One of the many bands SPIN.com caught up with at Seattle's Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival this September was goth-rock outfit Schoolyard Heroes, a blossoming quartet with a devout hometown following, which landed on October's Spin mix. But a select group of Seattleites isn't so enthused about the young outfit's gruesome lyrics and onstage antics, and have taken a vocal stance. The group, a collection of concerned parents, was motivated by a letter to local paper the Seattle Post Intelligencer, in which one reader stated his curiosity incited by a paper review led him to the band's website, which "horrified" him with "blood curdling lyrics" and song glorifying "death, dismemberment, murder, suicide."

In the wake of the complaint, one parent went as far as to post a petition against the band. "We are a group of upset parents who are trying to stop a tragedy before it begins, and that tragedy is Schoolyard Heroes," the online petition read. "It has been brought to our attention that there is a cult of young children, ONLY 13 YEARS OLD in some cases, following this band around and running away from home. This must be stopped."

"They are evil! They want to corrupt our children and drive them to murder with their fascination with the dark and evil world of Satan!"

Speaking to SPIN.com from the road, prior to their set in Grand Rapids, MI, bassist Jonah Bergman commented on his band's persecution and the mindset of those behind the petition. "It's incredible, there's nothing that can celebrate the ignorance of parents like this letter -- how out of touch are they with the lives of their children?" Bergman, admitting that the band's lyrics do in fact discuss "zombies and stuff," as well as other graphic imagery, states the those involved with the petition have "clearly never heard our music our seen our shows… We love everyone, we give everyone a chance, it's not about worshipping the devil -- it's a Halloween dance every night."

"The letter's a perfect example of why he [the author] shouldn't be writing a letter but sitting down and understanding his kids and understanding why they're listening to this kind of music," Bergman continued. "We as a band offer kids somewhere to go and do something positive. While some kids are out getting drunk and getting high, they can come down to a Schoolyard Heroes show and shake their ass!"

So far the petition has accumulated roughly 27 signatures, some of which are accompanied by small notes. "My daughter is a huge fan of this band and I never took the time to listen to their lyrics until now. I took away her albums and threw out their t-shirts," wrote Dara Capognigro. "There hasn't been a band this evil since Ozzy," wrote Ruth Altchek. But a few other jokesters are hitting the petition's page in jest. "They killed my pet goat the last time they toured in Michigan," joked DouG.

Decide for yourselves; the Schoolyard Heroes certainly seem like kind, cordial youngsters in this video interview.

Apollo Sunshine Wrap LP, Tour

Though currently mixing their forthcoming LP, Great Mysteries of the Old Soul, the band's third full-length set to date recorded over the summer in New York's Catskill Mountains, Apollo Sunshine have emerged to unveil a 16-date tour to preview the new effort, which has yet-to-be issued a release date. The outing, slated to kick off in Boston Oct. 3, will lead the band -- thanks to their new bright blue school bus christened "The Blue Buffalo" -- across the country and into cities like Toronto, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, and Houston.

Apollo Sunshine tour dates:

10/3, Boston, MA (The Paradise)
10/4, Burlington, VT (Higher Ground)
10/5, Montreal, QC (Petit Campus)
10/6, Toronto, ON (Mod Club)
10/7, Ft. Wayne, IN (Sunset Hall)
10/10, Minneapolis, MN (400 Bar)
10/11, Omaha, NE (The Waiting Room)
10/12, Denver, CO (Larimer Lounge)
10/13, Salt Lake City, UT (In the Venue)
10/15, Seattle, WA (Crocodile Cafe)
10/16, Vancouver, BC (Media Club)
10/18, San Francisco, CA (The Independent)
10/19, Visalia, CA (Howie & Son's Pizza Parlor)
10/20, West Hollywood, CA (Troubadour)
10/26, Houston, TX (Walters on Washington)
10/27, Hattiesburg, MS (Thirsty Hippo)

Viva Voce Unveil Reissues, Tour

Portland, OR-based musical and romantic couple Kevin and Anita Robinson, a.k.a. Viva Voce, will reissue the their second and third LPs, 2003's Lovers, Lead The Way! and 2004's The Heat Can Melt Your Brain, as a two-CD set Nov. 13 via Amore! Phonics. The reissued set will also include remixed songs, original demos, and unreleased material. In addition, fans can catch Viva Voce on tour this fall opening a section of Jimmy Eat World's previously announced outing.

Lovers, Lead The Way! tracklisting:

1. "Fashionably Lonely"
2. "One in Every Crowd"
3. "Red D-Lish"
4. "Wrecking Ball"
5. "That's Right,… Watch Out!"
6. "Birds on the Wing"
7. "N Luv W/ U"
8. "Brightest Part of Everyone"
9. "Yr Epic Heart"
10. "Best Thing Ever (Maybe Not)"
11. "The Tiger & How We Tamed It"
12. "Perpetual No"
13. "Salsalito"
14. "Someplace Worth Being"
15. "Let's Bend Light"

The Heat Can Melt Your Brain tracklisting:

1. "Alive With Pleasure"
2. "Lesson No.1"
3. "Business Casual"
4. "The Lucky Ones"
5. "High Highs"
6. "Daylight"
7. "The Center of the Universe"
8. "Free Nude Celebs"
9. "Mixtape = Love"
10. "They Never Really Wake Up"

Bonus Tracks:

11. "Paper Doll" (Unreleased)
12. "Wrecking Ball" (Tunng Remix)
13. "Lesson No.1" (Original Demo)
14. "Red D-Lish" (Live)
15. "Fashionably Lonely" (Live)
16. "Wrecking Ball" (Live)
17. "Doo-Wap Death Trap" (Unreleased)
18. "Tonight You Belong to Me" (Live)

Viva Voce tour dates:

10/26, Atlanta, GA (Center Stage) *
10/27, Myrtle Beach, NC (House of Blues) *
10/28, Raleigh, NC (Disco Rodeo) *
10/29, Washington, DC (9:30 Club) *
11/6, New Brunswick, NJ (State Theater NJ) *
11/9, New York, NY (Terminal 5) *
11/15, Chicago, IL (Riviera Theater) *
11/16, Champaign, IL (Assembly Hall) *
11/17, Omaha, NE (Kiewit Fitness Center) *

(* w/ Jimmy Eat World)