Baltimore’s Lower Dens have just offered up a download of their new song. The facebook update also mentions a new forthcoming album. Jana Hunter and company will be playing the Pyramid Scheme on March 7.

From NPR: The music of Lower Dens is dark but spacious and hypnotic, with swaths of feedback and echoing guitars. At the heart is Jana Hunter, a Texas-born, Baltimore-based singer and songwriter whose delicate voice haunts every song.

Tickets.

For an extended preview – watch/listen to the NPR Tiny Desk Concert below:

Wilco recently stopped by the NPR offices to perform as part of their always enjoyable Tiny Desk Concert series.

Setlist:

“Dawned On Me”

“Whole Love”

“Born Alone”

“War On War”

As previously mentioned Wilco released The Whole Love in September and is available here.

They’ll be playing The Fillmore in Detroit on December 10 – but unfortunately it’s already sold out.

Boo. Hiss.

As previously mentioned – you can go enjoy Mr Palomo and company’s forthcoming album Era Extraña here.

Or you can pick it up on Tuesday September 13.

Thanks AudioPerv.

NPR is offering up a stream of some forthcoming gems:

A.A. Bondy – Believers(9/13)

Neon Indian – Era Extraña(9/13)

St. Vincent – Strange Mercy(9/13)

Looks like you better save your nickels for next Tuesday.

NPR is offering up a stream of Beirut’s The Rip Tide until its release on August 30th.

Check out a review from this months Recoil.

Mr. Condon’s tour starts tomorrow in support of The Rip Tide which includes a date in Royal Oak.

Listen/Download:
Beirut – Santa Fe
Beirut – East Harlem

A.A. Bondy will be releasing his latest album Believers on September 13 via Fat Possum Records.

You can head over to NPR to hear the first single ‘The Heart Is Willing’.

Also – check out our Front Porch Fridays segment featuring Mr. Bondy.

Chris Bathgate appeared on NPR’s World Cafe today. There he and his band performed several tracks off of one of 2011′s best Salt Year.

Listen to the show and then watch the Halfway House Session:

Watch:

Mr Bathgate plays both the Midwest Fest(Mount Pleasant) and the Boiling Pot Festival(Kzoo) later this Summer.

But you can catch him before that when he returns to Grand Rapids on August 18th – playing @ Billy’s with The Wallace Collective and The Spinning Leaves.

He also has a date(August 16th) @ the Magic Stick in Detroit with fellow Halfway House alum Paleface.

Chris Bathgate on Facebook.

Photo by Andy McLeod.

When the Salt Tour with Chris Bathgate Samantha Crain and Hezekiah Jones came through the grand land – we had the pleasure of hosting ALL three for a Halfway House Session.

This is Chris Bathgate’s.

Bathgate was touring in support of his recently released/critically acclaimed album Salt Year – which will be on our ‘Best of 2011′ list @ years end. He’s already receiving mid-year praise from NPR and its listeners.

From Quite Scientific:

Salt Year continues where A Cork Tale Wake left off: slow and deliberate. . .a cacophony of ambient sounds. . .bleeding out with lyrical imagery delivered in the heartfelt vocal tone so many have come to know Chris Bathgate for. But, it quickly gains velocity, gets loud, embraces confrontation, and shows a more fully realized songwriter learning not to pull any punches. Instead of gently tugging at the heartstrings, it unabashedly tears at them. It addresses the darkest parts of relationships and ends with catharsis.

Listen/Download:

Chris Bathgate – Time – Halfway House Sessions
Chris Bathgate – Fur Curled on the Sad Road – Halfway House Sessions

Watch:

Mr Bathgate has some East Side date’s coming up as well as gigs @ both the Midwest Fest(Mount Pleasant) and the Boiling Pot Festival(Kzoo).

Chris Bathgate on Facebook.

For those of you yet to hear Bon Iver’s new album Bon Iver, Bon Iver – NPR Music is offering up a chance to stream it until the release on June 21st.

NPR is offering up a first listen to what are sure to be two of the better/best albums of 2011.

If you haven’t researched and located a copy of Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues(out May 3) yet – here is your chance to listen to the groups sophomore release.

One of our most anticipated releases this year is The Antlers Burst Apart(out May 10). Their SXSW show – which they played the entire album front to back – only made us more hungry for a taste. This is the follow up to the hauntingly beautiful Hospice. Listen here.

P.S. Don’t forget your headphones.