Wizard Of Ahhhs, to show for themselves.

With this summer’s release of their first album, Partie Traumatic, the Black Kids have proven that their music can live up to all of the media attention buzz (and hype) without taking itself too seriously or sacrificing whatever it is they do that makes you wanna dance your ass off.

Audioholic Media: A lot of your popularity has been (notably) born from articles on blogs and discussions in Internet music communities, but the blogger community can sometimes tend to run very hot and cold, championing bands when no one knows them then dropping them as soon as they achieve some level of popularity. Have you experienced that since last year?

Bassist, Owen Holmes: That’s exactly what we’ve experienced.

AM: In what way has being the-band-that-everyone-feels-like-they’ve-discovered altered your perception of the music industry?

OH: Well, I guess I’ve realized that it’s a little more cutthroat than I thought. But for the most part, I understand why the game is the way it is. It’s human nature to want to find something nice and keep it to yourself, and then back away from it once everyone else finds out about it. I’m guilty of it myself. Then I realize what I’m doing and realize that it’s stupid. Take the group Fleet Foxes, for instance– I was put off because everyone raves about them, Pitchfork posts an effusive review of their album, etc., and so I don’t give them a chance. But I bought their record last week, and I absolutely love it and can’t stop listening to it.

AM: I’ve read that after the Athens Popfest, a lot of record companies were in a race to get Black Kids on their labels. Up to that point, you’d done everything on your own. What ultimately made you decide to sign with (U.S. label) Columbia Records?

OH: We felt most comfortable with their peeps, they have a great history (Dylan, Springsteen, et al), they’d just signed some great indie groups (MGMT, The Ting Tings), and they offered us a handsome sum (though not the most money, I might note).

AM: The music you create paints you as a fun, party band. I haven’t been able to catch your live show yet, so is that something you try to exemplify through your live set as well?

OH: As we’ve said before, ideally, we’d want everyone to forget we’re onstage and just have a party amongst themselves. Hopefully we achieve this to some degree.

AM: It’s no secret that you’re very well-received in the UK while you’re considered a bit “underground” here in the States. I once spoke to someone who noted that Americans take our music much more seriously; we use our music tastes as bragging rights whereas people in the UK listen to whatever makes them the most happy. Do you agree? Is there a notable difference between music fans in America and those in the UK?

OH: I hadn’t looked at it that way, and I wouldn’t disagree. The difference I have noticed is that American listeners are more scrupulous. They like their shit tight, whereas the Brits seem a bit more forgiving of a bum note or two.

Also, it seems to me that Americans are more inclined to appreciate the band as whole, whereas the Brits focus more intensely upon the “frontman.” (That’s the jaded bassist in me speaking.)

That said, the size of the city you’re playing– regardless of if it’s in the U.S. or the U.K.– has similar implications (i.e. audiences in bigger cities are typically more scrupulous, etc.).

AM: You garnered a lot of recognition very quickly. Does being considered an “indie band” at home make the process feel any more or less legitimate for you?

OH: That doesn’t matter so much as knowing that we’re generally “indie,” in that we’ve always called the shots when it comes to the music, we come up with our own ideas, we work our asses off, etc.

AM: Musically you are a straightforward pop band but your lyrics lean more toward the abstract. Is that a conscious dichotomy for you?

OH: I guess that’s how we’ve managed to straddle the line between being an indie band and a credible pop band– generally our music and melodies are immediately accessible, but the lyrics are often a bit off (i.e. perverse, witty, etc.). I suppose this speaks to our influences. Morrissey comes to mind.

AM: Your tour schedule looks pretty hectic until March. Do you have any plans once you’re back from Europe?

OH: Two weeks of rest over Thanksgiving, then a week or so of U.S. holiday shows, then Japan, then home for Christmas, then Australia in January, then a Kaiser Chiefs support tour in the U.K.

AM: Why are you called Black Kids? I’m kidding. I would never make you have to answer that… again.

OH: Bless your heart.

—–

Partie Traumatic is currently available on iTunes.
Visit the official Black Kids website at blackkidsmusic.com.
Also find the Black Kids on MySpace at myspace.com/blackkidsrock.

Hello there!

First things first: Butch Walker premiered his new video for the song “The Weight Of Her” over on Amazon.
His album is still being very well-received here at Audioholic Media, particularly the tracks “Here Comes The…” (duet with Pink), “ATL”, and “A Song For the Metalheads”.
Rock on, Butch.
(Watch the video here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/mPS63GPJDZPRM.)

So we just posted a new Expose Yourself feature. And! [tweenage squeal] We got Southern California-based singer-songwriter Kristi Jo to write it for us.

She’s great.
Find your way to her MySpace page and listen to “Carry On” immediately.

It’s really exciting to hear someone discuss the things they’re most passionate about. And we are especially passionate about music, so it’s, uh… special (I tried to think of a less sappy word. Nothing came to mind.) to share that with someone.
… And to then be able to share that with you.

Our list of people we’re complete groupie messes for is long.
You don’t always have to agree, we just like giving you the option of making your own opinion.
If your brother’s uncle’s third cousin has a band who rocks especially hard, feel free to let us know.
We like new music just as much as the next guy.

At some point sooner than later this week, we will be posting our interview with the band Black Kids.
From what we understand, they are not interested in teaching your boyfriend how to dance with you.

xoxo,
Audioholic Media