California’s Nite Jewel, also known as Ramona Gonzalez and Emily Jane, just released their latest album, Good Evening, this past March, right around the time we saw them in Texas. Now the avant dance-pop duo will be taking to the road again in support of the album, when they go on tour later this Spring accompanying some of our favorite bowlers.

Nite Jewel has already toured with the likes of Deerhunter and Glass Candy this year, and will now be out with Telepathe for seven North American dates and one show opening for Abe Vigoda at The Smell in Los Angeles this June.

Nite Jewel tour dates
05.28.09 – Los Angeles, CA (The Smell)
06.04.09 – Oakland, CA (Oasis)
06.05.09 – Eureka, CA (Aunty Mo’s)
06.07.09 – Olympia, WA (Northern)
06.09.09 – Vancouver, BC (Biltmore Cabaret)*
06.10.09 – Seattle, WA (Chop Suey)*
06.11.09 – Portland, OR (Holocene)*
06.12.09 – San Francisco, CA (Bottom of the Hill)*
06.13.09 – Los Angeles, CA (The Smell)*#
06.16.09 – Costa Mesa, CA (Detroit Bar)*
06.17.09 – Pheonix, AZ (Modified Arts)*
* w/ Telepathe
# w/ Abe Vigoda

The night after we went bowling with them, Telepathe played their official record release show at The Annex. Here is what Tripwire photographer Meg Clark saw.

Last week, Telepathe finally released their long-awaited, David Sitek-produced LP Dance Mother to the world, and we figured what better way to celebrate than a friendly game of bowling? Shot on the exact date of the physical U.S. release (April 14), we quickly came to realize that the competitive spirit burns brightly in this duo as the game soon became anything but friendly.

Telepathe is a band I have struggled with since their inception. From the origins of Busy Gangnes teaming up with ex-Ex-Model and current-Knyfe Hyt Shahin Motia to the addition of Melissa Livaudais (who played with Busy in the band Wikkid) and formation of Telepathe as we know it, they have seemed to live on the precipice that exists between Brooklyn’s diy scene and the star-studded Brooklyn that has produced, among others, Animal Collective and TV On The Radio. This is the basis for my struggles, because this ‘edge of everything’ that they have inhabited has been widely reflected in their music.

It’s as much a testament to their musical-inclinations and creativity as it is to the influence others have had on their records. It would make sense that their two Social Registry records — the Farewell Forest EP and the “Sinister Militia” 12″ — would pay homage to the Brooklyn and New York avant-garde, while the David Sitek produced Dance Mother, patterns all of the sounds together using heavy bass and synth as the glue. While Sitek’s production hand, and the fact that the album was long overdue for release (it’s been out in the UK and digitally everywhere since January), has played a large part in this transformation, the stark contrast in their recorded sounds are ultimately, a product of Busy and Melissa’s tastes.

So with these intellectual thoughts circulating in my head, I was ready to ask Telepathe serious questions about all of these notions I had about why there have been drastic sonic changes to their recorded material and where they are now as a band. And then we did shots to celebrate the record release. And then we started bowling. And I realized that despite all of these notions I had, there was nothing to suggest this duo was anything but genuine. From their contrasting personalities (Busy being the quiet soft spoken straight-woman to Melissa’s color commentary), to the people they befriended on the alley next to us (being the only people interviewed can be quite awkward in such a public place) down to their suspect bowling skills, it was one of the most enjoyable interview moments I’ve had. They seriously battled it out until the 10th frame of the game, I still got to ask a few difficult questions and in the end, we were all a little bit sad that I won’t be able to be one of the touring Telepathe dancers.

When we heard Los Campesinos! was hitting the States in support of We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, we got giddy with excitement. After all, their debut LP was our pick for the fourth best record of 2008. With their joyful demeanor and English beer drinking abilities in tow, The Cardiff, Wales septet proved to be the perfect band to take bowling.

After bringing nearly 40 people with us the last time out, only having to bring six (violinist Harriet was absent for the first half of their tour) people was a more organized change of pace for us. While we all bowled, the band chatted with us about the current music coming out of the UK, their polyamorous relationships, ex-girlfriends and mud-wrestling, among other things.

Like their happy music with lyrics that offer more insight than artists twice their age — let alone straight out of college — our conversation was one of the easiest interviews we’ve encountered. To use the word charming would be an understatement, as each member took turns giving us funny anecdotes and insight into the world of Los Campesinos!, while we set the bar for all interviews to come (their words, not ours). You can see still photos from our excursion at The Gutter below the video feature.

Bowling With The Band – Los Campesinos!