This was another great week for comedy podcasts: Doug Benson hit NYC and brought Eugene Mirman, John Mulaney and more out for Doug Loves Movies, Comedy Bang Bang had Lennon Parham and Jesica St Clair (Listler & Wompler) back on, and the Thrilling Adventure Hour did an hour-long Sparks Nevada “I’m From Earth” Day Special (but I’m not caught up on it, so I haven’t heard it yet.

But even with that great competition, I have to highlight a show that I don’t listen to as often as I should. The Indoor Kids with married co-hosts Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon talk video games and more with their guests each week. This time around they explored some of the best/worst romantic relationships in video games (hat tip to the strange relationship of Mario and Peach).

The Indoor Kids with Jake Fogelnest

BONUS SUGGESTION: I also highly recommend listening to the Tony Hale episode of The Nerdist in conjunction with Arrested Development’s return. He’s got a lot of great insight into the mind of Buster and some great behind-the-scenes stories.

The Polyphonic Spree have announced their newest LP Yes It’s True for an August release. This’ll be the latest in a string of several releases for the Spree, following Songs From the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Holidaydream. Polyphonic Spree frontman Tim DeLaughter was kind enough to answer a couple questions about what all his band has been up to.

Tim Delaughter :: the YANP Interview

YANP: “You Don’t Know Me” is a positive, but very defensive, song. Were you writing that from a place where you felt under attack?

Tim DeLaughter: You know, when you’re in The Polyphonic Spree you’re constantly met with doubt and skepticism. It’s been like that since the beginning. It’s one of the reasons why I turned an experiment of a sound into a band with a sound. Even our attire seemed to provoke assumptions and misread accusations. Sorry we don’t look like every other trendy lumberjack with a stash and a monocle. HaHa!!

You’re set to release three albums within a year of each other: Holidaydream (Oct 2012), Songs from the Rocky Horror Picture Show (March 2013) and Yes It’s True (August 2013). What was the band’s schedule like in 2012 and early 2013? Were these projects that had the work spread out for a long period of time or did you guys hit a period where it was nonstop work?

2012 and 2013 were and still are periods of a quite a bit of recording as well as touring…writing, and figuring it all out. it’s been one of the busiest phases this band has had in terms of being all over the map, even geographically. Hence, we are performing in Korea, Australia, France Poland and UK here shortly over a 9 day period. I’d say that schedule alone sums up the last 18 months. It’s been a significant time for us and new beginnings. Oh yeah, as far as releases we also have a live show and dvd/doc being released this year from 2012!

You funded the recording of this new album through Kickstarter. What was your experience like with that? Was there a similar album-funding kickstarter that convinced you it was a viable and respectable way to cover recording costs?

Kickstarter is fantastic platform for any program. For artists with a vision it’s amazing in many ways. It’s finally giving the artist a freedom to create and play to the masses without giving up your work to the “man”. That in itself is huge! But, the community aspect is divine. The ability to connect to your audience and have a global view of your audience is AMAZING. It gives your fans a since of pride of knowing they are in someway responsible for your endeavor and as a fan/band aspect, I cant think of a better relationship. They don’t want your blood, they just want your music, and that’s how it should be.

What was your experience like releasing the Bullseye app in 2011? Several bands have been coming up with new ways to make music interactive. Do you think things like music apps could turn into the norm?

I completely loved the “Bullseye app” our friends at Moonbot Studios pitched the idea to us and we went for it. When we did it, I think we were one of the first to try the waters so to speak. I love the idea of music being interactive in any form. I think the trick is going to be how to figure out what medium to use and giving the artist that tool to put in their toolbox. I think if its friendly and accessible it could win in a big way.

My ongoing love affair with the new Portugal. The Man record continues! Their video for “Atomic Man” is a hypnotizing affair that combines high-speed photography, video morphing and lots of little tricks that turn the whole video into a trippy masterpiece. It’s directed by David Vincent Wolf and edited by Nick Rosen — both clearly bringing their A game. The track is one of the best off the new record; it’s probably the closest to their very rock-centric mid-career stuff that we’ve heard so far.

Evil Friends is out June 4

Lexington’s Jovontaes have a new album on the way. Paranoia Makes a Crazy Gift is out June 4 on Sophomore Lounge Records. “Hilltop Sex Making” certainly backs up the “paranoia” aspect of the new record. It’s a dark and unnerving track that still manages to be quick and exciting. I have a feeling that this’ll be a new live favorite of their set.

JOVONTAES- crazy gift tour 2013
5/31 Kansas City, MO Fokl Center #
6/1 Denver, CO Sidewinder Tavern
6/2 Salt Lake City, UT Burt’s Tiki Lounge +
6/3 Portland, OR Gnarnia $
6/4 Portland, OR Valentines $
6/5 San Fransisco, CA tba $*
6/6 Fullerton, CA Burger Records $&
6/7 Los Angeles, CA Pehrspace $&%
6/8 Albuquerque, NM Burt’s Tiki Lounge
6/9 Oklahoma City, OK the Conservatory

# w/ Boreal Hills
+ w/ the Kixsts
$ w/ White Fang
* w/ CCR Headcleaner
& w/ Creeps L.A.
% w/ DJ Aaron Coyes (peaking lights)

Oh boy! It’s one of the best parts of the anticipation for a big music festival: making your schedule! Forecastle just posted their full schedule for their 2013 festival the week of July 12-14. Get your tickets here and kill the next two months by checking and double-checking your schedule to make sure it’s perfect! [...]

I couldn’t really tell you what Chic-A-Go-Go is, but it looks like a rad, ultra-low-budget kid’s show. The reason it’s popped up on my radar is because they hosted a lip-syncing performance by James Swanberg BKA Today’s Hits. This dude has been writing a song a day for years, with a great many of them being insanely great. Here he brings the lo-fi swagger of “Cooler Jerk” (and some sweet twisting dance moves) for all the kiddies and adults to enjoy.

Download hundreds and hundreds of songs from Today’s Hits

I’ve spent the past couple days packing up books, records and everything else I own in preparation for our move this weekend. While doing that I’ve also been converting the last of my CD collection to digital backups. This has led me to no small number of old favorites that I haven’t heard in a long while, like House of Apples and Eyeballs from Black Moth Super Rainbow and The Octopus Project from 2007. This is the collaboration that put both groups on my radar and solidified them in my record collection (speaking of which, this LP is long out of print and overdue for a reissue if you ask me).

MP3: Black Moth Super Rainbow + The Octopus Project – Lollipopsichord

Pick up a copy of House of Apples and Eyeballs

When Houndmouth rolled through Lexington a couple weeks ago they did this amazing John Prine/Jerry Jeff Walker one-two cover combo. I happened to remember it today and was lucky enough to find a great recording of it on youtube. This makes me look forward to both the next time I can see them live and when I finally get my hands on a copy of their debut album.

My gut reaction is to throw Pascal Pinon’s “Þerney (One Thing)” onto my summertime mix, but it’s such a thoughtful, introspective song that I wonder if it might not make me freeze in my tracks when it comes on. It’s a bright song, but with lyrics like “I don’t know why the tears come by surprise,” it’s going to tie up your brain and heart during its time in your speakers.

Pascal Pinon’s website