We’re proud to announce that Joshua James’ “Build Me This” has debuted at #1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts! The Record is also climbing the iTunes Top 100 Albums @ #43!

You can buy it HERE

We are happy to report Joshua James’ 2nd record, “Build Me This” is officially in the pipeline set for imminent release. Joshua and crew start a National tour tonight in Seattle, WA and will be out on the road for the better part of 2009 visiting you good folks. Check here and Joshua’s website for tour dates.

“Build Me This” will be released on iTunes September 8th and is available for pre-order now. The iTunes version will include the video for “Weeds” and also comes with bonus tracks and a digital booklet. The vinyl edition was originally scheduled for a September 8th release, but due to some technical issues with the vinyl manufacturing process it will now be closer to September 22nd. The vinyl version comes with 2 LP’s, and a physical cd featuring all 18 songs! There is a bonus side on vinyl which Joshua is calling the “Sing Songs EP”.

The CD will be available in stores on September 22nd and comes with a 24 page booklet with lyrics and other goodies. The packaging is quite striking indeed! The updates will be coming frequently now, so keep checking in for the latest info.

Paste Magazine gave Joshua’s new record a 92 out of 100 “Phenomenal” review! Check it out here.

“Mantis Preying”, the first “official” release by Alvin Band, will be available on iTunes September 8th and is available for pre-order now. The album will be in stores on September 22nd! The record includes a bonus 6 song EP from an earlier bedroom recording that has come to be known as “Lady Portrait”.

While stationed in Phoenix, AZ during the recording of Miniature Tiger’s “Tell It To The Volcano”, (Rick is also a member of Modern Art/Epic act Miniature Tigers it should be noted) Rick holed up in a friend’s bathroom with a microphone and a Powerbook and went to town. The end result is the 9 song “vocal composition” coined “Mantis Preying”. By limiting the recording to body parts and vocal gymnastics, Rick began his first journey working with unlimited multi-track arrangements via Digidesign’s Pro Tools. Bjork’s “Medulla” served as the predominant inspiration behind Rick writing and layering vocals without the use of instruments.

The songs on “Mantis Preying” feature dense, layered, complicated arrangements that somehow weave a central melody and structure throughout the cacophony of ideas. This complex blend of rhythms and harmonies cannot seemingly come from one voice and one microphone. Though recorded under the constraints of “vocals only”, it projects a sum much larger than it’s parts, making use of the full sonic spectrum. The record is completed with the song “Mystery of the Yellow Room” paying tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber by combining a medley of themes from the “Phantom of the Opera”.

Vocal powerhouse Miss Lex Land and her band will be performing 3 songs on NBC’s “Last Call with Carson Daly” on Friday, June 26th. Set your DVR’s, TiVo’s, digital thingy’s, etc!

Her music has already graced the television airwaves on shows such as “Private Practice”, “Brothers and Sisters”, and “One Tree Hill.” Earlier this Spring on April 7th, Land made another notable appearance on KCRW’s venerable “Morning Becomes Eclectic”. This performance was recently released on May 5th as a “Live From KCRW” EP digitally on iTunes.

Lex and her band will perform “Could’ve Had Me”, “As Much As You Lead”, and “All We’ve Ever Done” on the Friday night edition of Carson Daly.

WHO: Lex Land
WHAT: Performing “Could’ve Had Me”, “As Much As You Lead”, and “All We’ve Ever Done” on “Last Call with Carson Daly”
WHEN: Friday/Saturday June 26th at 1:35 am

For those of you in the So Cal area: Venture up to the great, vibe-centric, little spot called Zoey’s Cafe in the beachside town of Ventura, CA.  Lex is playing there every Monday in May, and has some cool folks opening up for her.  Also check out this article about Lex in the Ventura County Star!

We’re proud to announce that iTunes will be releasing an exclusive Live EP for Lex Land on May 5th! The EP is from her recent appearance on air at KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic”. If you missed that original airing, peep it here: HERE

Lex Land and Roll The Tanks will both be in Austin, TX this year for SXSW! Check tour dates below and here for more info.

Roll The Tanks new video for “Police Me” just premiered on Fuse.tv. Check it out here!

Also, watch them perform live on FUEL TV here!!

Our sultry singer has garnered herself a few “Best of 2008″ nods for her debut album, “Orange Days on Lemon Street”.  Lex’s album is selected for the “Best of 2008″ in the iTunes Music Store’s, “singer-songwriter” category, along the likes of Bon Iver, She & Him, and Conor Oberst.  Not too shabby.  Also adding to this year’s chart topping list, Lex picked up the #2 slot for the top 10 albums of 2008 on the Womenfolk blog.  Here is what they had to say, “Lex Land was one of those discoveries you make and you’re so glad you did. Her debut album,Orange Days On Lemon Street, is a treasure trove of well-crafted songs, some intense and powerful, others served with a subtle, yet stinging delivery. I can’t wait to see what she does next.”

Roll The Tanks will be performing with Punk Rock Legends NOFX on February 6th, 2009 at The Henry Fonda in Los Angeles. Get Tickets here!!