The Independent reviews Embarrassing Fruits' The First Time

http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=261741

While listening to The First Time EP, the Trekky Records debut from Chapel Hill trio Embarrassing Fruits, certain physical sensations drift in and out: There's the smell of a packed club in the summer heat, the feeling of wind rushing past your ears in a roofless car and the feeling of déjà vu. But this is a welcome sort of nostalgia, a re-simplification of indie rock that harkens to early '90s touchstones. Think Pavement on sedatives. Think Dinosaur Jr. without the feedback.

First Time begins with a reflection on wide-eyed, youthful dreams beset by the realities of the old world. Joe Norkus' guitar sits nicely between clean tones and distorted washes, drawing out chords alongside John Neville's simple rhythm, as bassist Lee Shaw takes the melody. The four songs mostly follow these same guidelines, but that sameness is largely a strength once you fall under the EP's spell.

"Bicycle" is an internal monologue about the aimlessness of youth and the perils of expressing one's own personality. "We've all got our own songs/ in our heads/ but we go to the show/ and we pretend to listen," sings Norkus. Such universal sentiments highlight the band's restrained confidence. That is, even while Embarrassing Fruits twists its collective arm toward a genre that's moved mostly beyond these sounds, the trio puts enough of its own stamp and spirit on these songs to put you proudly in that old place.

Embarrassing Fruits releases The First Time EP at Local 506 Friday, Aug. 1, at 9:30 p.m. with a free show. Hammer No More the Fingers and Opening Flower Happy Bird open.

The Physics of Meaning has a new Album

The Physics of Meaning is Daniel Hart, member of St. Vincent and John Vanderslice's band. Daniel has written an amazing concept album called Snake Charmer and Destiny at the Stroke of Midnight that we will be releasing (with Daniel's own Bu Hanan Records) exactly 2 months from today.

The album tells the story of a serpent who wants desperately to become a human being, set against a backdrop of magical forests, wishing wells, a king's army and the hypnotic melodies of the last real snake charmer on earth. The album was recorded by Mark Paulson (Bowerbirds, The Rosebuds) and features contributions from Annie Clark (St. Vincent), Adam Baker (Annuals) and members of Megafaun and Des Ark. Cop the album 09.16.08 but listen to a free song right now!:

MP3 | The Physics of Meaning - Aeroplanes and Hurricanes [from the Snake Charmer and Destiny at the Stroke of Midnight LP]

Lost in the Trees has a new LP

We are happy to announce the release of the newest album from everyone's favorite folk orchestra, Lost in the Trees. The new record is called All Alone in an Empty House and it is an intensely personal collection of classical/folk songs concerning traumatic relationships with parents and family.
Recorded by Ryan Pickett (My Morning Jacket) and lead tree Ari Picker, the album will be released in one all-encompassing super format featuring a vinyl record, compact disc and digital download. We are thrilled to bring you this package and hope that it will become the new standard format for music lovers, starting 09.09.08. We'll reveal more details soon, for now enjoy "Fireplace" from the new record:

MP3 | Lost in the Trees - "Fireplace" [from the All Alone in an Empty House LP]

Video: Trekky Records Office Flood Disaster AGAIN!

Back in 2006, when our office was in Carrboro, NC, someone in our building accidentally busted a water pipe and it started raining inside. We thought that would be the last of our large-amounts-of-water-inside worries, but we were wrong. Over the Independence Day weekend, Free Masons and The Weather Channel conspired once again to strike us with a minimal-damage flood to our office space. We put together a little video chronicling the aftermath:

The Never announce Summer Tour

The Never are back to their second home (the road) for the next few months, which means they're probably coming to a town near you. Prepare to hear a whole lot of The Never's upcoming followup to Antarctica, tentatively set for a February 2009 release.

All dates:

07-10 Wilmington, NC - The Whiskey*
07-11 Charleston, SC - The Pour House*
07-12 Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern*
07-13 Charlotte, NC - Snug Harbor*
07-14 Athens, GA - Tasty World*
07-15 Nashville, TN - The Basement
07-16 Bloomington, IN - Bear's Place
07-17 Bowling Green, KY - Bread and Bagel
07-18 Kansas City, MO - Korruption
07-19 Manhattan, KS - Edesia's Bakery
07-24 Des Moines, IA - Vaudville Mews
07-26 Chicago, IL - The Bottom Lounge
07-28 Kalamazoo, MI - The Peace Center @ WMU
07-30 Pittsburgh, PA - Shadow Lounge
07-31 Hamden, CT - The Space
08-01 Boston, MA - The Lily Pad
08-02 New York, NY - The Mercury Lounge
08-03 Philadephia, PA - Millcreek Tavern
08-04 Washington, DC - Black Cat
08-05 Norfolk, VA - The Boot
08-16 Carrboro, NC - The ArtsCenter$
08-20 Garner, NC - Swift Creek Coffee
08-20 Greenville, NC - Spazzatorium
08-21 New Bern, NC - The Music Box
08-23 Pittsboro, NC - Carolina Brewery
08-24 Boone, NC - Black Cat
08-26 Thomas, WV - The Purple Fiddle
08-27 Harrisonburg, VA - Clementine's
08-28 Fredericksburg, VA - The Loft
08-29 Blacksburg, VA - The Lantern
08-30 Greensboro, NC - The Blind Tiger

*= with Cary Ann Hearst
$= with Un Deux Trois

Video: LIVE! from Trekky House: The Never

For weeks now we've been posting videos online as a part of our LIVE! from Trekky House series. The concept, as you might guess, puts the artists of Trekky Records playing at the home of Trekky Records, a compound complete with living spaces, office, recording studio, screen printing studio and beautiful grounds. Of the first round of videos that we recorded, this week's will be the last. We hope to continue the series in the future, so keep checking back here for more fun visual entertainment.

This week's video comes from The Never, who played a brand new, unreleased song called "Raincloud" that will appear on their as-yet-untitled new album, set for a February 2009 release. We find The Never on the porch of Trekky House, where we like to play chess, drink, fix things, light candles and watch whatever the TV antenna can pick up. Many thanks to director Jon Mackey for all these videos and the awesome photography in the videos. Enjoy: