Radiohead to Prince: Hey, that’s OUR song

WASHINGTON (AP) – After word spread that Prince covered Radiohead’s “Creep” at Coachella, the tens of thousands who couldn’t be there ran to YouTube for a peek. Everyone was quickly denied — even Radiohead.

 All videos of Prince’s unique rendition of Radiohead’s early hit were quickly taken down, leaving only a message that his label, NPG Records, had removed the clips, claiming a copyright violation. But the posted videos were shot by fans and, obviously, the song isn’t Prince’s.

In a recent interview, Thom Yorke said he heard about Prince’s performance from a text message and thought it was “hilarious.” Yorke laughed when his bandmate, guitarist Ed O’Brien, said the blocking had prevented him from seeing Prince’s version of their song.

“Really? He’s blocked it?” asked Yorke, who figured it was their song to block or not. “Surely we should block it. Hang on a moment.”

Yorke added: “Well, tell him to unblock it. It’s our … song.”

YouTube prohibits the posting of copyrighted material. If the site receives a complaint from a copyright owner, it will in most cases remove the video(s). Whether the same could be done for a company not holding a copyright is less clear, but Yorke’s argument would seem to bear some credence according to YouTube’s policies. YouTube, which is owned by Google, declined to comment.

Minnesota-grown rock star Prince also did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

The dispute was an interesting twist in debates over digital ownership, held between two major acts with differing views on music and the Internet. Radiohead famously released their most recent album, “In Rainbows,” as a digital download with optional pricing. They also have a channel on YouTube.

When Prince performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, on April 26, he prohibited the standard arrangement of allowing photographers to shoot near the stage during the first three songs of his set. Instead, he had a camera crew filming his performance.

Prince, who founded NPG Records in 1993, has been innovative when it comes to music distribution, too. He released his 1997 album, “Crystal Ball,” on the Internet and in 2006 was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Webbys. In 2007, he gave away copies of his disc “Planet Earth” in a British Sunday newspaper.

But the Purple One has also shut down his official Web site and in September of last year said he would sue YouTube and eBay for not filtering unauthorized content.

Prince fans have organized to urge him to relent in his legal fights to control images and photographs of himself. As of Thursday, the most popular YouTube clip about Prince playing “Creep” is an expletive-laden rant from Sam Conti Jr., who describes himself as a “former Prince fan.”

Here is the video of the Coachella performance:

Kingblind Downloads

Firewater – Electric City

Pretty Good Dance Moves – P.G.D.M.

Butcher the Bar – Leave This Town

The Lodger – The Good Old Days

Steinski – Lesson Three (The History of Hip Hop)

Port O’Brien – Woke Up Today

The Silver Jews – Strange Victory, Strange Defeat

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band: 13 Blues for 13 moons (Album Review)

13 Blues for Thirteen Moons, the fifth full length release from Canada’s favorite post rockers, has “pretentious” written all over it. First of all, the post-Godspeed You! Black Emperor collective have elected to call themselves “Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band” this time round, instead of just sticking to “A Silver Mount Zion”, for the sole purpose of pissing the media off. Secondly, the band clutters the start of their album with twelve 5-second tracks of stray noise and sounds that grate the ear rather than welcome. In addition to that, lead singer Efrim Menuck’s increasingly bombastic lyrics lead him into arrogant one-liners such as “YOUR BAND IS BLAND!” and “THE HANGMAN’S GOT A HARD ON!” Every real song stretches to around fifteen minutes, with in your face vocals, repetitive arrangements, and strings that at times sound like they’re included just to boast how “deep” A Silver Mount Zion is.

But 13 Blues For Thirteen Moons makes one thing certain: A Silver Mount Zion can make some pretty kickin’ tunes.

The beginning of 13 Blues suggests a brand new sound for A Silver Mount Zion, one that eschews the vast soundscapes created on their previous records in favor of structure and grit, thus forming a sound light on effect-heavy wanking and strong on actual rock. At the starting gun, A Silver Mount Zion attack with explosive riffs and intricate vocal arrangements. “1,000,000 Died To Make This Sound” kicks off the album with tension filled string plucking and the eerily robotic chanting of the song’s title by the group’s choir before letting all hell break loose with a dynamic cello phrase that, when accompanied with sneering guitar and crash-heavy beats courtesy of new drummer Eric Craven, gives the band some legitimate swagger. The track rages on without stopping, providing fifteen minutes of an unabashed strut. “1,000,000 Died To Make This Sound” hints that 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons won’t be a typical post rock record- that finally, a band with that unfortunate label will make an album with some ***ing attitude. And A Silver Mount Zion delivers. Kinda.

After the consistently climactic- yet never boring- “1,000,000 Died To Make This Sound”, the group, like a man and his comfort lover, starts flirting with their standard noodly, “arty” music. And like that ill-fated relationship, the results are clumsy and awkward at best. This falls largely on the shoulders of leader Efrim Menuck’s increasing confidence (cockiness?) in his vocal talents, which have begun to fall on the irritating side of the unprofessional fence. Both “13 Blues for Thirteen Moons” and “Black Waters Blown/Engine Broke Blues” have Menuck shouting almost tunelessly, the first half of the former containing repeated chants of senseless lyrics like “There’s ravens in the gun trees!” and “I just want some action!” Menuck’s never been shy about his anarchistic political beliefs, weaving his ideals into Silver Mount Zion lyrics since he began writing them, but on “13 Blues For Thirteen Moons”, his attempts at emotion come off sounding contrived and predictable. It’s the right attitude- just the incorrect execution. Menuck rants are impassioned enough, but the bare bones instrumentation leaves him sounding completely alone, leaving one of the few weaknesses of A Silver Mount Zion completely naked, and it’s an ugly sight.

Menuck’s voice, for whatever reason inheriting a more and more Scottish inflection with time, isn’t nearly strong enough to carry a track by itself, a fact made clear when Thee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band utilize the reasons for the ridiculous addendums to their name. The group oozes talent, and tracks that take advantage of each of the member’s assets rather than let Menuck bark away prove the best tracks on the album. Moments such as the chaotic, avant garde opening to “Black Waters Blown” or the gorgeous strings/choral apex of “Blindblindblind” highlight the group’s choral and orchestral talents, so obvious on previous albums like This Is Our Punk Rock and He Has Left Us Alone (respectively). When “Black Water Blown” picks up after its flailing introduction minus a Jonny Rotten-esque Menuck, the band lets loose with an anguished, almost bluesy kind of feel before transitioning into the refreshingly pretty “Engine Broke Blues”. Menuck misses the mark again lyrically (”Feathers In your spokes/ Mother*** these weathered yokes”), but the unreserved, genuine passion of his tone makes his stream-of-consciousness writings immaterial. Menuck’s voice is uncomfortably hit or miss on 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons, but when he hits, he can directly cause the most powerful moments on the album.

Before the album’s final piece, 13 Blues For Thirteen Moons comes off angry, bleak, and tense. “Blindblindblind” closes the record with completely different adjectives, however, starting with a sweet delayed guitar riff that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Gregor Samsa record and Menuck coming as close to a croon as he can, saving his voice for the lung stretching climax to come later. The phrase repeats steadily as the orchestration slowly swells, the violins swooning and sighing to match the dejectedness of the lyrics (”Entire fleets of staggering ships/ Now our ships lie in the floors of the ocean And the oceans bleach on the rich”). The song’s key vocal theme begins to enter, the chorus singing “Some hearts are true…” before dropping out completely for a strictly plucked reprise of the chords. Menuck is left alone and delivers this time round, singing, “Sometimes there’s an abandoned baby who claims to help. Powers the province of impotent pricks. There ain’t no arguing. But sometimes there are policemen in parallel lines.” Slowly, the track begins to grow, the crash cymbals coming, the strings hitting their loudest, and the chorus repeating “Some Hearts Are True!” so beautifully, it’s heart-wrenching. It leaves 13 Blues For Thirteen Moons on an optimistic, powerful note, completely contrasting the tension of the album’s prior material. Overall, 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons shows A Silver Mount Zion at their hardest rocking, their most powerful, and their most irritating. Inconsistent? Yeah, a little bit. Yet as the instruments die out, leaving Menuck and the Silver Mount Zion chorus alone to sing the refrain with an ethereal reverence, it’s not implausible to look back on 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons and see it as Silver Mount Zion at their most enjoyable.

Simple Minds’ Original Lineup hit the studio

Simple Minds’ original line-up are to hit the studio this summer for the first time in 27 years.

The group have reformed for live dates to mark the group’s 30-year anniversary, but are now set to record new material from mid-June.

The original members – Brian McGee, Derek Forbes, Mick McNeil, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill – are planning to record two new tracks during the sessions.

Further studio work will apparently happen on a ‘Let’s see what happens’ basis.

Referring to the decision to record new material, frontman Jim Kerrsaid: “Of course I am excited with the prospect of working with the original line-up once more.

“The last time we worked together was on our ‘Sons And Fascination/Sister Feelings Call’ album, featuring songs like ‘The American’, ‘Themes For Great Cities’ and ‘Love Song’, and it is still considered by many as among our best ever
work. We have a lot to live up to, but we intend to have some fun
attempting to do just that.”

Simple Minds play:

Manchester MEN Arena (November 27)
Birmingham NEC (28)
London Wembley Arena (29)
Sheffield Arena Tuesday (December 1)
Cardiff International Arena (2)
Glasgow SECC (4)

Mudhoney: The Lucky Ones (Album Review)

Public demand be damned, Mudhoney is still here. With The Lucky Ones, the band release their eighth studio album, coming a full two decades after the classic Superfuzz Bigmuff. The Lucky Ones is a lean, punchy affair with almost nary a digression into the sort of dirge-blues nod-offs that have appeared on more recent releases. Instead, the eleven tracks here are tight, raw, and marked by insistent thumping rhythms and taught chunky riffs, laying the groundwork for one of the band’s most straight-ahead rock albums in years.

Indeed, the differences between Lucky Ones and its predecessor, Under a Billion Suns, are palpable. While neither record is particularly upbeat, Lucky Ones isn’t as sprawling (although “We Are Rising” does have its fare share of sprawling ragged glory meanderings); it has a liveliness that adds a nice subtle counterpoint to the band’s trademark spit-and-bile style. “And the Shimmering Light” moves along on a bright melody and bouncy rhythm that cave in to a psych-lite breakdown; all the while Mark Arm delivers an almost life-affirming, believe it or not, lyrical refrain in his cries of “when the sun comes up / there’s no word for how you feel!” That song segues nicely into the rumbling bass and up-and-down rhythms of “The Open Mind,” which, lyrically, hearkens back to the more political moments of Billion Suns (“Here comes another line / with a hook for you to swallow / here comes another lie / designed to get you to follow”); but at under two-and-a-half minutes it’s a pipe bomb rather than a revolutionary mission statement.

Yet, for better or worse (I’d argue better, personally) even when Mudhoney makes distinct aesthetic choices that separate one album from another, they are still the same band through and through. More direct though this album may be compared to other Mudhoney releases, it’s still built on heavy, down-tuned rock riffs, snarling punk vocals, and an overall air of disappointment and dissatisfaction (“The past made no sense / the future looks tense,” shouts Arm on the albums lead-off track “I’m Now”), with knowing winks and nudge-nudge glances still being shot to the astute listener.

Continuing to make records long after an audience writ-large stopped caring, Mudhoney have nestled into a comfortable groove that satisfies long-time fans–maybe picking up the stray younger fan learning about that whole Seattle thing for the first time – and seemingly themselves. What’s truly amazing, though, is that Mudhoney have been doing this for over 20 years, yet so few bands have seen fit to take up the mantel. To a generation of kids coming up, Mudhoney is a classic rock band; one of those groups that was friends with Nirvana. It’s odd to think of them in that light, but if the band’s continued existence is good for one thing it’s that they are proof that an entirely new rock template has emerged, withstood the test of time (almost a quarter of a century in fact), and there for the ripping off. Meet the new boss: he hates his job, he didn’t want the promotion, and he’s out back right now getting stoned.

By Nate Knaebel

‘Banned’ Be Your Own Pet Tracks To See Release

A trio of tracks banned from the domestic edition of Be Your Own Pet’s sophomore album will make their way to U.S. shores next month.

XL plans to release the songs on a mini-EP, “Get Damaged” — a play on the album’s title, “Get Awkward” — due out digitally on June 3 and in stores on June 24 in both CD and 7-inch configurations. The legal department at Universal, which distributes BYOP’s albums, deemed the tunes “Becky,” “Black Hole” and “Blow Yr Mind” too violent for consumption in the U.S., trimming “Get Awkward” from 15 to 12 tracks in the Nashville punk quartet’s homeland.

“The whole thing was just a huge mistake on Universal’s part,” guitarist Jonas Stein said, contending that the lyrics, written by singer Jemina Pearl Abegg, are “tongue in cheek.” “It seems pretty hypocritical for them to not let us put these songs out because our ‘demographic’ is supposedly suburban young teenage girls — who I guess don’t listen to all the vulgar rap Universal releases.

“Unfortunately, this makes the relationship kind of sticky between the band and label,” he continues. “We kinda feel like we got screwed. Every band’s fear of signing with a major label is not getting to release something you recorded because of somebody’s so-called ethical standards.”

BYOP is swallowing its pride in another area, too. The group, which is currently playing with She Wants Revenge on the NYLON tour, has signed on to the Vans Warped Tour from July 9 to Aug. 2, even though Stein says “we usually don’t like to support events like this.” But despite discomfort with the level of sponsorship and some of the bands that have been part of Warped, Stein says he and his bandmates understand the benefits of being part of the tour.

“We were feeling a lot of pressure from people we work with at our label,” Stein acknowledges. “But after hearing some pretty wise words and mentally growing a little bit, we’ve learned that any show is beneficial to a band. It’s not the show that shapes the band, it’s the band that shapes the show.

“So regardless of the big, corporate companies sponsoring (Warped), you’ve got to work within the system to change things for the good,” he continues. “We were very hesitant to be part of it, but regardless of if we’re hated or loved we’re just gonna go out and try to melt some faces when we play.”

Manzarek Eyes Doors Documentary, Other Projects

Marking the 41st anniversary of the release of the Doors’ classic self-titled album are several band-related projects already in shops and on the horizon. Tops on the list is an as-yet-untitled documentary that will chronicle the group’s entire career.

“We have plans for a big Doors documentary film in the works,” Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek said. “I saw the first cut of it yesterday, and it’s looking real good. But that won’t be out ’til another six months.”

Although Manzarek is keeping a tight lip at the moment on specifics about the documentary, he did confirm that it would feature a large amount of rare footage. “Absolutely — that’s the whole point of it. Never before seen! This is the anti-Oliver Stone [referring to Stone's 1991 film, 'The Doors']. This will be the true story of the Doors.”

Already out is a “Classic Albums” DVD from Eagle Rock that focuses on the Doors’ aforementioned 1967 debut. “Everybody’s there — Densmore, Manzarek, Krieger, Bill Siddons, Bruce Botnick. It’s very insightful,” Manzarek says. Also interviewed for the DVD are longtime Doors fans Henry Rollins and Perry Farrell.

Another just-issued Doors release is the 16-track live CD, “Live in Pittsburgh 1970,” via Rhino. Recorded on May 7, 1970, the album captures the group during its final U.S. tour with late singer Jim Morrison.

Manzarek is getting ready to hit the road for a European tour in July as part of Riders On The Storm, a group that also features ex-Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger (and former Fuel singer Brett Scallions).

The keyboardist also recently issued a collaborative CD with guitarist Roy Rogers, “Ballads Before the Rain,” via Friday Music. “It’s all-instrumental — me playing the piano, and Roy playing some absolutely beautiful guitar. It’s lovemaking music. It’s ‘a glass of white wine as the sun is setting’ kind of music.”

And lastly, Manzarek is working on several movie scripts. “I’ve got four scripts. So what, who doesn’t have four scripts,” he says with a laugh. “I’ve got a film script based on ‘L.A. Woman,’ and another one in which three UCLA film school guys go to the desert to take peyote with the Native Americans at the Native American Church.”

“And they run into the people from the Native American Church — the peyote church,” he continues. “And all the sh*t that happens to them, you can imagine. Out in the desert, rednecks, psychic visions and reincarnation visions. Raymond White Eagle Daniels is the old wise man running the peyote ceremony. And that will of course never be made into a film, because it’s about peyote [laughs]. It’s a journey into manhood.”

Grand Archives – A Setting Sun (Live on Late Late Show Video)

New Sigur Ros Album Due In Late June

On the heels of their 2007 live release “Heima,” Icelandic group Sigur Rós is preparing to release its next studio album, “Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust.” The album, which translated into English from Icelandic means “With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly,” is due June 24 via XL. Fans, however, will have several opportunities to hear the set even earlier.

Opening track “Gobbledigook” will be premiered tonight (May 27) on BBC Radio 1 and will be available for free download on the band’s Web site this afternoon. Customers who pre-order the album beginning June 2 can download it a week ahead of release; the Web site will be streaming the album beginning June 9.

“With a Buzz” was produced by the band and Flood. It marks the first Sigur Ros band has recorded an album outside of Iceland, as the combo rolled tape in New York, London, Havana and its own facilities in Reykjavik.

While the majority of the album features vocalist Jón Thor Birgisson singing in Icelandic, one song includes English lyrics for the first time. The London Oratory Boy’s Choir, string quartet Amiina and a five-piece brass section also contribute.

Here are Sigur Ros’ tour dates:

June 5: Guadalajara, Mexico (Teatro Degollado)
June 7: Tepoztlan, Mexico (Festival La Colmena)
June 8: Tijuana, Mexico (Planeta Tijuana)
Jun 11: Omaha, Neb. (Orpheum Theater)
June 12: Kansas City, Mo. (Uptown Theater)
June 14: Manchester, Tenn. (Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival)
June 16: New York (Grand Ballroom)
June 20: Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany (Southside Festival)
June 22: Scheesel, Germany (Hurricane Festival)

Radiohead’s ‘eco-friendly’ tour secrets revealed

Liars, who recently supported Radiohead on the first leg of their US tour, have praised the band for taking measures to reduce their carbon footprint as they tour.

The band revealed the lengths to which the band go to minimise emissions and waste created by the process of touring.

Writing on the Liars MySpace blog, the band revealed that they were given tour water flasks to drink from, rather than use disposable cups which are bad for the environment.

They also explained that all the tour buses and trucks used on the tour run on biofuel, and that air freight is banned.

In a gushing blog the band wrote: “In a world full of fear and ripe with insincerity it’s such a relief to have met Radiohead. They are purveyors of truth, beauty and a moral responsibility to the planet.

“We’ve been welcomed with literal open ams and thoroughly schooled on how to function as a band – not just musically, but ethically, too.

“The important thing for us to make clear is just how awe inspiring this production is. We’re not sure if there’s any information made public about the efforts Radiohead go to to reduce their environmental impact, but there should be.”

Phil Spector To Be Re-Tried For Murder

A Los Angeles judge today (May 22) set a September date for pioneering rock producer Phil Spector’s second trial on charges that he murdered actress Lana Clarkson in the foyer of his mock castle in 2003.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Fidler ordered Spector to stand trial beginning on Sept. 29 in the high-profile case.

The jury in Spector’s first trial deadlocked 10-2 in favor of a guilty verdict in September 2007, forcing Fidler to declare a mistrial, but prosecutors immediately said they would bring the case again.

Most of Spector’s defense team quit in October, causing delays in the retrial. The new defense team is seeking to have Fidler removed from the case, claiming he is biased against the 68-year-old rock producer.

Clarkson, 40, was found dead of a gunshot to the mouth early on the morning of February 3, 2003, after Spector’s driver called police to say that the record producer had killed someone.

Prosecutors say Spector shot Clarkson while trying to prevent her from leaving. They called a series of witnesses to testify that Spector had a history of brandishing guns at women when he was drunk and said forensic evidence indicated that the Colt Cobra .38 special revolver went off accidentally after he jammed it in Clarkson’s face.

Defense attorneys countered that Clarkson, best known as the star of such B-movies as “Amazon Women on the Moon” and “Barbarian Queen,” had been depressed and may have killed herself.

Spector did not take the witness stand in his own defense. He told a magazine interviewer early on in the case that Clarkson committed suicide for reasons he could not grasp.

After a five-month trial in 2007, the jury deliberated for 12 days before telling the judge that they were hopelessly deadlocked and could not reach a unanimous verdict.
(Dan Whitcomb, Reuters)

Flaming Lips, Foo’s to salute The Who

NEW YORK (Billboard) – Pearl Jam, the Foo Fighters and the Flaming Lips will pay tribute to the Who during VH1’s “Rock Honors” charity concert in Los Angeles on July 12.

The event, now in its third year, will be held at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion. Highlights will air on the lifestyle cable network five days later.

The Who, led by sole surviving members guitarist Pete Townshend and singer Roger Daltrey, will also perform during the taping.

Red Hot Chili Peppers disband

Red Hot Chili Peppers have disbanded for at least a year.

Singer Anthony Kiedis has revealed that the band members will step away from music to concentrate on their individual lives.

The singer told Rolling Stone that the band have decided to have no involvement in the band for 12 months after becoming exhausted with their hectic schedule.

The star went on to explain that he will spend more time with his family, while bassist Flea and guitarist John Frusciante are set to work on individual musical projects.

“We’re disbanded for the moment,” he said. “We took a very long time to make the ‘Stadium Arcadium’ record (released in 2006). It was a gruelling, long haul and it followed two other very long hauls, ‘Californication’ (1999) and ‘By the Way’ (2002).

“So we didn’t really stop until the tour ended last year. We were all emotionally and mentally zapped at the end of that run. The discussion was, ‘Let’s not do anything Red Hot Chili Peppers-related for a minimum of one year, and just live and breathe and eat and learn new things.’”

He added: “I’m just home, hanging out with this really cool little kid, learning how to surf. But I’m starting to get just a little bit of a tingle that it would be nice to start thinking about songs and pieces of music. But just pieces.”

Death Cab For Cutie Scores First No. 1 Album

Death Cab For Cutie claims its first No. 1 album as “Narrow Stairs” starts at the top slot on the Billboard 200. The Atlantic set moved 144,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen Soundscan. Death Cab’s prior album, 2005’s “Plans,” debuted at No. 4 with 90,000 and spent 50 weeks on the chart.

Reprise’s retrospective Frank Sinatra collection “Nothing But the Best” bows at No. 2 with 99,000. It’s been nearly 15 years since Old Blue Eyes was this high on the chart. In December 1993, his “Duets” album spent three weeks at No. 2. This new hits collection, which chronicles the legend’s tenure on Reprise Records, also commemorates the tenth anniversary of Sinatra’s passing on May 14, 1998.

Jason Mraz’s Atlantic album “We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things” enters at No. 3 with 73,000, giving the Warner Music Group and WEA Distribution the top three on the chart for the first time in more than 16 years. “We Sing…” is the singer/songwriter’s new high-water mark on the chart; “Mr. A-Z” topped out at No. 5 in 2005.

Welsh singer Duffy’s A&M/Polydor debut “Rockferry” enters at No. 4 with 71,000. That makes her the third female British newcomer to earn a top 10 debut since the beginning of 2007, joining Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis. The album’s single “Mercy” has risen to No. 20 thus far on the Adult Top 40 radio chart.

Speaking of Lewis, her Syco/J set “Spirit” climbs 6-5 with 62,000, an 18% slip in sales. Mariah Carey’s Island Def Jam album “E=MC2″ flip-flops with it, falling 5-6 with 59,000 (-33%). After becoming his first No. 1 last week, Neil Diamond’s “Home Before Dark” (Columbia) slips to No. 7 with a 63% sales hit at 53,000.

Madonna’s “Hard Candy” (Warner Bros.) continues its decline 3-8 with 53,000 (-43%) and Toby Keith’s double-disc collection “35 Biggest Hits” (Show Dog Nashville) descends 2-9 with 41,000, a 60% sales tumble.

Keith Sweat’s “Just Me” rounds out the top tier, debuting at No. 10 with 37,000. The Keia/Atco/Rhino is Sweat’s first studio album since 2002’s “Rebirth,” which peaked at No. 14 in its opening week.

Rock act 10 Years’ “Division” (Universal Republic) lands at No. 12 with 28,000. Its last set, “The Autumn Effect,” topped out at No. 72 in 2005. Other debuts on The Billboard 200 this week include the Disney soundtrack to “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” at No. 26 with 16,000, Cherish’s “The Truth” (Capitol) at No. 40 with 13,000, Filter’s “Anthems for the Damned” (Pulse) at No. 42, also with 13,000 and Starbucks’ Hear Music compilation “The Second Wave” at No. 43 with 13,000.

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS | R.E.M. “Supernatural Superserious”

Kingblind Downloads

Factory Floor – Bipolar

Bonnie “Prince” Billy – So Everyone (demo)

Dresden Dolls – Night Reconnaissance

Free Kitten – Seasick

French Kicks – Abandon

Ghostly – Dumbo Wins Again

Mudhoney – In ‘n’ Out of Grace

Mudhoney – I’m Now

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE:: Water Curses (Album Review)

Animal Collective have been making experimental indie rock for about eight years, but 2007 definitely saw them come of age. That was when they released the critically acclaimed Strawberry Jam, a compelling and complex pop disc that landed them on countless year-end best-of lists. Thankfully, the group had a few tunes left over from that recording session.

The four-track Water Curses EP – three songs from the Strawberry Jam sessions and one newer tune – is as engaging as any of their full-lengths. Besides the upbeat title track, which most resembles songs from their last record, the tunes are dreamy and minimalist, floating quietly into each other. But just because they’re not raucous doesn’t mean they’re not good. Yet another must-have for Animal Collective fans.

The Specials Eyeing Fall Reunion Shows

Specials leader Terry Hall says he had “five years of reservations” about reforming the famed U.K. band, but that long-held tensions between various members have been resolved and that the group is now getting along well.

As such, the original lineup is planning its first shows in more than 25 years for this fall, possibly as early as October.

“We’ve been trying to do it for five years, but we solved those problems and hopefully got over them,” Hall said “Seven 50-year-old men together in a room is not very pleasant, no matter who you are. But we’re getting on great and that’s all you can hope for, really.”

The Specials had a succession of top 10 U.K. hits from 1979 to 1981 on the seminal 2-Tone label, including No. 1s with “Too Much Too Young” and “Ghost Town.” They spilt in 1981 when original members Hall, Neville Staples and Lynval Golding left to form Fun Boy Three.

“It’s weird because we’re all living all over the place, so it’s difficult arranging to be in the same place at the same time,” Hall admits. “We’re doing a block of rehearsals in June and then once we’ve done that, we’ll see when we’re ready.”

“We’re going to play just the first and second album,” he continues. “The first album probably in full and half of the second one. That’s all we want to do — just get together and play the songs once more.”

At present, the band only intends to play a series of theatre-sized venues in the U.K. “That’s the kind of venue where we started,” explains Hall. “I don’t like arena dates, at all. They’re just soulless. The very nature of this band, we shouldn’t go and play sit-down theatres. It would just be weird. I think we should carry on where we left off.”

Hall expressed his delight with how the rehearsals were going, although he did admit that he was sometimes having trouble remembering lyrics.

“It’s feeling surprisingly fresh,” he says. “Purely because we haven’t really played them for 25 years. I’ve played a few of those songs live since that point, but there was like an album-and-a-half that I haven’t even thought about since 1981. I’m using lots of lyric sheets because I keep on getting words mixed up, although that’s also down to old age.

Raconteurs, Justice Anchor Treasure Island Festival

The Raconteurs and Justice will headline the second Treasure Island Music Festival, to be held Sept. 20-21 on the titular island in San Francisco Bay. The event is spearheaded by the team behind San Francisco’s Noise Pop Festival as well as area promoter Another Planet Entertainment.

Justice anchors the bill on night one, alongside TV On The Radio, Goldfrapp, Hot Chip, CSS, Antibalas, Aesop Rock, Amon Tobin, Foals, Mike Relm and Nortec: Bostich + Fussible.

The Raconteurs headline on Sept. 21, with Tegan & Sara, Vampire Weekend, Spiritualized, Okkervil River, Tokyo Police Club, the Kills, Dr. Dog, John Vanderslice and Fleet Foxes supporting.

Organizers are providing complimentary biodiesel bus transport from San Francisco. For ticket information, visit TreasureIslandFestival.com.

Built To Spill Plotting New Album, Fall Tour

Built To Spill has finished recording basic tracks for its next Warner Bros. studio album, due in spring 2009 via Warner Bros. The group is also embarking on fall tours of North America and Europe, during which it will perform its 1997 album “Perfect From Now On” in its entirety.

As for the new album, the songs will be a mix between newly penned material and retooled tracks considered but ultimately dropped from Built To Spill’s prior album, 2006’s “You in Reverse.” Guitarist Doug Martsch said the sessions have been more collaborative than ever, owing to the fact that the band is recording to Pro Tools rather than analog tape.

“You have endless tracks, so [all three Built To Spill guitarists] can be in a room together and do five takes,” he says, adding, “Then, hopefully somebody can go through it and find out what’s good.”

Martsch expects songs like “Nowhere Lullabye,” “Done” and “Good Old Boredom,” which Built To Spill has already tested out live, to make the cut, while the newer “Planting Seeds” is “a real conventional kind of pop/rock song. It reminds me of a Tom Petty song or something, but it probably doesn’t sound anything like that.”

Another tune that doesn’t yet have lyrics is “kind of like a Treepeople song; a fast, post-punk thing. We’ve recorded 15 songs but not everything will make it onto the record.” Built To Spill has completed a couple of overdubbing sessions for the project, but Martsch says the band is planning on returning to the studio until the end of June.

Meanwhile, work has begun on preparing for the tour, which will find Built To Spill joined by “Perfect From Now On” cellist John McMahon to more accurately recreate that material. Although dates are still coming together, Martsch says the band will play a handful of West Coast shows in September, followed by an East Coast run of 10 to 12 gigs and a previously announced appearance at the My Bloody Valentine-curated All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in Monticello, N.Y. A month-and-a-half-long run in Europe will follow.

Martsch promises the band will play an encore of songs from throughout its back catalog after the in-sequence “Perfect” performances, but he’s still trying to figure out which ones will work best. “I started to listen to ‘Perfect’ and made it halfway through, and I realized it’s real slow,” he says. “We’ll need some rockers to even out the tempos.”

Blondie Celebrating 30th Birthday Of ‘Parallel Lines’

A 30th anniversary celebration for Blondie’s “Parallel Lines” album was not the band’s idea, according to singer Debbie Harry. “It’s really sort of traditional EMI behavior,” the group’s frontwoman and namesake tells Billboard.com with a laugh. “None of us really were counting the hours and the days or whatever.”

But Harry says she and her compatriots are happy to participate in the party, which includes an expanded “30th Anniversary Edition” of “Parallel Lines” on June 24 and a tour that begins June 5 in Baltimore.

“It was a good period for us, a very good period,” Harry notes. “We were starting a new relationship with a new label (Chrysalis) and a new producer (Mike Chapman). We really liked the music. It was a very exciting time.”

“Parallel Lines,” Blondie’s third album, provided the group with its commercial breakthrough, going platinum and peaking at No. 6 during a 103-week run on The Billboard 200. The single “Heart of Glass,” which Harry says she and guitarist Chris Stein wrote several years earlier, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while “One Way or Another” made it to No. 24.

The album has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, but Harry was most pleased about its impact in the States. “We’d had hits all over the world — in Europe, in the U.K., in Australia,” she says. “But having a hit at home after three years of being on the road was really, really important to us.”

The “Parallel Lines (30th Anniversary Edition)” includes the 7″ single version of “Heart of Glass,” the French version of “Sunday Girl” and some remixes, plus a DVD with promo videos and TV performances. During the tour, the group — which still includes founding members Stein and drummer Clem Burke — plans to play the album in its entirety. “A couple of the songs we might try to do a little more punky,” Harry says, declining to reveal which ones.

Harry — who released a solo album, “Necessary Evil,” in 2007 — thinks the “Parallel Lines” celebration “will draw the group closer together in a way,” but she’s not sure it will lead to new Blondie material.

“Chris and I have been working on a couple of things,” she says, “but I don’t know exactly what the future of Blondie is for new material. We’ve always been open for the opportunity to make some new stuff, but with the industry the way it is, it’s kind of difficult, especially for a band that’s been around for a while. They’re not really looking at you for anything new, so you’re sort of stuck with the things that people know you for. We’ll have to wait and see.”

Mudcrutch: S/T (Album Review)

Tom Petty has described re-forming his pre-fame, early-’70s outfit Mudcrutch as…”crazy.” To which we say, ”Piffle!” As last year’s rock doc Runnin’ Down a Dream: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers showed, the group was pretty good. Indeed, keyboardist Benmont Tench and guitarist Mike Campbell went on to play in Petty’s band the Heartbreakers. They are joined on this debut release — which comes three decades after their split — by guitarist Tom Leadon, who later backed Linda Ronstadt, and drummer Randall Marsh, a music teacher. Mudcrutch, on which Petty handles bass and most vocals, also largely features new tunes from the star, who’s been in fine creative form of late. As a result, it sounds like a pretty good Tom Petty record.

Some tracks are surprisingly loose, such as the jammy ”Crystal River.” But midtempo rockers ”The Wrong Thing to Do” and ”Scare Easy” could have appeared on Petty’s great last CD, Highway Companion. And his vocals have rarely sounded more quaveringly beautiful than they do on honky-tonk lament ”Orphan of the Storm.” There are a few low points — for instance, folky instrumental ”June Apple” was probably more fun to play than it is to hear — yet mostly, Mudcrutch works for everyone: fans, the members who were left behind fame-wise, and Petty himself, who gets to look like a good guy for giving them a taste of what they missed. Crazy? Like a you-know-what

Oasis confirm new album release

Oasis have confirmed that their new album will be out in the autumn.

Although no official date has been set for the release, Noel Gallagher told Russell Brand’s Radio 2 show last night (May 17) that the band will be releasing their as-yet-untitled-album in September.

The Oasis guitarist refused to be drawn on the exact date, claiming “his manager” would tell him off for messing up the launch by letting the date just slip out.

Three songs reportedly from the new album were leaked online.

Links to downloads of ‘I Wanna Live A Dream (In My Record Machine)’, ‘Nothin On Me’ and ‘Stop The Clocks’ appeared on messageboards, fansites and YouTube earlier this month.

Radiohead Fans Up In Arms Over Virginia Concert

Radiohead’s rain-drenched May 11 sellout at Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Va., has resulted in an Internet-driven firestorm, with message boards and the blogosphere lighting up amid fan frustration.

The D.C. market was faced with monsoon-like conditions around the show, with an estimated four inches of rain and flooding forcing road closures and maddening traffic conditions. Apparently a significant number of fans — hundreds or thousands, depending on who is estimating — were extremely late or unable to get into the show for a variety of reasons.

As such, many fans have taken to the Internet to vent their dissatisfaction, with neither the venue, the promoter nor the band being spared. One area blogger offers this headline: “Radiohead @ Nissan: You Both Suck.”

Radiohead’s Web site offers the following comment: “Due to Sunday night’s torrential rain storm and consequential multiple road closures, many fans were unable to reach the Nissan Pavilion. While acknowledging a lack of control over the ensuing flooding and detours, the members of Radiohead are nevertheless disappointed regarding this turn of events. For further inquiries, ticket holders who didn’t get in are urged to contact: customerservice@nissanpavilion.com.”

Nissan Pavilion owner/operator Live Nation has offered fans that were turned away tickets to an Aug. 12 show at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, N.J. (near Philadelphia), or tickets to a show of their choice at Nissan Pavilion (subject to availability).

“While we have no control over Mother Nature, we certainly are disappointed that some fans did not make it to the venue,” says Live Nation spokesman John Vlautin. “We take customer service very seriously and urge ticketholders to contact customerservice@nissanpavilion.com, where we will resolve their issues on a case-by-case basis.”

But that may not be enough to pacify some fans. One online petition with more than 350 signers calls for another Radiohead show in the market, with such comments as, “I would ABSOLUTELY want to attend another DC/Baltimore show — as long as its not at Nissan!! The offer that Nissan provided me of free lawn tickets to the Camden, N.J., show is insulting! For one, I had pavilion seats. Two – its Camden, NJ!!”

Adding fuel to the fire is Radiohead’s self-stated intention of making its summer tour as environmentally friendly as possible. According to one fan post, “One-third of the concert-goers that night were driving around in circles, burning fossil fuels all the while. This is your save the Earth tour … and yet you play in the middle of nowhere with no public transportation leading there. You owe us!”

And from another, “If you gave even one tiny llama turd about environmental impact, you would never have scheduled a show at a venue 40 miles away from downtown D.C., nowhere near public transportation of any kind.”
(Ray Waddell, Nashville- Billboard)

Foo Fighters man replaces Beach Boy

Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins is to replace The Beach Boys’ drummer Dennis Wilson on an upcoming single.

‘Holy Man’ – with Hawkins on vocals – is to feature on the reissue of Wilson’s seminal ‘Pacific Ocean Blue’ album, which is released as a 2CD version on June 9. The single is released the same day.

‘Pacific Ocean Blue’, released in 1977, was Dennis Wilson’s only solo album and is often regarded as something of a “lost classic” since, owing to copyright issues, it was virtually unavailable for over a decade.

The troubled former Beach Boys drummer died in 1983, leaving a body of solo work unfinished, including the instrumental track, ‘Holy Man’, which did not feature on the original version of ‘Pacific Ocean Blue’.

Gregg Jakobson, the original co-producer/co-writer of ‘Pacific Ocean Blue’, said he chose Taylor to complete the track because he was in the “brotherhood”.

He added: “I always said: ‘Taylor, you sound just like Dennis’. “Taylor is just a natural. He came in, he did the vocal within an hour and I really think he knocked it out of the park.”

The 1977 solo album is set to be reissued on the 25th anniversary of Wilson’s death. The second CD will feature tracks from his unfinished ‘Bambu’ album

The Black Keys: Strange Times (on Late Night with Conan O’ Brien)

The Nightmarchers- See you in Magic (Album Review)

John Reis (aka Speedo) delivers exactly what you expect on every album that bears his name. Pure, hard, fun, and nasty rock & roll action. Rocket from the Crypt? Check. Drive Like Jehu? Check. The Sultans? Check. Hot Snakes? Yep. New band the Night Marchers? You’d better believe it. Teaming up with former Hot Snakes Gar Wood and Jason Kourkounis, and Tommy Kitsos of CPC Gangbangs, Reis delivers an album of rampaging hard rock that kicks hard and sticks with you like a monster hangover. The sound of See You in Magic is probably closest to that of the Sultans. The two bands share a light and nimble approach that RFTC lacked. They were a knockout blow; the Night Marchers are more likely to jab you in the solar plexus. Either way, by the end of the album you know you’ve been in a fight. The guitars are taut and fierce, the drums pounding but not overbearing, and the occasional shouted backing vocals mix well with Reis’ powerful everyman vocal delivery. Reis’ skill at crafting songs with hooky choruses has never deserted him and is strong as ever here. “Bad Bloods,” “I Wanna Deadbeat You,” and the insanely great and almost funky “Whose Lady R U?” all stand with the catchiest, most memorable RFTC songs. Elsewhere, the bandmembers charge through doomy (“And I Keep Holding On”), loose-limbed (“Total Bloodbath”), and storming (“Closed for Inventory”) rockers like they were playing for their lives. Among all the noise and carnage, the quartet shows a rare moment of subtlety on the restrained and almost relaxed “You’ve Got Nerve,” which winningly takes a page from the Spoon playbook of “less is more.” That philosophy is pretty alien to a Reis-fronted band and it speaks to the power of the Night Marchers that they can pull it off so well. They also do a fine job on the very poppy Spector-lite ballad “Panther in Crime.” Add the Night Marchers to Speedo’s roll of triumphs and feel free to rank See You in Magic as one of his finest moments. It’s really that good.

Noel Gallagher steals Robbie Williams’ drummer – Tabloid Hell

Oasis’s Noel Gallagher has reignited his feud with Robbie Williams by stealing his drummer.

Following the departure of Zak Starkey, Gallagher has recruited Chris Sharrock, who used to drum for Williams as well as recently The La’s.

Gallagher famously called Williams a “fat dancer”.

A source told The Daily Mirror: “Oasis and Robbie have an ongoing feud. This move is sure to infuriate Robbie.

“Everyone thinks Chris has had enough of sitting on the picket line and not playing music (Williams is currently in dispute with label EMI).

“Oasis aren’t striking against anyone so at least he’ll be getting a bit of action now.”

Death Cab for Cutie: “I Will Possess Your Heart” (Live on Letterman)

The Gossip:: Live in Liverpool (Album Review)

So, Beth Ditto in 2008. Is she a super-subversive riot grrrl heroine bravely infiltrating the mainstream, boldly taking her ideals to a forum larger than a few fanzine-reading fuckwits? Or an ultra sell-out who’s happily traded all them principles for a showbiz life? Swapping crass punchlines with those knobs on The Friday Night Project, sipping cocktails with Kate Moss and doing really bad duets with Mika at really, really bad awards ceremonies…

Both valid viewpoints, but what is beyond doubt is that The Gossip are now The Beth Ditto Show. A shame, because as anyone who saw any of their pre-circus gigs will attest, The Gossip used to be a collective unit in the best possible sense – Beth’s primal holler no more centre-stage than the lo-fi Zep raunch being blasted out behind it. Hunt down 2003’s ‘Undead In NYC’ if you need recorded proof. ‘Live In Liverpool’, by contrast, committed to tape on July 9, 2007, documents a time long after that Cool List topping and the subsequent Bethmania. So the screams throughout opener ‘Eyes Open’ are of the type associated with a Take That audience, not a Huggy Bear one. There are Aaliyah and George Michael covers and – of course – a distinctly more manic reception for the opening bars of ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’ than for any of the other songs, and while there is still Nathan and Hannah’s amazing musicianship, there’s also still a sense that this is Big Star And Backing Band. Mainly, it’s hard to know who this record is actually for. The hardcore will find ‘Live In Liverpool’ too light while new converts would be better off delving into the treasure trove of old albums.

Moreover, releasing a so-so live album is not the best riposte to all those “but they’ve only got one song!” jibes. With the news that they’re going R&B we have no doubt the results will be brilliant. Until that happens, though…

Big Boi Goes To The ‘Extreme’ On Solo Debut

OutKast’s Big Boi is putting the finishing touches on his first solo album, “Sir Luscious Left Foot … Son of Chico Dusty,” due later this year via Laface/Zomba. The first single is “Royal Flush” featuring OutKast colleague Andre 3000 and Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon.

“I’m shooting to finish the album by the end of August,” Big Boi said.

The MC worked with his usual Organized Noise production crew as well as long-time collaborator Mr. DJ on “Sir Luscious,” the second single from which will be “The World is Too Big” featuring Mary J. Blige.

“This album is Big Boi to the extreme,” the rapper says. “It’s like a recession special. I’m talking about what’s going on in the world, with everything from rising gas prices to the election. It’s just my insights on life up to this point.”

Longtime OutKast video director Bryan Barber will helm a clip for “Royal Flush” in the coming weeks. And while Raekwon will be featured in the video, Big Boi was unsure whether Andre 3000’s schedule would allow him to appear as well.

Last month, Big Boi debuted his “Big” collaboration with the Atlanta Ballet at the city’s Fox Theater. Now, the MC is in talks with concert promotion giants AEG and Live Nation to take the show on an international tour.

N.E.R.D.- “Everybody Nose” (Live on Letterman)

Death Cab For Cutie – I Will Possess Your Heart (Music Video)

Rock the Tube- Music on TV this week

We have highlighted our choices for your best viewing experience. Enjoy.

Tuesday 5/13:

David Letterman: Death Cab for Cutie
Jay Leno: Switchfoot
Conan O’Brien: Duffy
The View: William Shatner
Regis and Kelly: Duffy

Wednesday 5/14:

Jay Leno: Kate Nash
Conan O’Brien: The Black Keys
Jimmy Kimmel: Joe Jackson

Thursday 5/15:

Jay Leno: Dwight Yoakam
Conan O’Brien: MGMT
Last Call: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
The View: Robyn

Friday 5/16:

Jay Leno: Kathleen Edwards
Conan O’Brien: Everest
Jimmy Kimmel: Kate Nash
Ellen DeGeneres: Duffy

Saturday 5/17:

Saturday Night Live: Usher

Elvis Costello and the Imposters: Momofuko (Album Review)

How does Elvis Costello do it? In the past four years alone, pop’s reigning renaissance man has released a killer rock album (“The Delivery Man”), an eloquent collaboration with New Orleans R&B legend Allen Toussaint (“The River in Reverse”), and a live recording with a Dutch jazz orchestra (“My Flame Burns Blue”).

Today Costello gives us “Momofuku,” titled in tribute to the inventor of the Cup Noodle, and this collection goes down as easy and tasty as its namesake’s ingenious snack. Costello and the Imposters recorded and mixed the whole project in a week, inspired by a fast, loose session he sang on for Jenny Lewis’s forthcoming album. And Lewis returns the favor, supplying harmonies all over “Momofuku,” which is frontloaded with the sort of whip-smart, rough-and-tumble pop songs the artist built his name on.

Brimming with hooks and guitars galore, the album – released two weeks ago on vinyl and in stores and online today – flirts with samba (“Harry Worth”), soft-shoe (“Mr. Feathers”), and jazzy blues (“Flutter & Wow”). There’s a folksy ballad (“My Three Sons”), a sinuous rocker (“Stella Hurt”), and a petulant, lo-fi closer called “Go Away” that captures Costello at his most uncalculated and appealing. A few tracks sound like demos; “Drum & Bone” is a scrappy wisp. But Costello sings it like an excitable boy who has found a new box of toys

Green Day Side Project To Hit The Road

Foxboro Hot Tubs, the alter-ego side project of Green Day, is hitting the road for the first time, beginning next Monday (May 19) in Little Rock, Ark.

Tickets for the eight-date trek will only be available on the day of the show at the venue box office, for $20 cash. According to the band’s publicist, cameras are not permitted.

Early last December, months before Green Day admitted it was synonymous with Foxboro Hot Tubs, the latter band’s Web site began offering an EP, “Stop Drop and Roll,” for free download.

The MP3s were removed the following week, only to reappear and then vanish again. But a physical release is expected May 20; a single from the album, “Mother Mary,” peaked at No. 16 on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart.

This isn’t the first time Green Day’s members have been accused of moonlighting. In 2003, they were alleged to have recorded a new wave album under the name the Network, which frontman Billie Joe Armstrong released on his Adeline Records imprint.

Here are Foxboro Hot Tubs’ tour dates:

May 19: Little Rock, Ark. (Juanita’s Cantina)
May 20: New Orleans (One Eyed Jack’s)
May 21: Dallas (the Loft)
May 22: Austin, Texas (Emo’s)
May 25: Phoenix (Brick House)
May 26: San Diego (Soma)
May 27: Los Angeles (Roxy)
May 28: Long Beach, Calif. (Alex’s Ba

My Morning Jacket- I’m Amazed video (Live on SNL)

My Morning Jacket:: Evil Urges Video (Live on SNL)

The Faint Launching Label With New Album

Omaha, Neb.,-based dance punk quintet the Faint has split with longtime label Saddle Creek and is launching its own imprint, blank.wav. The first release will be the band’s fifth album, “Fasciinatiion,” due Aug. 5.

According to the band, “Fasciinatiion” deals with predictions and the future, tabloid culture, the allure of what may never be and the loss of childhood innocence.

Recorded in the band’s own studio, the album is the follow-up to 2004’s “Wet From Birth,” which has sold 117,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The Faint’s top-selling album to date is 2001’s “Danse Macabre,” which has shifted 143,000 units.

New material will be featured when the Faint hits the road in North America this summer, beginning July 27 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Here is the track list for “Fasciinatiion”:

“Get Seduced”
“The Geeks Were Right”
“Machine in the Ghost”
“Fulcrum and Lever”
“Psycho”
“Mirror Error”
“I Treat You Wrong”
“Forever Growing Centipedes”
“Fish in a Womb”
“A Battle Hymn for Children”

Portishead:: Third (Album Review)

Without warning, bands can and do often up and say, “and now for something completely different.” For evidence, check out the catastrophic switch from No Doubt’s 2000 released ska-punk finale Return Of Saturn to the cheesy electro biscuit Rock Steady from the next year. They went from Sublime approved rock to cleavage pop on a dime and haven’t looked back since. History is swimming with such examples. So, with an excruciating ten-year, unofficial hiatus separating Third and the eponymous second Portishead studio release, one should naturally expect massive change.

Dummy, a Mercury Prize winner, and the self-titled sophomore record were respectively released in 1994 and 1997. They were both prime examples of the trip-hop fusion of hip-hop and ethereal downtempo, and remain seminal works of the genre. Coincidentally, ‘94 to ‘97 marks the peak and sad decline of trip-hop, so expecting a return to an all but dead form would purely be wishful thinking on the listener’s behalf. For reasons beyond the grasp of mere mortals, trip-hop is not coming back, nor its bastard cousin illbient. Light a candle if you must.

As such, a first listen to the unimaginatively titled Third can be a little confusing or even off-putting. The static laden samples and sluggish scratching are gone, and most electronic effects have been pushed into a warmly analog Moog and Theremin role. However, patience and a little faith reveal Portishead third LP to be a work of sublime subtlety and dynamic depression easily on par with its critically adored predecessors. Building on the second album, this is their most “live” studio work yet, as well as being their most obviously diverse effort.

Despite its minute and a half length, “Deep Water” immediately sticks out. All there is to it is a ukulele, the always-sorrowful voice of Beth Gibbons, and a little bit of barbershop backup vocalizing. It’s not one of the album’s best tracks, but I’ve listened to their two studio albums and watched the live DVD a hundred times and I’ve never heard anything remotely like it. That’s about the definition of putting it all out there—they’re not playing it safe by any means.

“The Rip” is a fine piece, starting off with a humble Theremin howl and a finger-picked acoustic guitar. Gibbon’s vocals come in almost immediately and continue till about halfway. Then, a forceful drum track and moog bassline harmonizing with the acoustic fade in, as Gibbons’ sigh becomes electronically extended. Imagine Goldfrapp fronting Numbers and you’re close. Following that, “Plastic” is probably most like the mid-’90s Portishead we came to worship. It’s based in creepy organ and vocal sorrow, but with an erratic, choppy rhythm section snippet and warbling knock on wood sample that pine for the old days.

Channelling Broadcast mixed with a little Adult., “We Carry On” has an up-tempo, tribal beat and steady moaning keyboard. The whine doubles up about two and a half minutes in, cueing a righteous guitar solo that punctuates the verses. It’s like post-drone-rock, only more cool than that looks on paper. Going for the other end of the spectrum, “Magic Doors” is cut from a pure classic rock cloth. Starting from the dead TV channel tone, it has a punchy Bonham beat, an eerie accordion sound, a nice round bassline, and a moving piano that underscores the chorus. Surprisingly, it also has more cowbell, with an almost Chambers Brothers “Time Has Come Today” reverb. Bruce Dickenson would put his pants on for that one.

Overall, Third appears to give jazz guitarist Adrian Utley more reign in songwriting, while turntablist producer Geoff Barrow has put his coffin away in lieu of outboard analog gear. Yet, as always, the unsettling lounge singer stylings of Beth Gibbons is the focal point. As witnessed by the slightly off Out Of Season collaboration with Paul “Rustin’ Man” Webb of Talk Talk, Gibbons’ terribly unique tones don’t tend to work all that well over sweetly organic instrumentals. She needs a little abrupt weirdness in her music or she stands out for the wrong reasons. Repeated exposure to “Deep Water” will reveal that to you, sure enough (in context, it works… just imagine a whole album of that).

So, on their third studio album, Portishead have succeeded in striking the careful balance between progressing their sound to where it should be 11 years later and retaining the esoteric creepiness that makes them tick. I don’t hear much in the way of clear, winning singles, not like the first two albums, but that seems to work in the album’s favor. Third is a complete work of art to fully immerse yourself in, listened to start to finish. It will be a little awkward initially, like Garth’s feeling towards putting on new underwear. After a while, it will become a part of you. History will eventually see it rank on par with the rest of their legendary works.

Gnarls Barkley – Going On (Music Video)

Stereolab announce North American Tour Dates

Stereolab will hit the road in support of Chemical Chords (due to be released, via 4AD, on 8/19/08) Laetitia Sadier will open the latter leg of the tour with her other group, Monade.

09.20 Costa Mesa, CA: Detroit Bar
09.21 Pomona, CA: Glass House
09.24 Austin, TX: La Zona Rosa
09.26 Atlanta, GA: Variety Playhouse
09.27 Athens, GA: 40 Watt Club
09.29 Carrboro, NC: Cat’s Cradle
09.30 Washington, DC: 9:30 Club
10.01 Philadelphia, PA: Trocadero
10.02 New York, NY: Irving Plaza
10.03 New York, NY: Irving Plaza
10.04 New York, NY: Irving Plaza
10.06 Boston, MA: Paradise *
10.07 Montreal, Quebec: Club Soda *
10.08 Toronto, Ontario: Phoenix Concert Theatre *
10.09 Detroit, MI: The Crofoot *
10.10 Chicago, IL: Vic Theatre *
10.12 Minneapolis, MN: First Avenue *
10.14 Denver, CO: Gothic Theatre *
10.17 Seattle, WA: Showbox *
10.18 Portland, OR: Wonder Ballroom *
10.19 Vancouver, British Columbia: Commodore Ballroom *
10.21 San Francisco, CA: The Fillmore *
10.22 San Francisco, CA: The Fillmore *
10.23 Los Angeles, CA: Henry Fonda Theatre *
10.24 Solana Beach, CA: Belly Up Tavern *

*: w/ Monade

Spiritualized Announce North American Tour

Spiritualized have announced a tour of North America, which will see the band return to their full, electric sound.

The band recently toured with their ‘Acoustic Mainlines’ show in November and April, including a performance at the legendary Apollo in Harlem, New York, which featured a performance of gospel-classic ‘Oh, Happy Day’.

On the forthcoming dates, the band will be performing songs from their back catalogue, as well as tracks from their soon-to-be released sixth studio album, ’Songs in A&E’, due out May 27.

The dates are:
Chicago, IL Pitchfork Music Festival (July 19)
Indianapolis, IN The Vogue (20)
Nashville, TN City Hall (21)
Atlanta,GA Variety Playhouse (22)
Washington,DC 9:30 Club (25)
Cleveland,OH House of Blues (August 1)
Buffalo, NY Town Ballroom (2)
Montreal, CA Parc Jean Drapeau (3)
Toronto Toronto Islands Park (September 6)
Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl (17)
Austin, TX Austin City Limits (27)

My Morning Jacket Reveal Headlining Tour

My Morning Jacket will follow up its performance at Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn., with a headlining run, beginning June 20 at Radio City Music Hall in New York. The route includes theaters, large clubs and amphitheaters, and almost all dates will be “an evening with” format, featuring extended sets from the band.

The tour is in support of the band’s June 10 ATO release “Evil Urges.”

MMJ frontman Jim James says the band will work plenty of the new material into these shows.

“That’s the problem we always have sitting around trying to make a set list,” he said. “You want to play the new ones, but you also want to do some of the older ones. That’s why keep playing longer and longer.”

As in the U.S., MMJ will play a couple festivals in Europe, then focus on
headlining, with a return to Europe in the fall.

MMJ is also set to appear as musical guest on Saturday Night Live May 10.

Here are My Morning Jacket’s tour dates:

(All dates are “An Evening with My Morning Jacket” except * = w/ the Black Keys)

June 20: New York (Radio City Music Hall)
Aug. 16: Louisville, Ky. (The Great Lawn at Louisville Waterfront Park)
Aug. 18: Kansas City (Uptown Theatre)
Aug. 19: Council Bluffs, Ia. (Stir Cove)
Aug. 21: Morrison, Colo. (Red Rocks Amphitheater*)
Aug. 23: Dallas (Palladium Ballroom)
Aug. 24: Austin (Stubbs)
Aug. 27: Atlanta (Fox Theatre-Atlanta)
Aug. 29: Miami (The Fillmore Miami Beach @ the Jackie Gleason Theater)
Aug. 30: Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (House of Blues- Orlando)
Aug. 31: Myrtle Beach, S.C. (House of Blues- Myrtle Beach)
Sept. 02: Charlottesville, Va. (Charlottesville Pavilion)
Sept. 03: Washington, D.C. (Constitution Hall)
Sept. 05: Philadelphia (Festival Pier Penn’s Landing)
Sept. 06: Boston (Bank of America Pavilion)
Sept. 19: Berkeley, Calif. (Greek Theatre)
Sept. 21: Los Angeles (Greek Theatre)
Sept. 23: Tempe, Ariz. (The Marquee)
Sept. 24: Las Vegas (The Joint)
Sept. 25: San Diego (SDSU Open Air Theater)
Sept. 27: Portland (McMenamins Edgefield)
Sept. 28: Seattle (McCaw Hall)
Oct. 2: Minneapolis (Orpheum Theatre)
Oct. 3: Milwaukee, Wis. (Riverside Theater)
Oct. 4: Detroit (The Fillmore Detroit)
Oct. 9: Chicago (Chicago Theatre)
Oct. 10: Chicago (Chicago Theatre)

Amy Winehouse arrested for suspected drug possession

Amy Winehouse was arrested in London today (May 7) on charges of suspected drug possession.

The arrest is connected to a video in which the singer was seen smoking what appears to be a crack pipe at her London home in January. The Winehouse video was subsequently posted on The Sun’s website, as previously reported.

In a statement issued today, Winehouse’s spokesperson said: “Amy Winehouse voluntarily attended a London police station today by appointment. She was arrested in order to be interviewed and is co-operating fully with enquiries.

“The interview relates to a video handed to police earlier this year.”

Winehouse entered a rehabilitation clinic shortly after the video appeared.

GANG OF FOUR MINUS TWO

The original and best-loved line-up of famed post-punk icons Gang of Four reunited in 2005 to great acclaim and success – unfortunately all good things must come to an end. Bassist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham are moving on, although singer Jon King and guitar-player Andy Gill will continue, focusing on writing and recording new music as Gang of Four. Burnham last performed with the band at All Tomorrow’s Parties in the UK in December 2006, while Allen played a few shows alongside drummer Mark Heaney in 2007, and recently worked on new material with King and Gill.

Allen says, “At the beginning of April, I decided that I could no longer continue to be a member of Gang of Four. My ability to give 100% to the band is limited and I feel that if I can’t do so, then I shouldn’t continue. As I expand my research and thinking about contemporary music distribution on Pampelmoose.com, and as I focus on online technology and social networking at Nemo Design here in Portland, I find myself conflicted about how the band’s new music should be released. To retain any credibility for Pampelmoose.com about what the future of music distribution will look like, I have to move on and not hold back Jon and Andy’s music plans. I have had a side project for a while now with John Askew of Tracker and Menomena’s drummer Danny Seim called Faux Hoax (pronounced Folks), and I look forward to fun times finding ways to get our music into peoples’ hands in unique ways.”

Burnham writes, “It was a great couple of years of intermittently reminding people old and new, far and wide just how powerful the original four of us were together. Age only increased our power and focus onstage, and it was a rare pleasure to work with the original band once again. Being in a band requires handling the business side of it too, and that became boring and the constant travel became debilitating. I am soon to start my Doctorate, as well as broadening my teaching at more than one college here in Massachusetts, so my free time has become increasingly limited, making it difficult to be involved with them going forward. Musically, I am recording and writing with members of Boston noise-merchants, The Bags and I have also been doing some recording lately with Mike Watt. I wish Jon and Andy luck with their new musical endeavours; I am sure they will be interesting.”

My Bloody Valentine announce North American tour

My Bloody Valentine have announced that they will play a handful of dates in the north America this autumn.

The newly reunited band previously announced that they will curate All Tomorrow’s Parties between September 19 and 21 in New York, where they will give their first US performance in 16 years.

Now the band have added a handful of dates in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles, extending their US jaunt.

The tour dates are:

New York, NY Roseland (September 22, 23)
Toronto, Ontario Ricoh (25)
Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom (27)
San Francisco, CA The Concourse (30)
Los Angeles, CA Santa Monica Civic (October 1, 2)

Neil Young To Release Archive On Blu-Ray

Neil Young plans to release his entire music archive on Blu-ray discs, a sign that the discs’ capabilities are building appeal among musicians as well as movie studios.

Blu-ray discs hold much more data than DVDs, are easily updated over the Internet and offer better picture and sound quality.

Young revealed his plans Tuesday at a Sun Microsystems Inc. conference in San Francisco. Santa Clara-based Sun makes the Java technology that gives Blu-ray discs their interactive menus and ability to accept updates over an Internet connection.

The first installment of Young’s archive will cover the years 1963 to 1972 and will be released as a 10-disc set this fall on Reprise/Warner Bros. Records.

Young said the archives will be released chronologically and include some previously unreleased songs, videos, handwritten manuscripts and other memorabilia, in addition to the high-resolution audio that Blu-ray technology is known for.

Fans can download more content like songs, photos and tour information directly to the Blu-ray discs as the content becomes available.

Blu-ray’s rival format HD DVD effectively died with maker Toshiba Corp.’s announcement in February that it will no longer produce HD DVD players.

Most of the Blu-ray discs manufactured so far have been used for high-definition movies.

Musical artists such as AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen and Destiny’s Child released concert videos on Blu-ray discs, but Young’s support of the technology for his ambitious archive project demonstrates more fully the capabilities of Blu-ray as a music medium.

Earlier technology didn’t offer the ability to browse archive material while listening to songs in high-resolution audio, Young noted.

“Previous technology required unacceptable quality compromises,” he said in a statement. “I am glad we waited and got it right.

Mates Of State Prep Fifth Album, Tour

Eclectic pop duo Mates Of State will return May 20 with “Re-Arrange Us,” the group’s fifth album since 2000 and second for Barsuk.

Fans will notice that the 10-song set drifts away from the organ-heavy arrangements of the band’s past in favor of piano, a decision that vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Jason Hammel describes as making the group nervous, but a needed change.

“One of the biggest concerns [was] that there’s no abrasiveness,” Hammel tells Billboard.com. “We didn’t want to be construed as going soft.”

To avoid that, the duo hired three different producers: Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla, Spoon drummer Jim Eno and Peter Katis.

“It was great to get everyone’s personalities into that record — and for us, to flesh out the non-organ stuff. We wanted to achieve this with different production qualities,” Hammel says.

One of the defining features of Mates Of State is that Hammel and creative partner Kori Gardner also happen to be married; but as musicians, they’re just recently becoming comfortable working together in the studio.

“The nature of being an artist is a personal thing,” Hammel explains. “You have to have that comfort zone before being critiqued. Those first two records, we fought the whole way through. Thankfully, we reached the common ground with [2006’s] “Bring It Back”; we didn’t fight at all. We both started to feel like we could express our ideas without judgment.”

The CD version of “Re-Arrange Us” will feature a unique packaging design that will allow fans to create their own cover art, involving different photographs the band will include.

The duo is currently rehearsing for a lengthy summer tour, including festival appearances at Lollapalooza, All Points West and Austin City Limits.

“It’s a bigger sounding show than what we’ve done,” Hammel says. The tour will include two cellists and a violinist, who will also fill in on percussion and sampling duties.

Here are Mates Of States tour dates:

May 16: New Haven, Conn. (Toad’s Place)
May 22: San Francisco (Slim’s)
May 24: Bend, Ore. (Les Schwab Amphitheatre)
May 25: George, Wash. (Sasquatch Music Festival)
May 28: Los Angeles (Henry Fonda Theater)
June 6: Lawrence, Kans. (Wakarusa Music Festival)
June 7: Omaha, Neb. (The Slowdown)
June 8: St. Louis (The Bluebird Theatre)
June 10: Oklahoma City, Ok. (Bricktown Ballroom)
June 11: Dallas (Granada Theatre)
June 13: Austin, Texas (Emo’s)
June 14: Little Rock, Ark. (Rev Room)
June 15: Memphis (Hi-Tone)
June 17: Newport, Ky. (Southgate House)
June 18: Pittsburgh, Pa. (Mr. Smalls Theatre)
June 21: Philadelphia (Popped! Music Festival)
July 25: Pemberton, Bc. (Pemberton Festival)
Aug. 1: Chicago (Lollapalooza)
Aug. 8: Jersey City, N.J. (All Points West)
Sept. 26: Austin, Texas (Austin City Limits)

Pete Doherty Is Released From London Jail

Pete Doherty was released from a London jail Tuesday after serving a partial sentence for breaking his probation.

The Babyshambles frontman had served 29 days of a 14-week sentence. It wasn’t immediately clear why he was released early.

Doherty’s drug use has frequently landed him in court. Last year, he pleaded guilty to possession of crack cocaine, heroin, ketamine and cannabis, as well as a variety of driving offenses.

His recent jail sentence came after the 28-year-old singer was reportedly late for several probation appointments.

Doherty is best known as the on-off boyfriend of model Kate Moss.

The Police Announce Last Show Ever

The Police and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg today (May 6) announced at a press conference in Times Square the band’s final concert ever, to be held in New York on a date still to be revealed in August.

This final concert — for which ticket and venue information have yet to be announced — will be a fundraiser with proceeds benefiting the production of arts programming for public television stations Thirteen/WNET and WLIW New York. Tickets will be available nationally online via the Thirteen/WNET and WLIW Web sites.

Additionally, Sting and the Police announced that they will contribute $1 million to Mayor Bloomberg’s MillionTreesNYC initiative — a gift the city will match — to plant trees all over New York City.

At the press conference, held in Times Square, Sting commented: “Some people may be surprised to know that the greatest single contribution to greenhouse gases is deforestation. We all want cleaner and cooler air, and planting trees is the best way to achieve that.

“We have a long history in New York,” he added. “We came here first in 1978. We want to leave a gift that will last for decades.”

The contribution by the Police to the MillionTressNYC initiative — which aims to plant 1 million trees by 2017 — will fund the planting of 10,000 trees across all five of New York City’s boroughs.

Mayor Bloomberg commented: “We hope the donation by the Police will inspire many more people to get involved…. A lot of people make a lot of money, spend a little bit of it, and don’t give any of it away. So these guys are role models.”

In response to a question about whether the final Police show would take place in Central Park, Bloomberg responded, “The venue will probably be indoors, but that’s all I’m going to say.”

During the conference, the mayor presented each member of the Police with his own key to New York City, and Sting presented the mayor with an all-access backstage pass that he said could be used at “any Police concert.”

The Police began the final leg of their reunion tour May 1 in Ottawa, the first of about 50 shows taking place this summer in amphitheaters, arenas and stadiums primarily in North America and Europe. Most stops are in markets not played in 2007, when the Police was the top tour of the year at more than $212 million gross and nearly 2 million in attendance, according to Billboard Boxscore.

Produced by Live Nation and RZO Productions, the Police reunion tour captured the Top Tour (gross) and Top Draw (attendance) awards at last November’s Billboard Touring Conference in New York.

Joining the Police this time around in North America are Elvis Costello &
the Imposters. In between the 33 North American dates, the Police return to Europe for a number of major festivals. The tour is expected to be one of the top five highest-grossing tours of all time, with revenues topping $340 million.

As of today, the last Police date on the books is Aug. 5 at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, N.Y.

Stereolab:: Three Women (Music Video)

Mark Ronson: ‘New Kaiser Chiefs album echoes debut’

Mark Ronson has confirmed that he is producing the forthcoming new Kaiser Chiefs album, and has claimed that it will echo the band’s debut album, ‘Employment’.

Speaking to BBC 6Music, the producer said that guitarist Whitey had been particularly prominent in the recording process, and his guitar work will shape the sound of the record.

Ronson also joked that the band had veto-ed his suggestion to use his trademark horns on the album.

“They’ve got brilliant songs,” he said of the band’s new material. “[They hark] back to the urgency of the first album, songs like ‘Every Day I Love You Less And Less’ and ‘I Predict A Riot’.

“The second record was brilliant, but it was more mature and paced. Whitey’s guitars on all this stuff are so brilliant. I feel like that energy hasn’t necessarily come out on a Kaisers record before.

“There’s no trumpets on it [the new album]. For one song I said, ‘You know what would be good on this? Horns.’ Ricky [Wilson, singer] was like, ‘No’.

Ronson went on to explain how much fun he was having with the band, who he admires greatly. “I’m a huge Kaiser Chiefs fan,” he said. “‘Employment’ is one of my favourite records of the last ten years. There’s that excitement of getting to work on something you’re such a fan of already.

“Each one of them in any other band would be the funniest member of that band. It’s almost like The Beatles – that razor sharp wit. Sometimes when I’m in the room recording I feel like I’ve won a competition to be the sixth Kaiser Chief.”

Nine Inch Nails release new album free online

Nine Inch Nails have made their new studio album, ‘The Slip’, available to download free.

The album is available to download now from the Nine Inch Nails website. It will receive a conventional CD and vinyl release in July. The album download includes a PDF with art-work and album credits.

‘The Slip’ was produced by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor plus Atticus Ross and Alan Moulder. In a statement to fans Reznor said: “Thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years. This one’s on me.”

Nine Inch Nails previously released an album, ‘Ghost I-IV’ online in March, with fans choosing how much to pay to download it.

The track-listing of ‘The Slip’ is:

‘999,999′
‘1,000,000′
‘Letting you’
‘Discipline’’
‘Echoplex’
‘Head Down’
‘Lights In The Sky’
‘Corona Radiata’
‘The Four Of Us Are Dying’
‘Demon Seed’

Tom Waits Announces Summer Tour

Early this morning (May 5), Tom Waits announced a summer tour via Tomwaits.com.

In what appeared to be highlights from a press conference, it was later revealed to viewers that Waits was talking to an empty room, with staged audience questions being broadcast by a record player amid rows of empty chairs.

Dubbed the “Glitter And Doom” tour, Waits will play 13 shows,
kicking off June 17 in Phoenix.

His “press conference” did not indicate who will be accompanying him in his backing band, or if this will be a solo affair, but Waits did offer up the acronym “PEHDTSCKJMBA” as the “guiding word” for this summer’s tour.

Taking the first initial from each city, Waits explained that the “pretty profound” acronym stands for “People Envy Happiness, Dogs Though, Sense Courage Knowing Jubilation Means Better Assets.”

Waits last toured in 2006, playing eight dates primarily in the Midwest. This time, he’ll mostly hit southern markets. It was also hinted that European dates are in the works, as well.

Here are Tom Waits tour dates:

June 17-18: Phoenix, Ariz. (Orpheum)
June 20: El Paso, Texas (Plaza Theatre)
June 22: Houston (Jones Hall)
June 23: Dallas (Palladium)
June 25: Tulsa, Ok. (Brady Theatre)
June 26: St. Louis (Fox Theatre)
June 28: Columbus, Ohio (Ohio Theatre)
June 29: Knoxville, Tenn. (Civic Theatre)
July 1: Jacksonville, Fla. (Moran Theatre)
July 2: Mobile, Ala. (Saenger Theatre)
July 3: Birmingham, Ala. (Alabama Theatre)
July 5: Atlanta (Fox Theatre)

Troubled Winehouse ‘not ready’ for Bond theme

LONDON, England (AP) — Producer Mark Ronson says he and Amy Winehouse have abandoned recording the theme to the latest James Bond film because the singer is not ready to work.

Winehouse is “not ready to record any music,” producer Mark Ronson said.

Ronson says the singer is “not ready to record any music.” He produced much of Winehouse’s Grammy-winning “Back to Black.” He made the comments in an interview with Sky News on Friday.

Ronson says the two started work on the track for the upcoming Bond movie “Quantum of Solace” but it would take “some miracle of science” to finish it.

Winehouse’s troubles with drugs, the police and her rocky romance with her jailed husband Blake Fielder-Civil have kept the singer in the spotlight.

Police gave her a formal warning last week after she scuffled with two men during a raucous night out.

Nicole Kidman set to play Dusty Springfield

Actress Nicole Kidman is set to play legendary singer Dusty Springfield in a film of her life.

Kidman will also produce the film through film company Fox’s Blossom Films company.

It will reunited her with writer Michael Cunningham, who wrote the 1998 book ‘The Hours’, which was turned into a 2002 movie in which Kidman played an Oscar-winning role.

However, Universal films is developing its own Dusty Springfield film, with ‘The West Wing’ actress Kristin Chenoweth set to star.

Madonna was also rumoured to be interested in starring in with a TV film about the singer, reports Variety.

No release date for either film has been announced.

Springfield died from breast cancer aged 59 in 1999.

The Hold Steady Details ‘Positive’ 4th Album

The Hold Steady has finalized the track listing for its fourth album, “Stay Positive”. The 11-song set is due July 15 via Vagrant Records and features contributions from Drive By Truckers’ Patterson Hood, J. Mascis and Doug Gillard, formerly of Guided By Voices. The Brooklyn rock group also reconvened with John Agnello, who produced 2006’s “Boys And Girls In America.”

“There’s less party talk,” frontman Craig Finn tells said of the new material. “I don’t think anything is a radical departure, but there are things that I wanted to talk about. I was influenced a lot [by] getting old, and attempting to age gracefully. The idea is to not wake up washed up. You want to keep progressing, intellectually.”

Indeed, tunes such as the slow, bluesy ballad “Lord, I’m Discouraged” and “Stay Positive” see Finn’s narratives reflecting on themes of maturity. Fans will also notice that the band has opted to change up its sound on some tunes, opting for a harpsichord on “One for the Cutters” and a banjo on “Both Crosses.”

“I think four records in, you’re thinking what have we done before?” Finn says. “What should we do here? You have these initial habits, but you’re fighting those — and that’s healthy, to make things sound different.”

“I think we’ve tackled the big huge rock riff,” adds guitarist Tad Kubler of the band’s past. “And I think we wanted to extend what we’re used to doing. Step out of our safety zone.”

For Kubler, that meant trying out a slew of new gear, including a talk box on “Joke About Jamaica” that he says “was so ridiculous, I had to try it out.”

Finn’s vocal delivery has gone through some changes as well. He has been engaged in singing lessons since the release of “Boys And Girls In America.”

“One of the things I found out [is] I always hear more melodies than I was projecting,” Finn says. “I hopefully got better, communicate more than I’m hearing.”

The Hold Steady plans to launch a large tour following the record’s release, with July dates already lined up for Seattle’s Capitol Hill Block Party and Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.

Here is the track list for “Stay Positive”:

“Constructive Summer”
“Sequestered In Memphis”
“One For The Cutters”
“Navy Sheets”
“Lord, I’m Discouraged”
“Yeah Sapphire”
“Both Crosses”
“Stay Positive”
“Magazines”
“Joke About Jamaica”
“Slapped Actress”

Apples in Stereo:: Electronic Projects For Musicians (Album Review)

After seven albums and 15 years, Denver ’s Apples in Stereo are bound to have a few extra songs lying around. On Electronic Projects For Musicians, the sugary power pop five-piece take those throwaways and b-sides and release them for the first time on one disc.

For the most part, this collection is a great addition to the band’s oeuvre. Shine (In Your Mind), a b-side from Fun Trick Noisemaker, and Onto Something, originally from a 1996 split-single, are classic Apples tracks, while the previously unreleased Dreams shows why the group has staying power. However, some songs could have been omitted, like the obnoxious TV theme-ish The Apples Theme Song, or the silly Stephen Stephen, a funny but forgettable tune the band sang on the Colbert Report. Still, this disc is worth checking out if you’re still an Apples in Stereo fan.

R.E.M. Will Revisit ‘Early Days’ On Summer Tour

After delighting fans with rarities such as “Second Guessing” and “Animal” at its performances thus far this year, R.E.M. is promising to dig further into its vaults for its return to the road on May 23rd.

“[For] the last Dublin shows [in June and July 2007], we went back and learned a whole bunch of stuff from the early days we hadn’t played in a long time, just to see where we came from, and it was pretty inspiring to play those,” guitarist Peter Buck said.

Regarding upcoming dates, Buck says, “We’re obviously going to play the new record ['Accelerate']; we’ve been playing nine songs off it, which is 28 minutes or something, so there’s a lot of space for us to do stuff from all through our career.”

The early material the band has been dipping into is in keeping with the harder-rocking nature of “Accelerate,” which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 (and No. 1 in the U.K.) in April. Buck says that playing songs from 2004’s commercially disappointing “Around the Sun” live, in fact, helped steer the direction of the new set.

“I think Mike [Mills] particularly was saying, ‘God, I wish we could get back and record ['Around the Sun'] right now,’” Buck recalls. “I had no interest in making another record the way we’d been working — book eight months in a studio and see what happens. I never liked that. I always complained and I always suggested that we work quicker and more spontaneously. The other guys [Mills and frontman Michael Stipe] weren’t into it.

“I think maybe the reception ['Around the Sun'] got kind of shocked them and made them realize … I was right, we can’t work like this any longer.”

And if Buck has his way, R.E.M. will never take the long, exacting route again.

“I can’t imagine ever going back to the way we were working prior [to] this,” says the guitarist, who already has “a ton of songs” written for R.E.M.’s next album. “I think everyone agrees that this record is really a strong record and it’s strong because of the way we approached it. So when we start making the next record, I think this is the way to at least start doing it.”

R.E.M. plays in North America — including the Sasquatch! Music Festival in Quincy, Wash. — until late June and will spend the summer in Europe starting in early July. The group’s “Austin City Limits” episode debuts on May 24 on PBS outlets.