O'Death

Video: O’Death’s “Black Dress”

O'Death: OutsideO’Death: Outside (Ernest Jenning, 4/19/11)

Around this time last year, NYC-based alt-Americana band O’Death released its fourth full-length, recorded after drummer David Rogers-Berry recovered from osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.

It’s no wonder, then, that Outside serves as a sort of reflection on mortality, which is especially evident in its new video for “Black Dress.” The video, directed by David Woolner, begins with a girl who, after an encounter with the Grim Reaper, must face a man from her past.

Ten Current/Upcoming Tours to Catch

As the season’s wintry punishment eases (it cracked 50 in Chicago this weekend), more and more artists are getting back in their vans and braving the roads for packed and sparse crowds alike.

Here’s a list of tours on our radar, including dates from The Bad Plus, Fucked Up, Orange Tulip Conspiracy, P.O.S., Secret Chiefs 3, Young Widows, and more.

Weekly Music News Roundup

Announcements are made for new albums from Irepress, Karl Sanders, Black Moth Super Rainbow, and Staff Benda Bilili — a group of paraplegic Congolese street musicians.

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey releases its new studio album for free; Secret Chiefs 3 announces a concert DVD; Les Claypool announces an outstanding mini festival that will be in a town near you. This and more after the jump.

What We’re Doing This Weekend

The Sword

Our plans this weekend include local shows with the massive stoner metal of The Sword, the experimental jazz of the Umbrella Music Festival, and the raw alt-country of O’death.

And our friends in Austin have another great festival of their own, as the Fun Fun Fun Fest run on Saturday and Sunday.