Hello rockers,

Pack the sunscreen and the hoodie, its time to road trip to a summer festival or two. Or five. Before Coachella started in 1999, my big complaint was that the U.S. didn't have any festivals, and Europe had all the fun. Times have changed! With the success of Coachella, festivals are springing up everywhere. Now you'd have to try pretty hard to NOT attend a festival this summer. Here's a quick rundown of some notables:

June 12-15: BONNAROO [bonnaroo.com] in Manchester, Tennessee. The only festival to snag Pearl Jam and Metallica. Best and greenest festival grounds.

July 18-20: PITCHFORK [pitchforkmusicfestival.com] in Chicago, Illinois. For the hippest of the hip. Friday night kickoff features heritage bands playing their classic albums live: Public Enemy "It Takes A Nation Of Millions ...", Sebadoh "Bubble & Scrape", and Mission Of Burma "Vs". Many awesome indie bands follow on Saturday and Sunday.

August 1-3: LOLLAPALOOZA [lollapalooza.com] in Chicago, Illinois. Blockbuster lineup of Radiohead, Rage Against The Machine, Nine Inch Nails, Kanye West, Wilco, Raconteurs and a Love and Rockets reunion.

August 8-9: NEW AMERICAN MUSIC UNION [http://www.ae.com/web/77e/music/festival.jsp] in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Disclaimer: I worked on this festival with HUM clients American Eagle Outfitters, but I'm going to brag on it anyways. Anthony Kiedis curated this lineup of Bob Dylan, The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley, Spoon, The Black Keys, The Roots, and more. Special feature: 15 unsigned college bands on the second stages.

August 8-10: ALL POINTS WEST [apwfestival.com] in Jersey City, New Jersey. From the folks that invented Coachella. Radiohead is the highlight but it drops off in blockbuster appeal after that, although Underworld, Kings Of Leon, Cat Power, and Secret Machines are worth arriving early for.

August 22-24: OUTSIDE LANDS [outsidelandssf.com] in San Francisco, California. A striking debut in Golden Gate Park with a worldly lineup that includes Radiohead, Beck, the Black Keys, Manu Chao, Tom Petty, Cafe Tacuba, Wilco, Lupe Fiasco, M Ward, plus art exhibits.

September 26-28: ACLFEST in Austin, Texas [aclfest.com] Killer lineup if you can take the heat, or you missed all the other festivals. Foo Fighters, David Byrne, Conor Oberst and about a zillion others.

HEY -- All you freelance composers and unsigned bands-- HUM is actively trolling for talented freelance composers and unsigned bands to add to our freelance roster. Have you worked in the commercial music arena, or just always wanted to?? Now's your chance....Email us or get us some demos and let's see what ya got!! All genres and styles of music welcome...

Vampire Weekend at The Metro
Review by Galen Graham, DDB Chicago


A great show by Vampire Weekend! They opened with "Mansford Roof" and closed with "Oxford Comma" and "Walcott". The band sounded really good and wanted to impress. They had played Schubas (a great tiny venue) at the beginning of the year but "graduated" to the Metro for this show. The Metro is such a good venue because it has a wide stage but is a relatively shallow room so the whole crowd is engaged. It was SO hot, packed in on the floor, that we made our way up to the balcony where we reclaimed a little personal space. Of course, they only have the one album so the set was pretty short, despite playing two new songs. It's always unfortunate when the crowd wants more and the band says "What can we do, we've played all our songs ..." Maybe they'll have a few more new tunes in time for the Pitchfork Festival.

For over a decade, Tricia Halloran has given listeners an incredible, eclectic, and energizing array of the best new music around-- on her killer KCRW-FM radio program BRAVE NEW WORLD. This month, we are very exited to announce that Tricia is bringing her trademark show to HUM... and Radio HUM is on the air!

Now featuring exclusive, fresh broadcasts of Brave New World-- dropped straight into your iTunes (or whatever player you use, PC dude)-- just visit our website at www.humit.com to connect to Radio HUM and be reminded of how great it is to discover new music and artists!

NEW SHOW EVERY TWO WEEKS!

Daniel Lanois' "Here Is What Is"
Review by Luke Adams, HUM Composer

Last night, March 28, 2008, inside the beautiful Vista theatre on the east side of Los Angeles, a sold out crowd witnessed a moving and inspirational exhibition of musicianship and artistry.

With the Los Angeles premiere of Daniel Lanois' new film "Here Is What Is", the audience of east-side hipsters, musicians, artists, and just plain music lovers were given a rare glimpse into the creative process of one of today's most influential music-makers.

The film was preceded by a short live performance on the stage in front of the screen by Lanois and some of his cohorts in the film. The artist played a brief set that included his more well known selections The Maker, and The Messenger as well as a few songs featured in the film. With his vintage Les Paul Gold Top and Vox amp, Lanois displayed his unique guitar style with spirit and enthusiasm. A surprise ending came in the form of Lanois and drummer Brian Blade playing soft but intense, behind a sitting Billy Bob Thornton- reprising his monologue from Sling Blade.

Although considered a "serious" artist, there was an air of lightheartedness in the room, with Lanois cracking jokes in between songs, and personally addressing his friends in the audience.

The film was thoroughly enjoyable. In the beginning, a seated Lanois is talking to his friend (and fellow genius) Brian Eno. Lanois states that he is trying to make a film about where the "art" comes from, and not the end result itself. He asks if Eno can say something about that. Eno replies, "…what would be really interesting for people to see is how beautiful things grow out of s**t." He goes on to explain that great pieces of work, very often come from nothing, and that it is the process of starting from there and experimenting to try and make it better that is important for people to see. This experimentation, very often, creates inspiration, which fuels the process. And like a snowball effect, in the end you have something called art.

When the film was over, I realized how much this aesthetic was the basis of its theme. The entire film was a portrait of the artist, Daniel Lanois, letting his guard down and showing us that the power to create is within us all.

I Want My Studio HUM!!!!

studioHUM = new tracks recorded by unsigned artists in our studio.

With the A&R talents of underground club junkies Alex Kemp and Tricia Halloran, and a track record of tapping into the next big thing, HUM after-hours is turning into the hippest place in town for indie bands to lay down great tracks.

Working with Alex, each band/artist records one of their own full-length original songs, and one cover. All cool to listen to. Serious licensing possibilities. Coincidence? We think not.

Fresh artists + our studio + coffee robot = studioHUM

www.iwantmystudioHUM.com

CHECK IT!!

Sometimes i have a record sitting in my stack and I just keep passing it over without listening. Such was the case with the new They Might Be Giants cd. Sometimes I start to take a band for granted when they've been around for so long! Also, they can be a little, well, silly. Well, I'm glad I finally got around to putting this in. Stupendous! Amazing! Killer hooks, great songs, they put the Rock back in TMBG. I highly recommend a listen. This is what a good record sounds like. The songs crack me up, and not in a stupid way. In a literate, smart yet goofy way. It will make you smile.
~tricia

Tons of stuff going down at HUM... Let the HUMblog commence!!

Hail fellow lovers of fine music,

Ten things you should know this month:

1. The new White Stripes album is fantastic. This is not debatable. Do not allow anyone to debate it.
2. The new Spoon album is very good, but it is not their best. That honor is still reserved for "Kill The Moonlight". This is subjective and very open to debate.
3. The new Mooney Suzuki record borrows heavily from Jerry Lee Lewis, the Beatles and many other rock ancestors, but its so good I just don't care. Anybody that can make a lyric like "on your iTunes Bright Eyes has the high play count" is gold with me. You've got to hear it to believe it.
4. There's several dark and prickly bands on this month's compilation, namely The Maccabees, Handsome Furs, The National, and The High Strung. They're edgy, not very poppy, and they have weird vocals but they're all highly recommended. Y'know those bands you just love more every time you play the record? Those are these bands.
5. The Handsome Furs are a side project from the lead singer of Wolf Parade. But it doesn't sound like Wolf Parade. It sounds like a darker version of Elbow. If these references don't help you, think Postal Service with David Byrne-ish vocals.
6. The seventh track on this month's compilation, "I Shall Be Free" by Kid Beyond, is constructed ENTIRELY of sounds he made with his mouth. Seriously.
7. Ryan Adams can write rings around anyone I know. His new record is sweet, vulnerable, gorgeous, and well worth owning.
8. I love every song on the new Kelly Willlis album. It is not, however, recommended for anybody that is still pining away for an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, because it will take you straight to that place where you think you'll never ever get over it. So use with caution.
9. HUM is having a kick-ass, take your clothes off and dance all night party on July 19. The inimitable Mocean Worker from NYC will be DJing. There will be no watching, only dancing. Kid Beyond, the Jimi Hendrix of beatboxing, will be opening and he will blow your mind. You are invited. If you did not recieve an invite in the email, and you wish to attend, please contact me immediately.
10. HUM is a record label now. Well, I'm exaggerating slightly. But we are bringing totally cool bands into the HUM Studios to record their original music, and some covers, with our new Associate Creative Director Alex Kemp. The cover of "Fever" by Meiko that kicks off the compilation is an example of the fine work he's been cooking up in his lab. You can check the tracks out on our website at: humit.com

my picks for July:
(song-artist-album)
Fever - Meiko - StudioHUM
Rhthm & Soul - Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
You Never Really Wanted To Rock'n'Roll - The Mooney Suzuki - Have Mercy
The Golden State - John Doe - A Year In The Wilderness
Rag & Bone - The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Mistaken For Strangers - The National - Boxer
I Shall Be Free - Kid Beyond - Amplivate
First Love - The Maccabees - Colour It In
Shake Ya Boogie (Featuring Steve Bernstein) - Mocean Worker - CINCO DE MOWO!
Handsome Furs Hate This City - Handsome Furs - Plague Park
Two - Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
Nobody Wants To Go To The Moon Anymore - Kelly Willis - Translated From Love
People In Love - Art Brut - It's a Bit Complicated
Slowdown - The High Strung - Get The Guests