When The Lights Go Down In The City

Pull out your wallets because we'd like to tell you about a few new records that you should consider buying.

The Herms celebrate their new CD Record Machine (out May 23rd) early tonight at Great American with Loquat and The Husbands, so head down to congratulate them and get your hands on an advance copy of the CD before it's out in stores. We haven't heard their record yet, but we trust our friend Nick who runs their label Jackpine Social Club, and you should too. The Court and Spark's record release show is on May 12th (watch for a giveaway and interview next week) but you can catch them for free this Sunday at a 2pm live performance at Amoeba. To us, their new album Hearts (out now on Absolutely Kosher) sounds like a favorite album dusted off and discovered from a different decade. MC Taylor's weathered voice and timeless songwriting will make you swear you already know the record by heart.

Ane Brun CD This Tuesday night Starlight Mints return to celebrate their latest, Drowaton, out on Barsuk Records. They're playing their "bubblegum psych" pop at Bottom of the Hill with opener dios (malos). Also on Tuesday Norwegian songstress Ane Brun releases her acclaimed album A Temporary Dive here in the US. She's huge in Norway, winning a Spellemannsprisen (their Grammy) for Female Artist 2005, but us Americans are just now catching on. She's playing the Mission Creek Music and Arts Festival on May 14th, so get a copy of her record early and you can be in the know by next week. RIYL Cat Power, Jolie Holland or Fiona Apple.

We're giving away two copies of Ane Brun's CD, so enter to win. (Contest ends 5/10, winner will be notified via email.)

The Secret Machines bring their big rock to the Independent on Saturday and on Monday you have your choice of scenes with Goldfrapp at the Fillmore or Destroyer at Cafe Du Nord. On Tuesday we know you're going to Helen Reddy's reading and book-signing for "The Woman I Am (ROAR)" at Booksmith. OK we threw the (ROAR) in there ourselves, it's not really in the title. Ms. Reddy had fourteen Top 40 hits from '70-78, including the most innocuous-sounding soft rock feminist anthem ever "I Am Woman", so show some respect.

Aloha On Wednesday we're hoping to see Aloha at Bottom of the Hill with Foreign Born and 14 Mission. Preview their cerebral, celebratory, proggy, melodic songs here and buy their new record Some Echoes that just came out.

Homework:
Listen to The Court and Spark here.
Download Starlight Mints "Inside of Me"
Listen to Ane Brun's song jukebox (Check out her duet with Ron Sexsmith on "Song No. 6")
Listen to Aloha's "Your Eyes".