Friday Giveaway: He Is We

Enter for your chance to win a prize pack from He Is We including the album My Forever, a He Is We t-shirt, necklace and signed poster. Enter HERE

Rachel Taylor and Trevor Kelly both worked at Ted Brown Music together in Tacoma, Washington. Aside from the Tacoma aroma (local joke!), there was something else in the air. Trevor thinks it was destiny… Rachel still thinks it was the aroma.

After countless days of passing each other at work, they eventually started to jam together in the back room. While Rachel influenced her past years growing up and Trevor continued to listen to hardcore music, something interesting, creative and original came out. This was the start of He Is We; the idea that someone who you pass by everyday can influence the rest of your life… and you would never know. It’s the thought and power one person can have over their surroundings.
You are listening to Rachel’s words and Trevor’s music. He Is We wants to go on a date with you; the signs are just too obvious.
Tour:
They are just finishing their tour - two dates left
05/6 - Tinley Park, IL @ Mojoe's Coffee House
05/7 - Covington, KY @ Mad Hatter

Download the album on itunes

Behind the Music with Brad

Our resident music expert, Brad, gives you the scoop on some of his favorite tracks from the AE summer playlist:

I was turned on to the Knocks in late 2010 by a music blog that I frequent, hypem.com. The music is electronic but easy to listen to even if you're not into that genre. Their name comes from their early days when neighbors would knock on their door for playing music too loud. We love this duo at AE and they are a perfect fit for our playlists. Check out Make it Better below and if you like what you hear be sure to check out their remixes too – some are even better than the originals.

Buy the "Make it Better" MP3:

Amazon: Make It Better

itunes: Make It Better - Make It Better - EP

Wednesday Video: MNDR

The video pick for today comes from MNDR. We first got a taste for this rising star when she appeared on Mark Ronson’s last record. Check out the video for “Cut Me Out”

New Release: Architecture in Helsinki

Four years on from their last album, Architecture In Helsinki return with the hook-laden, magnetic and lush Moment Bends (out today on Cooperative Music USA/Downtown Records). It sounds like the record they’ve waited their whole lives to make, retaining the fizzing immediacy of its three predecessors and re-molding with a more sophisticated touch.

In large parts, Moment Bends is in dialogue with the dance floor, without being a slave to any particular rhythm. So, imagine a sound equal parts Italia ‘82, California ‘79, and Melbourne 2011, glued together with a dynamic bounce and a compelling romanticism.

Recorded over a 2-year period in the band's studio space, Buckingham Palace, Songwriter Cameron Bird says: “Moment Bends was all about being at one with our ideas, obsessed with popular music and falling in love with our hometown. We wanted to build a record to get lost in. A record that always feels exactly what you are feeling”.

Architecture in Helsinki Tour Dates:

02/19: Wiseman’s Ferry, NSW, AU @ Playground Weekender

02/26: Launceston, TAS, AU @ MS Festival

03/13: Meredith, VIC, AU @ VIC- Great Plains Festival

04/06: Hamburg, DE @ Knust

04/07: Luxembourg, LX @ Rotondes

04/08: Paris, FR @ Gaité Lyrique, Super Mon Amour! Festival

04/09: Rotterdam, NL @ Motel Mozaique Festival

04/10: Strasbourg, BE @ Laiterie, Super Mon Amour! Festival

04/12: Manchester, UK @ Academy3

04/13: London, UK @ XOYO

04/14: Glasgow, UK @ Oran Mor

04/15: Dublin, UK @ The Button Factory

04/16: Brighton, UK @ Concorde2

04/18: Cologne, DE @ Genaude 9

04/19: Copenhagen, DK @ Vega

04/20: Berlin, DE @ Maria

04/21: Vienna, AT @ Wuk

04/22: Prague, CZ @ Sperm Festival

04/24: Zurich, CH @ Kaseme

04/25: Turin. IT @ Spazio 211

04/26: Milan, IT @ Magnolia

06/01: Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda

06/02: San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall

06/03: San Francisco, CA @ Slims

06/05: Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom

06/06: Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s

06/10: Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity

06/11: Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall

06/14: Boston, MA @ Paradise

06/16: New York, NY @ Webster Hall

06/17: Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live

06/18: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

06/19: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall

MP3 Monday: The Wooden Birds

The Wooden Birds, led by Andrew Kenny (American Analog Set, Broken Social Scene) announce their North American headlining tour in support their great new full length, Two Matchsticks. The summer tour around Barsuk's June 7th release of the album includes shows along both coasts and two Canadian dates.

Also, this week MTVHive premieres the first song off Two Matchsticks and we're thrilled to be sharing it with all of you here! The title track was recorded in a converted bedroom in Kenny's Austin home and mixed at Resonate Studio with producer Louie Lino (Nada Surf). In creating Two Matchsticks, the band drew on the strengths of their live show, making it more driven, upbeat and fuller than the Birds' previous efforts. The album also features Wooden Birds members Leslie Sisson and Matt Pond who, in addition to singing backing vocals on the album, sing lead and duet with Kenny on some of the album's most memorable songs. Other special guests include Ben Gibbard from Death Cab For Cutie along with members of Ola Podrida.

Download Two Matchsticks HERE

THE WOODEN BIRDS ON TOUR

6/16 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room (all ages)
6/17 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo (18+)
6/18 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar (21+)
6/19 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Crepe Place (all ages)
6/23 - Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern (21+)
6/24 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir (21+)
6/25 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill (all ages)
7/8 - Chicago, IL @ The Hideout (21+)
7/9 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Founders Brewery (21+)
7/10 - Toronto, ON @ The Drake (all ages)
7/11 - Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo (all ages)
7/12 - Boston, MA @ Great Scott (18+)
7/14 - New York, NY @ Mercury (21+, 8pm)
7/15 - Brooklyn, NY @ Rock Shop (21+)
7/16 - Washington, DC @ DC9 (all ages)
7/17 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl (21+)
7/20 - Austin, TX @ The Mohawk (all ages)

Visit The Wooden Birds at http://thewoodenbirds.com/ to keep up to date on news, videos and more!

Fall Collection Sneak Peek

This week we held a preview of the Fall American Eagle collection for the media. Here's your first look at what's to come. You can expect to see some of these fall items in your AE store starting in July.