Penguin Prison Releases Self-Titled Debut

Penguin Prison’s superb self-titled debut album dropped on October 18^TH, via Downtown Records in the U.S, and if you’re a fan of all things New York disco - as accessible as it is angular, burbling bass lines, resonant rhythms, shimmering synths and heavenly melodies - then you’ll love everything that is Penguin Prison.

Penguin was born at the dawn of electrofunk, in 1983 and grew up, an only child, in Manhattan. He went on to become Penguin Prison at the start of 2009 and it wasn’t long before he earned a reputation as remixer du jour for the likes of Marina and the Diamonds, Natalia Kills, Goldfrapp and Passion Pit.

Penguin Prison's remixes are more like reinterpretations than anything else, which is exactly why his signature production imprint has become a high commodity and much sought after asset in anyone's musical career these days. It was only a matter of time before Chris would then go on to record and share music of his own, which he began to do so in early 2010. Thankfully, you can now hear the spectacular results on his debut Penguin Prison album.

Download “Fair Warning” from the self-tilted release.

Get Inspired: LEARN

A couple months ago we posted a video called MOVE that featured scenes of a guy walking through 11 different countries. The three person team that created MOVE also made another short film called LEARN. We loved LEARN so much we had to feature it as a "Get Inspired" post.

In LEARN, the actor, Andrew Lees, learns about wine in France, how to make homemade pasta in Italy, and how to tango in Argentina, among other things. What is something you have always wanted to learn?

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

Tweets of the Week

We love getting Tweets from our fans. These are our favorites from the past week:







Make sure you are following us on Twitter @american_eagle and your Tweet might end up on Tweets of the Week!

120 Days Prize Pack

If a year is a long time in politics, five years in music can be a career. The fact that 120 Days have taken half a decade to deliver the follow up to their debut album might have counted against them, but there’s no point making a record when you’re not ready, as any band forced to return to the studio prematurely will tell you. So here they are, at last: 120 Days, Norway’s finest, back once again, wiser, leaner, a little older for sure, but definitely no less wild. The perfect combination, if you think about it, and that’s definitely how they see it.

Click here for your chance to win a signed t-shirt and Osaka 12” from 120 Days. The Osaka 12” comes with remixes courtesy of Sidwho? + Diskjokke.

Watch the video for Osaka.

In addition, here’s a little dance track gem from 120 Days to check out on their SoundCloud titled “Dale Disco”. Enjoy!

Dale Disco by 120 Days

Like 120 Days on Facebook.

American Eagle Presents - AE Student Rush

AE Student Rush gives students the chance to buy $25 tickets to many Penguins home games throughout the 2011-2012 season. We also have 5 Expanded Rush events throughout the year where we bring a DJ, giveaways, and special surprises.

Our Expanded Rush on Thursday, October 20th against the Montreal Canadiens brought almost 500 students to Consol Energy Center. The day was barely over 40 degrees and students began lining up at 10 AM. The first 400 students in line received a free AE NHL Vintage Pro T.




Right before 5, students got a special surprise: Jordan Staal, James Neal, Deryk Engelland, Pascal Dupuis and Coach Dan Bylsma delivered pizzas to the waiting fans.







Fans also participated in trivia contests and giveaways.



William R. (second from right) won a signed puck. He and his friends Elliot M., Seth G., and Sean G. all play hockey for Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh and have been coming to student rush events for years.



Britti M., a student at Carlow Unversity in Pittsburgh, attended her first Student Rush and won a Deryk Engelland (her favorite player!) signed puck.

Every Expanded Student Rush features a 'Cotton Eyed Joe' dance-off to pay homage to the song that plays during breaks of play at the games. The first winner was Jessica H. who received an American Eagle gift card.

Phil M. won a Matt Cooke autographed puck during the second dance-off and met his favorite player, Jordan Staal.

Want to get in on the fun? The remaining dates for Expanded Rush for 2011-2012 are:

• Tues, 11/15 vs. Colorado Avalanche – 7:30 pm
• Wed, 2/15 vs. Anaheim Ducks – 7:00 pm
• Fri, 3/9 vs. Florida Panthers – 7:00 pm
• Tues, 3/27 vs. New York Islanders – 7:00 pm

To sign up for AE Student Rush mobile alerts text RUSH to 32623*. All members of AE Student Rush have the chance to win 2 tickets to select Penguins games. We can't wait to see you there!


*Tickets subject to availability. For alternate entry for all Student Rush text message contests click here and enter 32623 for SHORT CODE and ALT for the Contest Keyword. For official contest rules for all Student Rush text message contests click here.

Behind the Lens - Alaska Photo Shoot

Our friend Mackenzie L. was on set in Alaska at our Holiday 2011 photo shoot. She brought back some amazing photos and wanted to share a little of what life was like on set at an American Eagle photo shoot.

AE: What was a day on the set like?
ML: A day on the set was very exciting and exhausting. You had to walk uphill in the snow to get from the tent to where the pictures were being shot. My feet turned into ice cubes! Everyone on the set was always very upbeat and always having fun.

AE: What was your favorite part of the shoot?

ML: My favorite part of the shoot was body surfing down the glacier and holding the puppy huskies! It was probably not the safest thing but it was one of the coolest things I have ever done. The baby huskies were just adorable. Even if you didn’t like dogs you were unable to resist those cute little things!

AE: What was Alaska like?
ML: Alaska was unbelievably amazing. I have never experienced something so amazing in my life. From the time I got out of the airplane the crisp clean air felt so good and it was definitely a nice break from the hot Pittsburgh air. On the drive to Girdwood [where the photos were shot] the view was breathtaking: huge white glaciers filled the skyline.

AE: What was the funniest thing that happened on set?
ML: The huge snowball fight the crew had with the models while John [the photographer] was shooting. It was supposed to be light snow balls flying through the air, but they turned into huge chunks of ice flying everywhere!

AE: What happens behind the scenes?
ML: Behind the scenes everyone is always joking around. Between the shots the crew would take rides on the snowmobiles and the intertubes down the glacier. The whole atmosphere is very fun and laid back.

AE: What was the weather like?

ML: The weather in Girdwood was amazing. It was about 60 degrees, which was perfect. As we got to the top of the glacier it got much colder: it would be about 40, but sometimes a cloud would come by and you would literally be in a cloud. That got freezing!

AE: What winter clothing trend are you most excited for?

ML: I am very excited for all of the clothes especially the outerwear because all the coats are so cute. I want them all!

University of Nebraska - Lincoln Pick - "Lotus Flower"

A big thank you to the radio station at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and a fellow AE employee Mitch McCann for helping us curate the in-store music program over the next coming weeks. We enjoyed your selections and are excited to share them with everyone. One of our favorites was Radiohead’s “Lotus Flower”




After watching the original version, how perfect does Beyonce’s Single Ladies synch to Thom Yorke’s dancing?

Boots Electric (Eagles of Death Metal Front Man Jesse Hughes) Releases Video for “Complexity”

Boots Electric– a.k.a. Eagles of Death Metal front man Jesse Hughes– is getting ready to kick off a US tour in support of his new album Honkey Kong (Dangerbird Records) this weekend. Before he departs, Jesse has bestowed a new Boots Electric video for the album’s opening track, “Complexity.”

Like “Complexity,” the rest of Honkey Kong finds Jesse expanding his sound from the gritty, garage rock swagger of Eagles of Death Metal to include a hint of glam-pop, and a big helping of keyboard-heavy grooves. The album was produced by Tony Hoffer (Beck, Depeche Mode, The Kooks) and co-written with legendary keyboardist Money Mark, best known for his many collaborations with the Beastie Boys.


US Tour Dates:

10/29: New Orleans, LA @ Voodoo Festival
10/30: Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Downstaris
10/31: Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
11/01: Austin, TX @ Stubb’s BBQ Indoors
11/04: Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
11/05: Scottsdale, AZ @ The Roxy Lounge
11/06: Santa Ana, CA @ The Yost Theater
11/07: Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
11/08: San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
11/10: Portland, OR @ Dante’s
11/11: Nahotta, WA @ The Clam Shack
11/13: San Jose, CA @ The Blank Club

Where Has Your AE Been - Venice and Rome

Joyce M. is from Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico (on the border with Texas). In 2008, she studied abroad for a summer with her two best friends. She visited France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Republic.



This first picture is of Joyce at the Coliseum in Rome, Italy. She is wearing an AE graphic T and jeans that she bought in Winter 2007.



Joyce is in Venice next to the gondolas in St. Mark’s Sqaure wearing an AE hoodie she bought in Winter 2007 in San Antonio, Texas, as well.

Have you packed your AE to study abroad? On a family trip? Or do you just live somewhere really cool? Send your pics to social@ae.com and you could be on our blog!

Dirty Projectors and Björk Release Mount Wittenberg Orca Today

Domino released Mount Wittenberg Orca, the collaborative album from Dirty Projectors and Björk, on physical formats for the first time today.

The hand numbered, limited edition LP version will feature a deluxe three-dimensional lenticular sleeve, 180 gram heavyweight vinyl and a deluxe 12 page large-format full color booklet. A very limited number of the LPs will come with an exclusive Dirty Projectors signed photo print of the album cover when purchased from the Domino Mart.



News of Mount Wittenberg Orca initially spread through a series of online trailers, which featured music and imagery from an unknown album. On June 30th, 2010, a week after being announced and only two months after being recorded, Dirty Projectors and Bjork self-released Mount Wittenberg Orca, selling downloads from the website Mountwittenbergorca.com to benefit the National Geographic Society. The album raised over $40,000 to promote sustainable ocean programs. That website continues to exist, with all monies contributing to the study and preservation of the world's oceans, while this present release will be the first time this music is available in a physical format in the world's record stores.

This record is a triumph for Björk and for Dirty Projectors. It effortlessly merges the energy and rawness of the band's live shows with the intricate arrangement and delicate beauty of Bitte Orca. Björk abides as a kind of artistic patron saint, sharing the spotlight rather than dominating it. Her mix of sophistication and feeling, of composition and instantaneity, has become the blueprint for a generation of creative musicians — and with Mount Wittenberg Orca, Dirty Projectors prove themselves at the forefront of that generation.


Listen to a stream of ‘On and Ever Onward’

Purchase Mount Wittenberg Orca

Get Inspired: What Will $1 Get You Around the World

Our AE fans are from all around the world and we want to show you what you can get for $1 all around the world. You may not get much where you live, but it might get you a surprising amount somewhere else.

• England: Half a loaf of bread, 2/4 liters of milk, half a liter of petrol, 3 apples or a small fry from McDonalds
• Austria: A freshly baked Kornspitz (a bread roll)
• Canary Islands, Spain: A cup of coffee in the capital, or a half a cup in the tourist parts of the south
• Southern India: Rasam, sambhar, curd, papad, and unlimited servings of rice to be eaten with your hands off a banana leaf
• Cebu, Philippines: A 30-45 minute foot massage
• Nepal: A room in a hostel
• Croatia: A big serving of ice cream
• Denmark: A liter of milk, a stamp for delivery within Denmark, a cucumber, or a chocolate bar
• Budapest, Hungary: A scoop of ice cream, a plain hamburger at McDonalds, a post card, or 30 minutes of parking downtown
• Vietnam: A DVD, 3 pairs of rubber flip flops, 5 instant noodle packages, or a street meal
• Italy: 1 kg of spaghetti
• Chiang Mai, Thailand: Most meals from street vendors
• Bogotá, Colombia: A cup of coffee and two freshly baked cookies
• Seoul, Korea: A trip on the bus or subway and a face mask.
• Egypt: 10 bean sandwiches, a traditional Egyptian meal of noodles, rice, lentil, and fried onions.
• Costa Rica: One papaya, one watermelon, one pineapple, or a cup of coffee.
• Cambodia: A scarf
• Los Angeles, USA: An hour of parking
• Paris, France: 40% of an espresso from Starbucks
• Dubai, UAE: A shwarma: a wrap with lamb or chicken
• Portugal: 1 espresso
• Australia: A scratch off lottery ticket

Inspired by Lonely Planet.

What will $1 get you where you live?

Ximena Sariñana Releases Self-Titled Album

When Mexican vocalist Ximena Sariñana (hi-MEN-a sa-rin-YAH-na) released her debut solo album, Mediocre, in 2008, Rolling Stone gave it four stars and praised it as “one of the strongest debuts from a female singer-songwriter since Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me.” Recording the Spanish-language album was a natural step for Sariñana, who had risen to fame in her homeland as a child actress and had fronted a successful indie band for four years. So when she began thinking about recording an album in English she was confronted with a tough decision: “Either stay in my country, where everyone knows who I am, or start from scratch and convince people that I’m worth it.” She chose the latter.The result is a collection of songs that showcase her deep, striking voice, smart, thoughtful lyrics and offbeat personality.

Download the lead single from her self-titled, English debut.

Tweets of the Week

Everyone loves getting Tweets, and these are our favorites from the past week:











Do you want to be on 'Tweets of the Week'? Make sure you are following American Eagle on Twitter!

Enter to Win a SafetySuit Prize Pack

When we last saw SafetySuit, the Nashville-based band was supporting 2008’s Life Left To Go and hit single “Stay,” which shot to No. 1 on the voter-generated VH1 Top 20 Countdown, spotlighted by VH1 as a band “You Oughta Know”. They’re raising the stakes with These Times, a scintillating hookfest of arena-ready rock anthems, offering unequivocal proof that the group has the goods to break wide open. Working with producers Howard Benson, Espionage (the New York-based Norwegian team of Espen Lind and Amund Bjørklund) and OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, these four skilled and remarkably self-assured musicians have cooked up a strikingly melodic, sharply drawn, viscerally immediate album filled with songs that stick in the head and heart.



Click 'These Times' below to enter for your chance to win an autographed tee shirt and CD booklet of their debut album, These Times (Universal Republic).

Stream: "Let Go"

Visit SafetySuit's Tumblr
Follow SafetySuit on Twitter
Visit Safety on Myspace
Shop SafetySuit

Behind the Scenes - Photo Studio

Our awesome friends at the AE Photo Studio shared some product shots with us that they photographed this week. Which one is your favorite?

The Knocks Premiere Their New Single “Brightside”

Check out the new single from NYC-based producers-turned-electro hip-pop duo, The Knocks before its release on iTunes November 8th via A&M/Octone. The single release will also include remixes by Fred Falke, DiscoTech, Lenno, and Jaybird.

The Knocks will be performing “Brightside” and many other party-starters in NYC during the CMJ Music Marathon October 21st at the Neon Gold Showcase at Santos Party House at 1am EST. Then they head to LA to join an incredible line-up that includes Fatboy Slim and Rusko for Hard Haunted Mansion at The Shrine Expo Hall on October 28th. The Knocks recently signed to A&M/Octone in the U.S. and are set to release a forthcoming EP, due out before the end of the year.

M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

M83’s epic new double album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming came out yesterday and it’s already being toted as one of this year’s best records by music critics.

M83 has released an official video for “Midnight City”, the first single from Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. The video, directed by Fleur & Manu and produced by DIVISION, follows a pack of gifted kids with telepathic and telekinetic powers who break free from an institution to be free and run wild on the outskirts of Los Angeles.



M83 is excited to announce that Active Child will support the band throughout the fall US tour dates which start in Washington D.C on October 28th. Expected to be a sold out tour, the fall dates will be M83’s first live shows in over two years.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
Oct. 15 – Mexico City – Corona Capital Festival
Oct. 28 – Washington DC – Black Cat (early show) (Sold Out)
Oct. 28 – Washington DC – Black Cat (late show) (Sold Out)
Oct. 29 – Raleigh, NC – Kings Barcade (Sold Out)
Oct. 30 – Asheville, NC – Moog Fest
Oct. 31 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
Nov. 1 – Tallahassee, FL – Engine Room
Nov. 2 – Orlando, FL – The Beacham Theatre (venue change)
Nov. 4 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
Nov. 5 – Austin, TX – Fun Fun Fun Fest
Nov. 7 – Phoenix, AZ – The Crescent Ballroom
Nov. 9 – Los Angeles, CA – Music Box (Sold Out)
Nov. 10 – San Francisco, CA – Mezzanine (Sold Out)
Nov. 11 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Nov. 12 – Vancouver, BC – Venue (Sold Out)
Nov. 13 – Seattle, WA – Neumos (early show) (Sold Out)
Nov. 13 – Seattle, WA – Neumos (late show)
Nov. 16 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
Nov. 17 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall (early show) (Sold Out)
Nov. 17 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall (late show) (Sold Out)
Nov. 18 – Toronto, ON – Lees Palace (Sold Out)
Nov. 19 – Montreal, QC – Le S.A.T.
Nov. 20 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
Nov. 22 – New York, NY – Webster Hall (Sold Out)
Nov. 23 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall Of Williamsburg (Sold Out)

Building a Better World

Today we are featuring a guest blog post by Monica Gorman, Senior Director of Corporate Responsibility & International Trade Compliance at AE.

Some kids want to be a movie star or a race car driver when they grow up. I wanted to be Secretary of State.

Crazy, I know. But I grew up in an immigrant family short on cash and long on dreams – especially that quintessential American dream that if you work hard and have a positive attitude, you just might become someone who makes a difference in this world.

Today, I lead the Corporate Responsibility team at American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. It’s not the State Department, but it’s not as different as you might think. One big lesson I’ve learned is that companies have a huge impact on people’s lives all over the world. Whether that impact is good or bad depends a lot on the choices we make as we do business.

That’s why I love what I do.

I work with a team of extraordinary people who have dedicated their careers to making this world a better place. Every day, the AEO Corporate Responsibility team visits factories, talks with people who make our clothes, thinks about how to reduce our impact on the environment, and brainstorms with people in organizations who share our goals. We grapple with economic, social, and political issues facing the apparel industry from Dhaka to Delhi, Shanghai to Hanoi, Guatemala City to Washington, DC.

Over the years, you’ve told us that you’re passionate about these issues too, which is a major reason why we created our first-ever Corporate Responsibility Report – AE Better World. You’ll find a ton of information about how we’re working to improve factories and help the environment, what it’s like to work at AEO, and how we invest in our community.

If you’ve never seen a website like this before, you might be surprised by our open, candid tone. We’ve been pretty honest about the challenges we face and what we’re doing to address them.

The good news is some of the best companies in the world have similar websites. In fact, we believe one of the most effective ways to make progress is by working with our peers in the industry.

So take a look. Ask questions. Let us know what you think. We hope that this will be the beginning of a conversation of ideas – ideas that will help us all live our lives in a better world.

Where Has Your AE Been - The Equator

Jose H. is a former AE store associate from Arizona who is currently traveling for seven months. He is travelling throughout Europe and South America where he is visiting Columbia, Peru, Spain, and France, just to name a few! This picture was taken in Mitad del Mundo, Ecuador, or ‘Middle of the World’ – on the equator. Jose is standing on the southern hemisphere and northern hemisphere at the same exact time! So cool!

Jose stocked up on AE clothes before he left. In this photo he is wearing an AE graphic T, AE rip-top shorts, and AE low top sneakers, all from Spring 2011.

This photo is of Jose wearing an American Eagle zip-up hoodie from Spring 2011 in Equador as well.

While in South America, Jose also had the opportunity to go sand boarding in Peru. He is wearing an AE shirt and shorts.

Want your travel photos of you wearing AE featured on ‘Made to Last’, too? Send your pictures to social@ae.com.

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Tape Club

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin's long-awaited album, Tape Club, has officially been made available to the masses today. Never the type of band to write and record only when they're expected to release a new album, over the years SSLYBY have accumulated a vast collection of material and are only now sharing it with the world.

Tape Club is a representation of the band's decade long history and their evolution as artists. Available on CD, 2xLP and Digital formats, SSLYBY's new album has already received praise from the likes of Rolling Stone.com, Hype Machine, We Listen For You and Rawkblog to name a few and the momentum doesn't seem to be waning any time soon.

On their first West Coast run since 2010, the band will soon be embarking on a 19-date tour. In anticipation of their tour, listen to the full-length album which is currently streaming on SSLYBY's Bandcamp

In case you missed it, the band also premiered a new video on mtvU for the Let It Sway hit, "Critical Drain." The video features the band performing their own stunts and serves as a reminder of why we love SSLYBY so much in the first place.

Tour Dates
Oct 26, 2011 - The Firehouse, Normal, IL
Oct 27, 2011 - MOTR Pub, Cincinnati, OH
Oct 28, 2011 - The Current, Richmond, VA
Oct 29, 2011 - Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, NC
Oct 30, 2011 - Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC
Oct 31, 2011 - The End, Nashville, TN
Nov 4, 2011 - Firebird, St. Louis, MO
Nov 5, 2011 - Mojo's, Columbia, MO
Nov 29, 2011 - Wonder Fair, Lawrence, KS
Nov 30, 2011 - Hi Dive, Denver, CO
Dec 1, 2011 - Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City, UT
Dec 2, 2011 - Neurolux, Boise, ID
Dec 3, 2011 - Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WA
Dec 5, 2011 - Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, Canada
Dec 6, 2011 - Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR
Dec 8, 2011 - Hotel Utah, San Francisco, CA
Dec 9, 2011 - Bootleg Theater, Los Angeles, CA
Dec 10, 2011 - Soda Bar, San Diego, CA
Dec 12, 2011 - Club Congress, Tucson, AZ

Music Mondays - "Miranda"

Check out “Miranda", the first single off the upcoming Surfer Blood EP, Tarot Classics.

On October 25th, West Palm Beach based Surfer Blood will release the Tarot Classics EP on Kanine Records. It will be their first extended release since 2010 debut and indie breakout album Astro Coast. The EP will be released on vinyl, digital and CD formats. Each format will include bonus remixes by Totally Sincere (Connor Hanwick of the Drums and Peggy Wang of TPOBPAH), San Francisco based Speculator, School of Seven Bells and Allen Blickle.

Catch Surfer Blood on tour this Fall opening for The Pixies.