It's All Happening: Divine Fits Single, Record Release, and Tour

We'll be the first to admit: we've been remiss in covering the emergence of Divine Fits from studio project into real-life band, but now the time has come. Not only has the Daniel/Boeckner supergroup dropped their first legitimate single, but they've also delivered artwork for their full-length (above), and scheduled something of a mini-tour. And, frankly, we couldn't be more excited.

The single, which is available online or as a pretty vinyl 7", is fronted by the Boeckner-sung track "My Love Is Real". While it is sonically similar to Handsome Furs in both vocal approach and it's synth-laden identity, it also features hints of Daniel backing vocals on the chorus, and syncopated beats that are the Spoon frontman's hallmark. The track's b-side, "I Was Born In A Laundromat" is unquestionably a Daniel-led affair, reminiscent of the first two Spoon records in both production quality, and writing style.

In addition to these two tracks, Merge has also delivered the Daniel-fronted album cut "Would That Not Be Nice". It's nearly impossible to hear this tune and not think of Spoon's cover of "Don't You Evah". That being said, it seems that Daniel has taken on some of Boeckner's vocal reverb and synths for the track, as well as a slightly more clean spacious production approach. It definitely works, and it's a clear example of how this collaboration serves both artists' quite well.

In addition to all of this exciting new material, the band has lined up an end-of-summer tour, and is hitting both coasts, as well as a few spots in between. Tickets for the Music Hall Of Williamsburg show go on-sale tomorrow at noon.

While there are, of course, no guarantees in life, we've got a good feeling about this one. And, despite the fact that we've only heard three tracks, they're sounding damn good (stream all below). If they're any indication of what's to come, this is going to be a record, and a tour, to remember.

Divine Fits Summer/Fall 2012 Dates
AUG 03 2012 Montreal, QC at Il Motore
AUG 05 2012 Chicago, IL at Schubas
AUG 06 2012 Columbus, OH at Ace of Cups
AUG 09 2012 Salt Lake City, UT at Twilight Concert Series
AUG 14 2012 Los Angeles, CA at The Bootleg
AUG 30 2012 Seattle, WA at The Crocodile
SEP 05 2012 Toronto, ON at Lee's Palace
SEP 09 2012 Brooklyn, NY at Music Hall of Williamsburg
OCT 14 2012 San Francisco, CA at Treasure Island Music Festival

Britt Daniel Played SoundFix Records - Photos, Setlist, Review

After Thursday night's Mercury Lounge show, Britt Daniel of Spoon stuck around to do an in-store at SoundFix Records in Brooklyn. Our pal Chris Goldberg reported back to us, and had this to say:

"The crowd started lining up a little before 5 PM for the 7 PM show. By 7 it was around the block and not everyone could get in (the record store is TINY). Britt showed around 6 for a quick sound check coming in through the crowd and the doors opened at 6:30. It was extremely intimate with the crowd standing literally right next to Britt. It was technically not an acoustic show... he accompanied himself on an electric Gibson and sounded very impressive despite the lack of a band. Part of that has to be because of "Hot Pockets," Spoon's extremely talented sound tech was there knob-twisting away. Britt seems to love "Hot Pockets" - he mentioned him recently on NPR and even gave him a shout out in the middle of one of the songs.

It was a short 4 song set:
The Mystery Zone
Written in Reverse
The Beast And Dragon, Adored
I Summon You

Britt chatted a little, talking about how he had once lived in the same building as the Sound Fix record store for three months. But he joked "he could never make it as a Yankee." He was extremely gracious to all the fans. Signing records afterwards by writing "Thank you! Britt Daniel" on most of them. He seemed genuinely happy to be there. Right after he ran off down the street to join the Haiti benefit where he played 3 songs including a cover, Who Makes Your Money, and I Summon You with the drummer from the White Rabbits. "Hot Pockets" made an appearance there as well, wearing a "Hot Pockets" t-shirt."

We have to say, that given Britt's solo shows we've managed to catch in the past, we're not exactly surprised that this went so well. The man can certainly hold an audience. Still, always nice to hear about such a solid fan experience to boot!

Photos by Chris Goldberg

Britt Daniel: "Let Me Roll It!!"

Years ago, far away from hit records and sold out shows, Britt Daniel was just a dude home-recording tape cassettes and being interviewed by his little brother. Even way back then, Daniel was putting cover songs on his records (okay, tapes), and one of our favorites is "Let Me Roll It!!".

The tune, from the Drake Tungsten-alias tape Clocking Out Is For Suckers, is a far more fuzzed out and lo-fi take on Paul McCartney's original. True to Daniel's other covers, it takes some sonic liberties. He manages to make the song completely his own. And, as always seems to be the case with Spoon, we, like, totally heart it to the max.

Check it out below, compare and contrast, enjoy.

mp3: Wings - Let Me Roll It
mp3: Drake Tungsten (Britt Daniel) - Let Me Roll It!!

A Little One Man AC DC For Your Afternoon

Caught this over at Digg, and we have to say we're impressed. Apparently it's the multi-talented Matt Mahaffey who (from what he says at the end of the clip) was opening for Britt Daniel. Our guess is that this is from the April 2004 show at Spaceland, with Mahaffey billed as sELF. While we do agree with the YouTube comments that he sounds a bit Jack White-ish, that does nothing to change the fact that this clip is simply...awesome.

New Britt Daniel Goodness

Britt Daniel played a solo show up North in Portland, and debuted three new tunes. We're not sure if the presence of Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss is indicative of the beginnings of the oft-rumored Britt Daniel solo project, but we'd guess not. In the past new tunes have debuted with Daniel solo, and wound up on Spoon records. Regardless, one of the songs, entitled "Who Backs Your Money?", is available for download. To our ears, it has some of the flavor of Spoon's cover of the Yo La Tengo tune "Decora" (which, if you're wondering, is a good thing). You can check out more video and mp3s over at the original post from The Sly Oyster. Thanks to Stereogum for pointing it out...

UPDATE: Another video of one of the new songs, this one much higher quality, from Dave Allen:




Spoon plays three nights at the Fillmore the week after next.

mp3: Britt Daniel - Who Backs Your Money? (Yousendit, click through)

Britt Daniel Solo MP3's Arrive

You may recall that last week we posted some sweet videos of Britt Daniel playing at The Belly Up. Well, some kind soul has managed to put audio from the show online at archive.org, and it sounds great! One of the oft-mentioned "boom box" shows, the set is Britt Daniel accompanied by a prerecorded boom box percussion track. It includes two new songs, as well as a pair of covers by Wolf Parade and The La's. All in all, a great, great, set. Check out the mp3's below - click through to archive.org for lossless audio.

1) Everything Hits At Once
2) Lines In The Suit
3) I Summon You
4) New Song (New York Kiss)
5) Something To Look Forward To / Metal Detektor
6) Modern World (Wolf Parade cover)
7) Don't Make Me A Target
8) The Delicate Place
9) I Am The Key
10) Stay Don't Go
11) New Song
12) Anything You Want
13) Chicago At Night
14) The Way We Get By
15) They Never Got You
16) Black Like Me
17) The Underdog
18) Fitted Shirt
19) The Beast And Dragon Adored
20) Paper Tiger

Britt Daniel Live At The Belly Up (New Songs, Etc.)

Some kind soul has gone and posted a bunch of live videos from Britt Daniel's solo show on Saturday night at the Belly Up in SoCal. In addition to the new (and frankly, great) song in the video above, there are 7 other similarly high quality vids if you click through the link. Here's hoping we get to hear some of the new material at The Fillmore in September...Yes, we're going all three nights.

Update: Pitchfork has photos, complete with snarky utensil-based jokes.

Britt Daniel Remixes Feist

(Image Of Britt w/ Bass Guitar from HAD's flickr feed)

We finally got our hands on Feist's (who also has a brand new website up and running) latest batch of remixes, and we were quite pleased to see one from Mr. Britt Daniel. The Spoon front man took liberties with the latest Feist-y single "I Feel It All", and the results are definitely diggable. If we're not mistaken, the remix has some new audio to it - and it sounds like Mr. Daniel himself is playing that big bass guitar on the front end of the track.

In other news, Spoon has taken the other end of the stick as well, and is releasing an EP chock full o' remixes this Spring. The band is touring on the release, but no SF date has been announced. We'll let you know. In the meantime....

mp3: Feist - I Feel It All (Britt From Spoon Remix)

Video: Britt Daniel In Chicago

So, over New Year's the city of Chicago was treated to our dream lineup for '07: The Sea and Cake opening for Spoon. We missed it, and we're just a tad bitter. Ah, well.

Anyway, while Spoon was in Chi-town Britt Daniel managed to stop in at the show of musician/producer Jon Brion and sit in on a couple of songs: Daniel played the Brion-produced "The Underdog" from Spoon's latest, as well as a group throwdown on The Beatles' "I Feel Fine". Some kind soul managed to tape it, so here you go!

See What Britt Daniel Likes

Myspace music has roped in Spoon frontman Britt Daniel to sum up his year-end music picks. Singles, albums, performances, the real deal. So, head and check out the vids here.

Yes, our year-end picks are coming as well. Be patient young padawan.