McCartney, Killers, Cure Anchor Coachella Lineup

Paul McCartney, the Killers and the Cure lead the bill for the tenth Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, to be held April 17-19 at Empire Polo Field in Indio, Calif. Also confirmed are My Bloody Valentine, Amy Winehouse, Morrissey, Leonard Cohen and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

McCartney will be making his maiden American festival appearance at the event. "I have heard that Coachella is one of the greatest festivals in the world," he said in a statement. "I'm really excited to get out there and rock!"

Coachella has been after My Bloody Valentine for years, and nearly had the band booked for its 2008 festival. But frontman Kevin Shields ultimately decided the freshly reunited MBV would not have been ready to perform by last year's show date and instead waited until the fall before playing North American shows.

As for Winehouse, this will be her first major American appearance since performing at the 2008 Grammy Awards. The U.K. artist's 2007 Coachella set came at a time when she was breaking through in the States with her single "Rehab" and album "Back to Black," but in the past 18 months she's been beset with drug problems and erratic behavior.

Meanwhile, Cohen's Coachella appearance will be part of his first North American tour in 15 years, which begins Feb. 19 in New York.

Other highlights of the festival lineup include Fleet Foxes, Conor Oberst, the Black Keys, the Hold Steady, Superchunk, Dr. Dog, TV On The Radio, Okkervil River and Band Of Horses from the world of indie rock; and MSTRKRFT, Girl Talk, Thievery Corporation, the Crystal Method, Throbbing Gristle, Groove Armada and Roni Size from the dance and electronic community.

The Drive-By Truckers will perform their own set on April 18 as well as back soul legend Booker T & the MGs, while rock veterans such as X, Paul Weller, Henry Rollins and Bob Mould add a dose of experience to the lineup.

Among the buzz bands and notable newcomers playing this year are White Lies, who currently have the No. 1 album in the United Kingdom, N.A.S.A., the Airborne Toxic Event, Cage the Elephant, Gang Gang Dance, Hercules and Love Affair, Vivian Girls, Lykke Li, Late Of The Pier, the Knux and the Gaslight Anthem.

Coachella tickets go on sale this morning via Ticketmaster. For the first time, festival promoter Goldenvoice is offering a layaway plan for three-day passes, which is available only online and through Feb. 28.

Here is the lineup for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival:

FRIDAY APRIL 17: Paul McCartney, Morrissey, Franz Ferdinand, Leonard Cohen, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Beirut, The Black Keys, Girl Talk, Silversun Pickups, The Ting Tings, The Crystal Method, Ghostland Observatory, Crystal Castles, The Airborne Toxic Event, We Are Scientists, N.A.S.A., Patton & Rahzel, M. Ward, The Presets, The Hold Steady, A Place to Bury Strangers, Felix da Housecat, Buraka Som Sistema, Ryan Bingham, Bajofondo, Peanut Butter Wolf, Noah & the Whale, White Lies, The Bug, Alberta Cross, Los Campesinos!, Craze & Klever, Molotov, Switch, Gui Boratto, Steve Aoki, The Aggrolites, People Under the Stairs, The Courteeners, Cage the Elephant, Dear and the Headlights.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18: The Killers, Amy Winehouse, Thievery Corporation, TV on the Radio, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Atmosphere, Mastodon, TRAV$DJ-AM, Henry Rollins, Crookers, Turbonegro, Hercules and Love Affair, Superchunk, Glasvegas, Dr. Dog, Drive-By Truckers, Booker T & the DBT's, Amanda Palmer, The Bloody Beetroots, Surkin, Para One (Live), Calexico, Liars, Bob Mould Band, Zane Lowe, Electric Touch, Blitzen Trapper, James Morrison, Drop the Lime, Glass Candy, Thenewno2, Gang Gang Dance, Billy Talent, Ida Maria, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Zizek, Cloud Cult, Tinariwen.

SUNDAY, APRIL 19: The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Throbbing Gristle, Lupe Fiasco, Paul Weller, Peter Bjorn and John, X, Antony & the Johnsons, Roni Size, Public Enemy, Jenny Lewis, Groove Armada, Paolo Nutini, Christopher Lawrence, Lykke Li, The Kills, Okkervil River, M.A.N.D.Y., Clipse, Sebastien Tellier, Fucked Up, Perry Farrell, The Horrors, Late of the Pier, K'naan, Junior Boys, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Supermayer, No Age, Vivian Girls, Shepard Fairey, Themselves, Gaslight Anthem, The Knux, Mexican Institute of Sound, The Night Marchers, Marshall Barnes.

Loney Dear: Dear John (Album Review)

Emil Svanängen, that's Loney Dear to you, hit the scene a few of years back when twee, Scandinavian indie folk was all the rage.

The love for the xylophone and cutsie chorus has died down a little, mainly due to all the artists jumping on the 'let's do something completely different' bandwagon. And so Loney Dear joins them and releases Dear John, a hybrid of folkiness, electro and melodies that wouldn't be out of place on the west end stage.

It's strange - the production is something completely different to what us folkies are used to, but it's still charming in a very Loney Dear way. He has his catchy melodies, his la-la-la chorus and still retains a certain sweetness and innocence that was almost his trademark in the early days.

But this album is full of strange little synths and '80s wonders, like the Knight Rider-esque strings in opening track Airport Surroundings, which are as synthetic as supernoodles and the underlying beat of Everything To You, sounding uncannily like the Atonement soundtrack - clickety click - creating a pace like running from zombies.

Things calm a bit in I Was Only Going Out, a pretty number with soothing, love sick lyrics and percussion featuring a vague African influence; its whistled finale returning the sound of Sweden missing until now.

There are definite up moments in Dear John, but the odd mix of Svanängen's meandering melodies and melancholic vocals mixed with the bizarre samples and synths makes for a concoction that will either be adored or thrown out of a window in disgust.

Some moments, like Harsh Words, uses a song that seems to have been penned for an 1988 Eurovision entry, building to a cringy climax that's not unpleasant, but a little embarrassing, and don't even get me stated on the awful ravey screeches behind Under A Silent Sea, like some kind of Helter Skelter remix (who can forget those mid-'90s days!).

But then there's the simplicity of I get Lost and Svanängen's sweet voice clear as a sunny winter's day; its a woody lone violin bringing with it a foresty atmosphere - ambient and sweet, although a little bit Lord Of The Rings soundtrack by the end.

Summers has an essence of Saturday Waits, but doesn't reach its peak of catchiness and again, the strange, dated electro accompaniment is difficult to see through. It's almost as if The Never Ending Story has returned with a quirkier Limahl and a trendier following.

Distant brings back some beauty, but fails to live up to expectation, even with its gothic horror choir and again choosing to end with an overused and clichéd climactic finish. However, it is the start of the best bit of the album, the pretty, yet scarily titled Harm and Violent before ending with title track Dear John, probably the best of the lot, even with its horrid toy drum rolls. The one eyed Dear John may be king here, but he's still weird, creepy and best left alone.
(Review by - Gemma Hampson)

Modest Mouse to tour sans-Johnny Marr

Johnny Marr is not going to be joining Modest Mouse when the band goes on their recently announced tour this spring, opting instead to work with the Cribs on their new album. Former Grandaddy guitarist Jim Fairchild will fill in for Marr, who presumably hasn't quit Modest Mouse, but has other commitments

Here are Modest Mouse's tour dates:

02.22 Oakland, CA: Fox Theater
02.23 Visalia, CA: Fox Theatre
02.24 Hollywood, CA: Hollywood Palladium
02.25 Tempe, AZ: Marquee
02.26 Albuquerque, NM: Albuquerque Convention Center
02.28 Boulder, CO: Balch Fieldhouse
03.02 Kansas City, MO: Uptown Theater
03.03 Oklahoma City, OK: Diamond Ballroom
03.04 Austin, TX: Stubb's
03.05 Oxford, MS: Lyric Oxford
03.07 Atlanta, GA: Tabernacle
03.08 Miami, FL: Langerado Festival

Diamond David Lee Roth Asteroids..

Yeah, You heard me right.. SOOO Great!

McCartney Books 'Colbert Report' Appearance

Paul McCartney will appear on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" today (Jan. 28), his only scheduled U.S. late-night appearance in support of "Electric Arguments," the 2008 album he recorded as the Fireman with producer/musician Youth.

"Colbert" is making a name for itself in the music landscape. "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!" a holiday special featuring Willie Nelson and Elvis Costello, drew 2.3 million viewers; recent guests on the talk show also have included Neil Young, Tony Bennett, Rush and R.E.M.

McCartney has been rumored as one of the headliners for the upcoming Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., the lineup for which could be announced before the end of the day.

As reported yesterday, he will also perform next weekend on the Grammys with Dave Grohl on drums and at an April 4 benefit for the David Lynch Foundation at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

Coachella on installments: Fest to offer layaway tickets

Concert promoters are ready to tighten their aim at the public's thinning wallets. Amid a struggling economy and a concert festival market that saw attendance dips in 2008, Coachella promoter Goldenvoice will offer fans the option to purchase tickets under a layaway plan for the upcoming April fest, according to a report in Monday's USA Today by Edna Gundersen. Fans will now have the option to pay smaller chunks in multiple stages.

A three-day pass to Coachella will carry the budget-unfriendly price of $269, and USA Today notes that fans will have two alternatives beyond paying the money upfront or raking in more credit card debt. It's not a first for Goldenvoice, as last year's Stagecoach fest offered fans a layaway option.

Goldenvoice founder Paul Tollett says the layaway program was a success for the country event. He's quoted in the article as saying that 24% of ticket-buyers picked layaway.

When it comes to Coachella, of which USA Today notes a full line-up will be announced this week, fans will have the option of paying half the ticket cost on the on-sale date, followed by the rest on April 1. Or attendees can "pay 10% followed by equal installments on March 1 and April 1 without interest or additional fees."

USA Today notes layaway will not be available for $99 single-day tickets. Coachella is set for April 17-19.

ROBERT POLLARD: The Crawling Distance (Album Review)

Blessed are fans of Robert Pollard. For more than 20 years, first as leader of Guided by Voices — a rotating cast of musicians he alone presided over — and later as a solo artist, Pollard has released music with stunning frequency.

Most of this work has been of uniform quality — a dank, dense brand of psychedelic power-pop that, while beloved by hard-core followers, often makes for frustrating listening.

"The Crawling Distance," Pollard's umpteenth disc since officially going solo in 2004, offers more of what listeners have come to expect. Recalling accessible GBV albums such as "Under the Bushes, Under the Stars," the 10-song collection is at once hummable and impenetrable — a pleasant half-hour that leaves almost no impression.

If Pollard's overall sound has become predictable, his individual songs have not. All feature strange twists and turns, and just as easily as he can rock a Neanderthal beat and guitar riff, as on "Cave Zone," he can manage a song like "Imaginary Queen Ann," wherein the aching chord progression heightens feelings only hinted at in the lyrics.

Pollard ends the album with a spoken-word bit, thanking fans for their support and urging them, "Please, come again." As anyone hooked on this stuff can attest, that won't be a problem: There's nowhere else to go.

Springsteen North American Tour Starts In April

As expected, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band will tour North America this spring in support of their new album, "Working on a Dream," out today (Jan. 27) on Columbia. The trek begins April in San Jose, Calif.

North American dates are set through May 23 in East Rutherford, N.J. A European tour then begins a week later at Holland's Pink Pop festival and concludes June 10 in Bergen, Norway.

That timing would line up with a long-rumored Springsteen appearance at the Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, Tenn., that weekend. After a break, the European leg resumes July 2 in Munich.

Springsteen's 2007-2008 tour in support of the album "Magic" was the most successful of his career, grossing about $232 million worldwide, according to Billboard Boxscore.

The tour unofficially begins this Sunday (Feb. 1) when Springsteen and company will headline the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show in Tampa, Fla.

Here are Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's tour dates:

April 1: San Jose, Calif. (HP Pavilion at San Jose)
April 3: Glendale, Calif. (Jobing.com Center)
April 5: Austin, Texas (Frank Erwin Center)
April 7: Tulsa, Okla. (BOK Center)
April 8: Houston, Texas (Toyota Center)
April 10: Denver (Pepsi Arena)
April 15: Los Angeles (LA Memorial Sports Arena)
April 21-22: Boston (TD Banknorth Garden)
April 24: Hartford, Conn. (XL Center)
April 26: Atlanta (Philips Arena)
April 28-29: Philadelphia (Wachovia Spectrum)
May 2: Greensboro, N.C. (Greensboro Coliseum)
May 4: Hempstead, N.Y. (Nassau Veterans Mem. Col.)
May 5: Charlottesville, Va. (John Paul Jones Arena)
May 7: Toronto (Air Canada Centre)
May 8: University Park, Pa. (Bryce Jordan Center)
May 11: St. Paul, Minn. (Xcel Energy Center)
May 12: Chicago (United Center)
May 14: Albany, N.Y. (Times Union Center)
May 15: Hershey, Pa. (Hersheypark Stadium)
May 18: Washington, D.C. (Verizon Center)
May 19: Pittsburgh (Mellon Arena)
May 21, 23: E. Rutherford, N.J. (Izod Center)
May 30: Landgraaf, Holland (Pink Pop Festival)
June 2: Tampere, Finland (Ratinan Stadion)
June 4-5, 7: Stockholm, Sweden (Stockholm Stadium)
June 9-10: Bergen, Norway (Koengen)
July 2: Munich, Germany (Olympiastadion)
July 3: Frankfurt, Germany (Commerzbank Arena)
July 5: Vienna (Ernst Happel Stadion)
July 8: Herning, Denmark (Herning MCH)
July 11: Dublin (RDS)
July 16: Carhaix, France (Festival des Vielles Charrues)
July 19: Rome, Italy (Stadio Olimpico)
July 21: Turino, Italy (Olimpico di Torino)
July 23: Udine, Italy (Stadio Friuli)
July 26: Bilbao, Spain (San Mames Stadium)
July 28: Benidorm, Spain (Estadio Municipal de Foietes)
July 30: Sevilla, Spain (La Cartuja Olympic Stadium)
Aug. 1: Valladolid, Spain (Estadio Jose Zorrilla)
Aug. 2: Santiago, Spain (Monte Del Gozo)

Mick Harvey Leaves the Bad Seeds

Mick Harvey, one of the founder members of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, announces he is leaving:

“For a variety of personal and professional reasons I have chosen to discontinue my ongoing involvement with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. After 25 years I feel I am leaving the band as it experiences one of its many peaks; in very healthy condition, and with fantastic prospects for the future. I’m confident Nick will continue to be a creative force and that this is the right time to pass on my artistic and managerial role to what has become a tremendous group of people who can support him in his endeavours both musically and organizationally. It was a fantastic experience to finish my touring days in the band with the recent shows in Australia and the unique events that took place in conjunction with All Tomorrow’s Parties, especially Mt. Buller, which was one of the many highlights of my involvement with the band throughout the years. I shall continue working on the Bad Seeds back catalogue re-issues project over the coming year and look forward to the new opportunities I shall be able to accommodate as a result of my changed circumstances.”

The Strokes: 'We've started writing our fourth album'

The Strokes' frontman Julian Casablancas and bassist Nick Valensi have started writing new material for their band's forthcoming new album, which they are set to start work on next month.

Drummer Fabrizio Moretti, speaking after a gig with his side-project Little Joy, told BBC 6music that although the band members had not finalised plans for their fourth LP's recording, the songwriting process had begun.

"Julian has started writing and Nick has got some material as well," he said. "We're the kind of band that it's not finished until everyone's in one room and everyone's got their parts perfectly. We're a very mechanical band."

we had previously revealed that the band would reconvene in February for album sessions. "I don't think it's a reunion," Moretti said, "we're constantly in each other's lives."

The band's last album was 'First Impressions Of Earth', released in January 2006.

Death Cab For Cutie Readies Spring Tour

Death Cab For Cutie will begin a spring tour April 7 at the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby, Pa. Cold War Kids will support in April, with Matt Costa taking over for dates in May. Ra Ra Riot will open all shows.

Exclusive fan club pre-sales begin Wednesday (Jan. 28), with all other shows going on sale this weekend.

The spring tour follows a February headlining run through Australia and Japan. The band will then return to the U.S. for a performance at Miami's annual Langerado Music Festival on March 7.

Death Cab is touring in support of "Narrow Stairs," which at No. 1 on The Billboard 200. Latest single "Cath" peaked at No. 10 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart in November.

Here are Death Cab For Cutie's tour dates:

March 7: Miami (Langerado Festival)
April 7: Upper Darby, Pa. (Tower Theatre)
April 8: Washington, D.C. (DAR Constitution Hall)
April 9: Davidson, N.C. (John Belk Arena)
April 10: Louisville, Ky. (Louisville Palace)
April 11: Memphis (Orpheum Theatre)
April 12: Tulsa, Okla. (Brady Theater)
April 13: Omaha, Neb. (Holland Theatre)
April 15: St. Paul, Minn. (Roy Wilkins Auditorium)
April 17: Chicago (Aragon Ballroom)
April 18: East Lansing, Mich. (Breslin Events Center)
April 19: Waukesha, Wis. (Van Male Fieldhouse)
April 24: Spokane, Wash. (McCarthey Athletic Center)
April 25: Boise, Idaho (Morrison Center)
April 27: Sacramento, Calif. (Memorial Auditorium)
April 29: San Diego (RIMAC Arena)
May 1: Austin, Texas (Austin Music Hall)
May 2: New Orleans (Contemporary Arts Center)
May 4: Nashville (Ryman Auditorium)
May 5: Birmingham, Ala. (BJCC Concert Hall)
May 6: Atlanta (Fox Theatre)

Microsoft reports $100M decline in Zune revenue

Microsoft's newly-announced layoffs and declining profits aren't the only bad news in Redmond -- according to the company's quarterly statements, Zune platform revenue decreased $100 million, or 54% compared to the same quarter last year, due to falling device sales. Mega-ouch. Not all is doom and gloom for the Entertainment and Devices Division, which continues to be profitable with a $151m haul: Xbox 360 and PC platform revenue increased six percent to $135 million. Meanwhile, Apple saw a three percent increase in iPod sales over the same period, so we're anxious to see what Microsoft has planned for reviving the social.
(via engadget)

Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains: S/T (Album Review)

For my money, Sebastien Grainger has one of the best voices in contemporary rock, hands down. Shrill, desperate and macho all at the same time, it was sorely missed after DFA1979’s disheartening split a few years ago. While it’s been a seemingly non-stop MSTRKRFT (Jesse Keeler’s electro duo) party since, Grainger obviously needed time to figure out where his head was at musically and to find the right players to back him.

He’s done both on this debut, which exhibits a kind of polarity between wanting to blow out amps with powerful melodic hooks and exposing a personal side he’d previously guarded. When these two dimensions come together, as on the stunningly awesome American Names or Who Do We Care For?, it all but erases the anguished waiting for him to finally come back around.
(Review by: Jason Keiler)

'The Faces will not tour in 2009'

A spokesperson for Rod Stewart has refuted rumours that the newly-reformed Faces are set to tour this year.

Yesterday (January 22) it was reported that Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea had joined the band on bass duties, while guitarist Ronnie Wood had previously said the band were finalising tour dates.

However, a spokesperson for frontman Stewart told Billboard that "there are no plans for a Faces reunion tour this year".

A spokesperson for Flea said that the bassist "knows nothing" about a possible tour. Keyboardist Ian McLagan, meanwhile, is already booked for a solo US tour this Spring.

'Slumdog, 'WALL-E' Lead Oscar Music Nominees

"Slumdog Millionaire" and "Wall-E" are atop the field of music-related Oscar nominees, with both films nominated for best original score. The "Slumdog" score was penned by A.R. Rahman, while Thomas Newman wrote the score for "WALL-E."

The two films are the only contenders in the best original song category, with "Down to Earth" from "WALL-E" (performed by Peter Gabriel) up against the "Slumdog" songs "Jai Ho" (performed by Gulzar) and "O Saya" (performed by M.I.A.). ( Read Billboard's Q&A with A.R. Rahman here)

The other best original score nominees are Alexandre Desplat for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," James Newton Howard for "Defiance" and Danny Elfman for "Milk."

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" leads the nominations with 13. That's one short of the all-time Oscar nomination, 14, which is held by "All About Eve" and "Titanic."

Besides "Button," the other nominees for best picture are "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "The Reader," and "Slumdog Millionaire."

The 81st Academy Awards ceremony will air live on ABC on Feb. 22 from the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, and will be hosted by Hugh Jackman.

Bon Iver: Blood Bank EP (Album Review)

I am going to preface this review of Bon Iver’s new EP with a wimpy account of what For Emma, Forever Ago meant to me. But this review would work just as well without this self-indulgent and needless preface so if you hate this type of thing, please proceed to the second paragraph now. I went to Europe for a month and a half last year and the night before I left I uploaded a bunch of new albums on my iPod; among them was For Emma. And apart from some Beatles, this was almost all I listened to while I was away. It accompanied me everywhere, on train rides to foreign places, walking through crowded streets, along empty paths and waiting at airports. The songs gently etched their way into the moments I experienced and then the memories I held. Thus Bon Iver almost stands outside of objectivity to me. Sometimes rating music doesn’t seem that important; all that matters is that there was once a time when something you heard resonated with you so deeply that now when you listen to it, you have to push down a lump in your throat. That’s how much I love that album. But I will try my best to be objective here.

The details behind the recording of For Emma are pretty well known now: The man behind Bon Iver, Justin Vernon, retreated to a secluded cabin in Wisconsin and penned some of the loveliest, melancholy folk songs of last year, inspiring other sad-sack musicians to take to the woods and hibernate in the hopes of re-entering the world to critical acclaim. His largely anticipated and relatively swift follow-up EP, Blood Bank, reveals a number of changes. Vernon is now accompanied by a band which allows for the diversity present in the four tracks here and the production is also better, having been recorded in a proper studio. As they did on For Emma, and perhaps even more so, the songs retain a seasonal theme in the sense that the seasons stand as a metaphor for the different passages of time in our lives and the emotions which accompany such phases. As well as mirroring life, Vernon uses each of these songs to test out a different artistic direction.

While the opening and title track tells the story of meeting someone new in the snow, the song hits you with its warmth. There are still shades of the melancholy which haunted much of For Emma in the lyrics of Blood Bank but this song takes a more optimistic look at the delicate everyday aspects of love. Lines of ambiguity (“It’s that secret that we know/ That we don’t know how to tell”) are mixed with lines of beautiful, freefalling detail: “I’m in love with your honor/ I’m in love with your cheeks.” Beach Baby follows and is the track most reminiscent of For Emma, although it's not as memorable as anything from that album. Containing two minutes of whispered, almost fleeting, falsetto and some drifting slide guitar, the song almost seems to dissolve, carried away lightly on a breeze before you realise how lovely it was.

The other two tracks on the EP are the more experimental, hinting at potential paths Vernon may take in future work. On Babys he sings, “Summer comes/ To multiply/ To multiply” and the song’s instrumentation echoes these words. Beginning with a piano chord which slowly multiplies, the song builds into a swelling rhythm, gradually disintegrating into fragments of delicate melody. The final track Woods, follows a similar formula and interestingly draws a remarkable comparison to Imogen Heap’s Hide and Seek. Comprising just one repeated lyric set to autotuned vocals, Woods starts as something sparse and progresses to increasingly layered and elaborate harmonies, all the while retaining a strong, meditative quality. While the song may prove a surprising talking point, ultimately this track isn’t any real revelation and once you have let it sink in a couple of times, you can probably live without it.

Nothing here really rivals For Emma but this is a lovely and worthy EP. While Blood Bank retains some of the atmospheric qualities of its predecessor, it demonstrates Vernon’s willingness to try new things in terms of technique and ideas. All in all the EP will serve its purpose: to tide fans over until the next full length album. In the meantime we'll just have to hope and pray that some American teen drama doesn’t snatch up one of these songs to soundtrack a cliched break-up scene. Perhaps I’m a little subjective but Bon Iver’s work seems too special for that.
(Cara Nash via no ripcord)

New Yeah Yeah Yeahs Album: It's Blitz

We knew the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were holed up working on their third album, and now we actually know something about that album. Namely, the title.

Earlier today, a piece of news appeared on the YYYs website. According to the band, the album will be out this spring. And according to the raccoon with blood on its mouth (and verified by the band's publicist), the next YYYs album will be called It's Blitz.

This album can't come soon enough.
See the racoon here

New Tortoise Album Coming In April

Chicago instrumental rock institution Tortoise's first album of original music in five years offers "a lot of variety," according to bassist Doug McCombs. The as-yet-untitled set is due April 21 from Thrill Jockey.

Drummer John McEntire's "Prepare Your Coffin" has what might constitute an actual verse, chorus and bridge, but several pieces "don't adhere to any traditional song forms. They move through different parts, but the lines are blurred."

Meanwhile, the band's trademark mallet instruments take a backseat this time to layers of synthesizers ("there might be two or three of them harmonizing, taking more melodic roles," says McCombs) and "unconventional drumming and percussion."

Several cuts were road-tested last summer, a "luxury" Tortoise usually never has. "Normally we're making an album and then trying to figure out how to play it, and realizing that they're some real problems," says McCombs.

Early in the process, Tortoise was considering one long piece to constitute the whole album, "but that ended up not really being possible with the material we had," McCombs says. "I think it's something we want to put on the back-burner."

Since the release of 2004's "It's All Around You," Tortoise recorded a covers album with Will Oldham ("That made us aware of how we were dealing with melodies," McCombs says) and toured performing its 1996 album "Millions Now Living Will Never Die" in its entirety ("It really wasn't that fun to play something we made 12 years ago," he admits).

The goal is to be back on the road this spring and summer. "Waiting until the fall would have made us a little antsy," McCombs says.

Meanwhile, McCombs is working on a duo album with guitarist David Daniel, spawned from occasional shows they'd play in Chicago. "What he and I do is improvise, so it was really great and easy for us to just get gigs and not have to rehearse or anything," he says. "To record it is a different proposition, though. It will take us awhile. We recorded way too much material, so now we have to sift through it."

Vedder, Grohl Set For Nick Drake Tribute Album

Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, Norah Jones and Jack Johnson are among the acts confirmed for a Nick Drake tribute album to be released by Johnson's Brushfire Records.

The announcement was made during the MidemNet conference in Cannes, France, by David Schulhof, whose company, EverGreen Copyrights, controls Drake's rights.

"Fans are willing to pay for that kind of product," he said. "I don't think labels are doing that and I certainly don't think publishers are doing that."

The recording process was filmed for release as part of a DVD package. It will also include the late actor Heath Ledger's version of "Black Eyed Dog," filmed in late 2007 for a multimedia installation about Drake but never officially released.

English singer/songwriter Drake was little-known when he died of a drug overdose at age 26 in 1974. But his influence has mushroomed in the ensuing decades, and his profile was given an astronomical boost when his song "Pink Moon" was used in a Volkswagen ad in 2000.

44!!!

It's a great day America, A truly great day!

- "We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist". Perfect..

Sonic Youth Staying Weird On Matador Debut

Thurston Moore promises "heavy ass weirdo hooks" aplenty on Sonic Youth's as-yet-untitled Matador debut, due this summer.

"When I started writing, I was immersed in listening to the Wipers," he said. "'No Way,' the first song we recorded, has a total Wipers vibe, if the Wipers were a No Wave band."

Moore says lyrics have been inspired by black metal bands, although he promises he's not mimicking their delivery. Other tracks include "Leaky Life Boat," which compares being alive to being in the aforementioned sinking ship, and "Burning Shame," a tribute to the late Fred "Sonic" Smith.

"We're super inspired to make a fresh start," says Moore. "We're glad to be dealing with a label that loves songs." Beyond that, not much has changed. "It's rock-centric, but still experimental," Moore promises. "We're still Sonic Youth. I still don't know how to play the guitar."

The group will play three shows in Austria and Germany in late April and is also confirmed for a May 16 set as part of the No Fun Festival in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

In addition, Sonic Youth has teamed with Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones and composer Takehisa Kosugi to write an evening-length work in celebration of choreographer Merce Cunningham's 90th birthday. The piece will soundtrack a performance from Cunningham's dance company on April 16 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Fleet Foxes: "Mykonos" and "Blue Ridge Mountains" (Live on SNL)(Video)

The Decemberists reveal new album details

The Decemberists have revealed details of their brand new album ‘The Hazards Of Love’, set to be released on March 24.

The 17-track album is the follow up to 2006’s ‘The Crane Wife’ and was produced by the band’s longtime collaborator Tucker Martine.

The band have also made new track ‘The Rake’s Song’ from the album available for free download at thedecemberists.com from today.

Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark and My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden guest on the release while My Morning Jacket's Jim James also helped out.

The tracklisting is:

‘Prelude’
‘The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won’t Wrestle the Thistles Undone)’
‘A Bower Scene’
‘Won’t Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)’
‘The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)’
‘The Queen’s Approach’
‘Isn’t it a Lovely Night?’
‘The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid’
‘An Interlude‘
‘The Rake’s Song’
‘The Abduction of Margaret’
‘The Queen’s Rebuke / The Crossing’
‘Annan Water’
‘Margaret in Captivity’
‘The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)’
‘The Wanting Comes in Waves (Reprise)’
‘The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)’

Peter Bjorn & John Rejoin The 'Living'

Swedish rock outfit Peter Bjorn & John will follow-up its breakthrough 2006 album "Writer's Block" with "Living Thing," due March 31 from Almost Gold/StarTime.

A video for the track "Lay It Down" was released online in mid-December, while PB&J fan Kanye West exclusively posted the track "Nothing to Worry About" on his blog earlier this month.

"Writer's Block" spawned the ubiquitous "Young Folks," which has sold more than 441,000 digital downloads in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

PB&J vocalist/guitarist Peter Moren spent time last year releasing his solo effort, "The Last Tycoon," while bassist Bjorn Yttling produced Lykke Li's debut album, "Youth Novels." The group released a mostly instrumental album, "Seaside Rock," in September.

The trio has European tour dates on tap beginning Feb. 25 in Stockholm.

Here is the track list for "Living Thing":

"The Feeling"
"It Don't Move Me"
"Just the Past"
"Nothing to Worry About"
"I'm Losing My Mind'
"Living Thing"
"I Want You!"
"Lay It Down"
"Stay This Way"
"Blue Period Picasso"
"4 Out Of 5"
"Last Night"
(via billboard)

Today, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announces its 2009 Inductees

On April 4, 2009, the Induction Ceremony will take place in Cleveland for the first time since 1997. The 2009 Induction Ceremony will be broadcast live on Fuse TV.

The performer inductees are:
Jeff Beck
Little Anthony & the Imperials
Metallica
Run-D.M.C.
Bobby Womack

Early Influence Category Inductee:
Wanda Jackson

Sidemen Category Inductees:
Bill Black
DJ Fontana
Spooner Oldham

The 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame performer inductees were chosen by the 600 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Artists are eligible for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twenty-five years after their first recording is released.

In addition to being honored at the April ceremony, each inducted artist is commemorated at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland Ohio, which serves as a monument to rock and roll’s impact on our culture. These inductees will be honored – along with previous year’s inductees and hundreds of other artists – with an exhibit and film that serve to tell the story of modern music.

Merge Has A Mind To Sign Telekinesis

On April 7, Merge Records will be adding mind control to its list of superpowers (integrity, infidelity, heat vision, etc.) when it releases the self-titled debut album from its latest dream-pop find, Seattle's Telekinesis. Telekinesis is alter ego Michael Benjamin Lerner’s warm, Technicolor rainbow voyage into vintage indie rock territory. Playing nearly all the instruments on the recording, Lerner creates a patchwork of catchy, coastal vibrations with addictive, feel-good guitar melodies and relaxed vocals.

Lerner is preparing a full band to back him up for his upcoming tour with Ra Ra Riot and Cut Off Your Hands.

Tour Dates For Telekinesis:
01/19 - Kennewick, WA - Red Room Coffee House
02/21 – Vancouver, BC - Richard’s On Richards *
02/24 – Portland, OR - Doug Fir *
02/25 – Seattle, WA - Neumos *
02/27 – San Francisco, CA - Independent *
02/28 – Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre *
03/01 – La Jolla, CA - UCSD – The Loft *
03/02 – Costa Mesa, CA - The Detroit Bar *

* w/ Ra Ra Riot, Cut Off Your Hands
(via CMJ)

Late Of The Pier: Fantasy Black Channel (Album Review)

Fantasy Black Channel is the most thrilling British debut of the year for its spirit of invention, its surfeit of ideas and its ear for a good tune. The Castle Donington four-piece may be young pups but they reference prog, heavy metal, Roxy Music, Blur, Aphex Twin and Gary Numan - often all in the same song. Bathroom Gurgle begins as synth-pop, but after two minutes it suddenly bursts into falsetto spandex rock. Then it shifts genre and tempo again, as versatile singer Samuel Dust yelps: "Put your hands on your waistline and shift your body to the bassline." Every time you play this album, you'll find a new favourite song, riff or wayward moment.

Ryan Adams quits The Cardinals

Ryan Adams has announced he is leaving The Cardinals, the band he formed and has fronted since 2004.

Writing in a lengthy blog on Cardinology.com, Adams said that he will quit the band at the end of their current tour, which ends in Atlanta on March 20.

"Atlanta will be my last venture with the band," he wrote. "I am grateful for the time we have had and maybe someday we will have more stories to tell together. I am, however, ready for quieter times."

Adams hinted that he would be taking a step back from music altogether, saying that he has "a whole lot of living and learning to do" instead.

"Maybe we will play again sometime and maybe I will work my way back into some kind of music situation but this is the time for me to step back now," he wrote.

In their early days, The Cardinals also featured JP Bowerstock - the so-called 'guru' who taught The Strokes' Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jnr to play the guitar.

The Cardinals officially released three albums together, although they also often played on Ryan Adams solo material, as well as 'Songbird', the 2006 album by by Willie Nelson, for which Adams was producer.

The band were handpicked by Noel Gallagher to support Oasis on their recent North American tour.

Writing on his blog, Adams dismissed the touring lifestyle as "soul destroying".

He wrote: "This is not much of a life; not glamorous like those ridiculous videos a long time ago television played. And no, it is not monetarily as rewarding as people would like you to believe. And yes, it is soul destroying. Especially when you spend your life trying to write about the really difficult stuff and you stand there losing your way and people yell at you like you were in a circus. When it was your dream to matter and you realise one day, it never mattered - I mean, I am a punchline and a footnote."

Adams is now set to release a book, called 'Infinity Blues', on April 1.

He has called the publication "the jewel of my life's work". Very modest Ryan, very modest.

New Oasis 'busking' documentary launched online

A new 18-minute Oasis documentary has been launched online, featuring the band teaching New York buskers to play their songs.

The film, the first high-definition film to debut on MySpace, is available to watch now at MySpace.com/oasis.

The documentary, directed by The Malloys, who have previously directed music videos for the likes of The White Stripes, follows Liam Gallagher, Gem Archer and Andy Bell as they travel to New York around the launch of the recent album, 'Dig Out Your Soul'.

Oasis launched 'Dig Out Your Soul' in the USA in September by having selected street buskers interpret songs from it.

Liam joked that he was so impressed he considered taking them on tour.

Head to Myspace.com/oasis to watch the film now, or click below.
Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul In The Streets

Times Square Virgin Megastore To Close

The Times Square Virgin Megastore, which is the highest volume music store in the U.S., will shut down come April.

The store has been at the center of speculation since August 2007 when the Virgin Entertainment Group North America was acquired by two real estate companies - the Related Cos. and Vornado - in a joint venture.

Last June, a Vornado executive told Reuters that the store would shut down in the first quarter of 2009. The decision to close the store appears related to real estate and the value connected to the location. That executive was quoted as saying that Virgin pays only $54 per square-foot when the market rent in the area is about $700 a square foot.

So, while the store, which does an estimated $55 million in annual volume, is profitable to the tune of $6 million, according to sources, the space would be even more profitable for its owner with a higher rent tenant. Vornado bought the 180,000 square foot retail component of the Bertelsmann building, which houses the Times Square store, in 2006, and will lease the space to Forever 21, according to press reports.

The closure leaves the Virgin chain with five stores, and one of them, the Union Square store in New York, will now be the city's premiere record store, with an estimated $40 million annual volume. But the status of that store is also at question as the Related Cos. and Vornado leased the ground floor of the store to Nordstrom Rack for the holiday season, only to have the deal fall through.

VEG NA CEO Simon Wright says no decision has been made on the 14th Street store. While the closure of the Times Square store has wider implications for the chain's overall health, the owners and VEG NA management will assess what to do with the rest of the stores over the next few months.

... And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead:: Festival Thyme EP (Album Review)

Trail of Dead's last album, 2006's So Divided, proved an existential equipoise of blind ambition and pure frustration, documenting the art-rock outfit splitting at its seams. Having since parted ways with Interscope and formed its own label, Richter Scale, a subsidiary of Houston's Justice Records, TOD rings chimes of freedom throughout Festival Thyme, a digitally released preface to the band's sixth LP, due in January. Opener "Bells of Creation (Machete Mix)" slowly builds from a single piano note to a cathartic wall of sound, a newfound streak of optimism underscoring Conrad Keely's lyricism. The celebratory spirit carries over to the title track, a jovial romp of baroque pop, and the more ornate "Inland Sea," balancing progressive movements and post-rock guitar. "The Betrayal of Roger Casement & the Irish Brigade" sounds like a modern instrumental interpretation of Renaissance's Turn of the Cards.
(by: Austin Powell)

Warner Acts Go Covers Crazy For Compilation

A host of unusual covers can be found on "Covered, A Revolution in Sound: Warner Bros. Records," due Feb. 24. On it, 11 current Warner Music Group acts cover a classic tune from the label's back catalog.

Amongst the most intriguing are the Flaming Lips covering Madonna's "Borderline" with help from Stardeath and White Dwarfs, the Black Keys taking on Captain Beefheart's "Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles" and Mastodon teaming with ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons for the Texas trio's "Just Gt Paid."

The project was introduced by Adam Sandler's cover of Neil Young's "Like a Hurricane," which he performed last month on "The Late Show With David Letterman."

Here is the track list for "Covered, A Revolution in Sound":

"Borderline" (Madonna), Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs
"Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles" (Captain Beefheart), the Black Keys
"A Case of You" (Joni Mitchell), Michelle Branch
"Here Comes a Regular" (the Replacements), Against Me!
"More Than This" (Roxy Music), Missy Higgins
"Into the Mystic (Van Morrison), James Otto
"Like a Hurricane" (Neil Young), Adam Sandler
"You Wreck Me" (Tom Petty), Taking Back Sunday
"Just Got Paid" ZZ Top), Mastodon with Billy Gibbons
"Burning Down The House" (Talking Heads), the Used
"Midlife Crisis" (Faith No More), Disturbed
(Via Billboard)

Blur's Damon Albarn to air new Gorillaz demos

Damon Albarn will play new demos by Gorillaz when he fills in for BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe tomorrow (January 14) from 7pm (GMT) to 9pm.

Albarn will be joined by DJ Steve Lamacq and "Gorillaz bassist and band leader Murdoc Niccalson" on the show.

As well as showcasing the demos, he will play some of his favourite records - and several Blur radio sessions will be re-run during the show.

Meanwhile a statement from "Murdoc" has appeared on several Gorillaz fansites explaining his involvement.

"Let's try and clear this up," said the cartoon creation. "As far as I can work out, I, Murdoc Niccals, the Gorillaz musical auteur, have been requested by the BBC to take over Zane Lowe's radio show this Wednesday. Sounds simple. They want 'the guy who wrote all those Gorillaz tunes'."

He added: "But now apparently 'Damon Albarn', is hosting this farce and he's going to be playing some of the new Gorillaz demos, and 'would I like to maybe put in an appearance, say hello, kind of thing'. Shurely [sic], some kind of admin mistake. So yeah, folks, I'll put in an appearance this Wednesday, for sure. Let's find out who's hosting who, exactly."

Two Salty Issac Hayes Reissues

On February 24, Stax Records is reissuing remastered versions of two famed Isaac Hayes albums, 1971's Black Moses and Juicy Fruit from 1976. And yes, the liner note booklet of Black Moses will fold out into a five-way cross shape just like the original album!

Hayes, who sadly passed away last August, will always be remembered for his distinctive, low, iconic voice. In the seventies, he was a soulful, chart-topping singer. Black Moses, a covers-packed '70s soul classic, sat on the Billboard charts for 40 weeks; Juicy Fruit was maybe the best of four disco-stab slabs Hayes put out in about a year's time. Then he experienced newfound fame in the late nineties as the voice of "Chef" on South Park.
(via CMJ)

2009 Album Releases to look forward to

20 January Tuesday
Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion
Antony And The Johnsons- The Crying Light
Andrew Bird- Noble Beast
Bon Iver- Blood Bank
John Frusciante- The Empyrean
Carl Newman- Get Guilty
Or, The Whale- Light Poles And Pines

27 January Tuesday
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band- Working on a Dream
Franz Ferdinand- Tonight

3 February Tuesday
Von Bondies- Love, Hate, and Then There's You

16 February Monday
Morrissey- Years of Refusal

17 February Tuesday
... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead- The Century of Self
Architecture in Helsinki- That Beep
Robyn Hitchcock- Goodnight Oslo
M. Ward- Hold Time

24 February Tuesday
JJ Cale- Roll On

3 March Tuesday
Neko Case- Middle Cyclone
Revolting Cocks- (RevCo) Sex-O Olympic-O
Soundtrack Of Our Lives- Communion
U2- No Line On The Horizon

10 March Tuesday
Burn Halo- Burn Halo
Handsome Furs- Face Control

17 March Tuesday
Kelly Clarkson- [Title TBA]
MSTRKRFT- Fist Of God

24 March Tuesday
Dan Deacon- Bromst
The Decemberists- Hazards Of Love
Royksoop- Junior

7 April Tuesday
Bob Mould- [Title TBA]

9 April Thursday
Lady Sovereign- Jigsaw

Anticipated Future Releases
(+44) [Title TBA] 2009
Ambulance LTD [Title TBA] 2009
Tori Amos [Title TBA] Spring/Summer 2009
Melissa Auf der Maur Out of Our Minds 2009
The Avalanches [Title TBA] 2009
Basement Jaxx [Title TBA] 2009
David Bazan [Title TBA] 2009
Blur [Title TBA] 2009
Broken Spindles [Title TBA] 2009
Built To Spill [Title TBA] Spring 2009
The Divine Comedy [Title TBA] 2009
Pete Doherty [Title TBA] 2009
Dr. Dre Detox 2009
Doves [Title TBA] April 2009
Eminem Relapse Spring 2009
Flo Rida R.O.O.T.S. Spring 2009
Freebass [new Peter Hook band] [Title TBA] Mar 2009
Ace Frehley [Title TBA] 2009
From The Jam [Title TBA] 2009
Fugees [Title TBA] ?? 2009 [delayed]
Peter Gabriel [Title TBA] 2009
Noel Gallagher [Title TBA] 2009
Gang Of Four [Title TBA] 2009
Garbage [Title TBA] 2009
Teddy Geiger The March 2009
Lisa Germano Magic Neighbor Mid-2009
Ginuwine [Title TBA] 2009
The Gossip [Title TBA] 2009
Happy Mondays [Title TBA] 2009
Keri Hilson In a Perfect World 2009
Indigo Girls [Title TBA] Feb 2009
Michael Jackson [Title TBA] 2009
Jay-Z The Blueprint 3 TBA
Junior Boys [Title TBA] 2009
Lamb Of God [Title TBA] Feb 2009
The Like [Title TBA] 2009
Lil Jon Crunk Rock ?? 2009
Love Grenades [Title TBA] Summer 2009
Lynyrd Skynyrd [Title TBA] Early 2009
M. Ward [Title TBA] 2009
Shirley Manson [Title TBA] 2009
Massive Attack [Title TBA] Spring 2009
Mastodon Crack the Skye Mar 2009
Matisyahu Light 2009
Metric [Title TBA] 2009
MF Doom & Ghostface Swift & Changeable 2009 ??
Mongrel [Title TBA] Summer 2009
Muse [Title TBA] 2009-10
Naughty By Nature Anthem Inc. 2009
New Pornographers [Title TBA] 2009
Nina Sky The Musical 2009
No Doubt [Title TBA] 2010
OK Go [Title TBA] 2009
Pearl Jam [Title TBA] 2009
Pet Shop Boys [Title TBA] 2009
Placebo [Title TBA] May 2009
Prince Lotus Flower 2009
Prince MPLSOUND 2009
The Rakes [Title TBA] 2009
Rakim The Seventh Seal Spring 2009
Rancid [Title TBA] 2009
John Rich [Title TBA] 2009
Roxy Music [original lineup including Brian Eno] [Title TBA] 2009
Nate Ruess of the Format [Title TBA] 2009
Seaweed Small Engine Repair ?? 2009
Simple Minds [Title TBA] Winter 2009
Sixpence None The Richer [Title TBA] 2009
Stars [Title TBA] 2009
Starsailor All the Plans Mar 2009
Stellastarr* [Title TBA] 2009
Stone Temple Pilots [Title TBA] 2009
Tortoise [Title TBA] 2009
Velvet Revolver [Title TBA] 2009
Gillian Welch [Title TBA] 2009
Wilco [Title TBA] Spring 2009
Amy Winehouse [Title TBA] 2009
Patrick Wolf Battles 2009
The Wrens [Title TBA] Fall 2009
ZZ Top [Title TBA] 2009

Pavement could reform for Coachella 2009

Former Pavement guitarist Scott Kannberg has said that the band may reform soon - and that their booking agent has had talks with Coachella festival chiefs about them performing at the event.

He did, however, warn that despite negotiations having taken place, it was more likely that the band would reform after 2009 had finished.

"I don't see why not, you know, it could be a fun thing to do, go and play your favourite songs every night," he told music tabloid Loud And Quiet. "Everything's fine now [between the band members]."

Kannberg added: "2009 would be our 20-year anniversary too, so that'd be a good time to do it, but I think that's too soon, it might have to be pushed back later.

"Coachella keep asking our booking agent but our booking agent's pretty strong. He's waiting for the right number, I think."

See Loudandquiet.com for more.

Coachella 2009 takes place between April 17 and 19 in Indio, California, with the likes of Blur and The Killers rumoured to be on the bill.

Sonic Youth ready new album

Sonic Youth are in the final stages of recording their new album.

The band say they hope to release the record, which currently has a working title of 'The Eternal', this June.

Thurston Moore told Uncut magazine that the band were focussing on making "a record replete with juicy supersonic songs!"

The record will be the band's first featuring newly-written material since 2006's 'Rather Ripped'.

As previously reported, the band's Kim Gordon is in the process of launching her own clothing line, Mirror/Dash.

'The Eternal' will be Sonic Youth's first release on Matador Records.

The Pica Beats:: Beating Back the Claws of the Cold (Album Review)

The Pica Beats is the project of Vermont transplant Ryan Barrett. Barrett writes all the words and music and plays several instruments, while drummer Colin English and a cast of local contributors round out a musically fleshy record. With a motley grab-bag of musicians and instruments (Barrett himself has an affinity for the sitar), it’s a bit of a surprise, then, that Beating Back the Claws of the Cold is so samey.

Of the record’s first six songs, none stand apart, and the two instrumentals (“Martine, as Heavy Lifter” and “Beta.Space.Hit”) are more filler than a record like this can support. The bouncy “Summer Cutting Kale,” built around a fluttery synth figure, is nice, but at five-and-a-half minutes overstays its welcome. This is a problem found on many of these songs, as eight of the eleven top four minutes.

On Claws’ second half, The Pica Beats struggle mightily to punch-up mid-tempo numbers like “Cognac & Rum” and “Hope, Was Not a Smith Family Tradition.” Unfortunately, they’re undercut by Barrett’s awkward delivery (he’s a sort of Win Butler/Colin Meloy mash-up) and overstuffing of relatively simple songs with synthesizers, horns, and multi-tracked vocal choirs. Only “Shallow Dive” stands out; Barrett’s vocal melody matches up nicely with a twinkly guitar line and sweeping, chilly synths.

A big part of enjoying Beating Back the Claws of the Cold depends on one’s taste for Barrett’s ultra-quavery voice and the larger-than-life arrangements. The album’s an impressive document of Barrett’s talent, but I don’t hear the hooks that similar acts like Belle & Sebastian built their name on. Without them, The Pica Beats remain an also-ran.

1. Poor Old Ra 2. Martine, as Heavy Lifter 3. Summer Cutting Kale 4. Shrinking Violets 5. Beta.Space.Hit 6. Beating Back the Claws of the Cold 7. Cognac & Rum 8. Hope, Was Not a Smith Family Tradition 9. Hikikomori & the Rental Sisters 10. Shallow Dive 11. Territoire
(by Tamec)

Motown celebrates its 50th Birthday today (Jan 12)

Iconic label was started in 1959 with an $800 dollar loan

One of the world's most important and iconic record labels, Motown, celebrates its 50th birthday today (January 12).

The Detroit label - home to Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes and The Jackson 5, among many others - was founded by record producer Berry Gordy on January 12, 1959.

Gordy started the label, which was originally called Tamla, with an $800 loan from his family.

The first act signed was called The Matadors (later The Miracles), who's lead vocalist was Smokey Robinson.

Motown's Hitsville USA studio, a garage that Gordy purchased and renovated, was famed for its 'production line' recording process - with classic songs being churned out on an astonishingly regular basis.

Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition', The Marvelettes 'Please Mr Postman' and Marvin Gaye's 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' were just some of the label's most notable hits.

Motown also released Martin Luther King's civil rights speeches on its Black Forum subsidiary label.

The label found enduring success across the world, and Motown songs continue to be covered and referenced by artists today.

Acts as diverse as George Michael, The Beatles, The Jam, The Beach Boys, The Slits and Delroy Wilson have recorded Motown covers.

Prince Rebuffed In Italian Plagiarism Case

An Italian court has ruled that Prince's 1994 hit "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" was plagiarized from a song by two Italian writers. However, it could take several years for a definitive ruling in the case, which has already dragged on since the 1990s.

According to a sentence handed down by the Court of Appeal in Rome, the song borrowed heavily from "Takin' Me to Paradise," written by Bruno Bergonzi and Michele Vicino.

Under the ruling, Prince must stop distributing the song on Italian territory. He also faces having to pay the royalties he has so far accumulated to Bergonzi and Vicino and their publishers, but only if a final hearing confirms the Italian songwriting duo was plagiarized.

"Our song was first released in 1983, at the height of the Italian dance boom and it appeared on assorted compilations that were distributed internationally," Bergonzi tells Billboard.com. "When we first heard Prince's song we immediately took action, but this case has been dragging on for 15 years and it isn't over yet, such is the slowness of the Italian legal system. We only decided to go public with our story now."

The ruling is in fact an appeal against the original sentence, which, in 2003, rejected Bergonzi and Vicino's claim. This latest ruling was actually made in December 2007 and registered on Feb. 11 last year, but Bergonzi and Vicino have only now spoken out.

For a sentence to become definitive in Italy, a "third degree" ruling is necessary and this could take several more years.

When the case began, publishing for both sides in Italy was handled by Warner/Chappell, in the form of Fortissimo (on behalf of Controversy Music) for Prince, and Chappell for Bergonzi and Vicino. However, Controversy Music and Prince are now represented by Universal Music Publishing.

"We are waiting to see the outcome of the third and final sentence," Universal Music Publishing Italy managing director Claudio Buja tells Billboard.com. "We're wary of making a comment at this stage, but I can say that plagiarism cases are invariably delicate and difficult."

Spokespeople for Prince and Warner/Chappell Italy could not be reached for comment.

'Led Zeppelin will not tour – they're over' says manager

Jimmy Page's manager, Peter Mensch, has said that Led Zeppelin will not tour or continue in any form – even without singer Robert Plant.

Mensch had previously said that the band would tour with Plant replaced by a new singer – but in a new interview with Music Radar he says that the band is no more.

"Led Zeppelin are over," he said. "If you didn't see them in 2007 [at the London O2 Arena], you missed them. It's done. I can't be any clearer than that."

He added: "They tried out a few singers (to replace Plant), but no one worked out. That was it. The whole thing is completely over now. There are absolutely no plans for them to continue. Zero.

"Frankly, I wish everybody would stop talking about it."

When asked if Page would be pursuing other musical projects instead of Led Zeppelin, he said, "F**ked if I know. I'm waiting to hear."

F---ed Up, 'Crooked Head' (Music Video)

The Hold Steady: Stay Positive (Live on Jools Holland) (Video)

Glasvegas: S/T- (Album Review)

Scottish quartet Glasvegas has turned out what ought to be one downer of a first record.

The group's self-titled debut, out today on Columbia, is packed full of songs about death and despair, which meld neatly with the sardonic pun of the Glasgow band's name. Yet thanks to a certain screw-it attitude and massive, enveloping soundscapes, "Glasvegas" is a deeply engrossing and relentlessly catchy introduction to a group that's hyped enough in Britain to have already generated plenty of backlash.

Most of these songs rise to sweeping, atmospheric heights, full of clanging guitars and resonant percussion: opener "Flowers and Football Tops" churns with layers of guitar, and there's a humid snap to the drums on "S.A.D. Light."

Singer James Allan has an expansive, tuneful voice, and a Scottish brogue so thick it's often impenetrable. Even so, he ably communicates the compassion of the social worker offering hope to a despondent charge on the soaring "Geraldine," and makes clear enough what's troubling him on the rueful "It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry."

There's a plaintive current running through this record, but Glasvegas balances it with unexpected touches — who else is writing booming Brit-pop songs about kindhearted social workers? — and with more than a little defiance as Allan lashes out at an absentee father on the wrenching "Daddy's Gone" and stands up to a bully on "Go Square Go" over adrenaline-laced drums.

Glasvegas formed in 2003, which means this first record was a long time coming -- time the musicians clearly spent developing into a band capable of producing a debut of such rare depth and emotion.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Is It The Sea? (Album Review)

Will Oldham - aka Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, aka Palace Brothers or Palace Music or plain old Bonny Billy - is a man that seemingly never stops working. Since 1993, his name (in one form or another) has graced fourteen studio albums, over fifteen EPs and now, with the release of Is It The Sea?, three live albums.

In that time he's worked with everyone from experimental post-rock band Tortoise to Scout Niblett to Baby Dee. He's also acted in films, covered songs by both R. Kelly and Bjork, plus last year starred in a spoof Kanye West video. He's a man that cares little for commercial success or any notion of supporting an album, shown here by the fact that Is It The Sea? is taken from his 2006 tour of Scotland, a tour designed to introduce his album The Letting Go, which isn't even his last studio release, that being 2008's Lay Down In The Light. His production rate is such that not even his record company seems to be able to keep up.

To give this album its full artist credit means mentioning the backing band for the tour, including Glasgow's Alex Neilson on drums and percussion and Edinburgh's Harem Scarem on harmonies, flute, fiddle, banjo and accordion. Their input is telling, helping turn Oldham's hushed, dark, sometimes funereal songs toward the light allowing them to flirt dangerously with happiness. Well, relatively speaking.

Opener Minor Place, taken from the astounding I See A Darkness, becomes a campfire sing along, whilst Arise Therefore moves from a snails pace to a near hoedown. Apparently, Neilson is a free jazz fan and it's his drum fills and jazzy interludes that help make this more then just another addition to Oldham's growing discography.

One of the charms of any Bonnie 'Prince' Billy album is his voice, an instrument that cracks and croaks but sounds all the more engaging for doing so. It's on fine form here, especially on the bleak murder ballad, New Partner.

In fact, sonically, Is It The Sea? sounds better then the majority of Oldham's studio recordings, the distinction between the two perhaps almost irrelevant. Never one for studio trickery in the first place, this album benefits simply from Oldham's improved musicianship.

It's not all good news, however, mainly due to the fact that a handful of songs outstay their welcome, most obviously the eight minute Molly Bawn and The Letting Go's Cursed Sleep. Although, the inclusion of at least thirty seconds of loud applause on each song doesn't help matters, neither does the fact that it's left so high in the mix meaning that just as your getting into a country-tinged, laidback kind of mood you're suddenly startled by the crowd and the mood is broken.

I realise that bemoaning the inclusion of crowd noise on a live album is a bit pointless, but when it detracts from the enjoyment of the album then it's a valid grumble. But it's a minor issue, and in general Is It The Sea? only adds to Oldham's ever-increasing enigma.
(Review by: Michael Crag)

Michael Jackson to leave his share of Beatles catalog to Paul McCartney in his will

MICHAEL JACKSON will bid to end his long feud with music legend SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY by leaving him the BEATLES back catalogue in his will, according to reports. The former pals fell out in 1985 when Jackson beat MCCartney and John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, in the race to snap up the rights to 200 of the Fab Four's hits. They collaborated on 1982 single The Girl is Mine, but have barely spoken since, with MCCartney feeling he was betrayed by his friend. The 66-year-old explained his frustration in a past interview, saying, "You know what doesn't feel very good, is going on tour and paying to sing all my songs. Every time I sing Hey Jude. I've got to pay someone". Since the purchase, Jackson merged the catalogue with music giants Sony, and created SonyATV, of which he holds a 50 per cent share. And sources claim Jackson wants to leave his stake to MCCartney or his children when he dies. An insider tells British newspaper the Daily Mirror, "Michael told his lawyers he was sad he no longer talks to Sir Paul and said he wanted to make things right."Over Christmas (08), the 50-year-old Thriller hitmaker was forced to deny rumours he is suffering from a deadly lung condition. Jackson biographer Ian Halperin claims the star is battling emphysema, genetic illness Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1AD) and is also losing the vision in his left eye. But Jackson's publicist has hit back insisting, "Concerning this author's allegations, we would hope in the future that legitimate media will not continue to be exploited by such an obvious attempt to promote this unauthorised 'biography.' "The writer's wild allegations concerning Mr Jackson's health are a total fabrication. Mr. Jackson is in fine health, and finalising negotiations with a major entertainment company and television network for both a world tour and a series of specials and appearances.
(via contact)

IGGY POP 'SHOCKED' AT BEST FRIEND RON ASHETON'S DEATH

An official statement regarding the death of Stooges lead guitarist Ron Asheton, reported early yesterday (January 6) has been made by Iggy Pop and the band, management and crew.

Asheton was found dead at home, aged 60, possibly from a heart attack, although autopsy results are still due.

The official statement reads: "We are shocked and shaken by the news of Ron’s death. He was a great friend, brother, musician, trooper. Irreplaceable. He will be missed.

For all that knew him behind the façade of Mr Cool & Quirky, he was a kind-hearted, genuine, warm person who always believed that people meant well even if they did not.

As a musician Ron was The Guitar God, idol to follow and inspire others. That is how he will be remembered by people who had a great pleasure to work with him, learn from him and share good and bad times with him.

Iggy, Scott, Steve, Mike and Crew"

Frontman Iggy Pop has also commented separately saying: "I am in shock. He was my best friend."

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION (Album Review)

Animal Collective's new album is named after the Frank Gehry-designed ampitheatre in Maryland where as highschool kids they saw the bands – notably the Grateful Dead - that first blew their minds. Choosing such a title (which they now share with a Jerry Garcia Band live album), might suggest that the AC are simply acknowledging that, for all their outsider art beginnings and freaky enthusiasms, their burgeoning cult now places them, after the Dead and Pavement, quite squarely in the grand tradition of American jam-bands.

“In The Flowers”, the first track on Merriweather Post Pavilion, could even be a memory of some distant “Dark Star” freak out. It starts out, with the psychfolk shimmer and swirl of last album but one Feels, as a kind of fried reverie, envying the rapturous abandon of a girl dancing in a field, “high on her own movement”. But then, as Avey Tare wistfully sings “If I could just leave my body for a night...” the track erupts into an astonishing, galloping Phillip Glass flamenco-techno reel. Eventually, when the boom of the bass and the drums subsides, the track comes back down with the early hours walk home as “the ecstasy turns to rising light...”

Understandably in light of such lines, people are already talking up MPP as the AC's E album – the moment when the wild-eyed animists of alt.folk start raving. But with the group's long-standing ritualistic interests, you could just as easily interpet their ecstasy in the etymological, ancient Greek sense of frenzied transcendence, of “standing outside oneself”.

Whether this bliss is chemical or shamanic, what's clear is that Animal Collective have truly surpassed themselves. MPP isn't just an advance on Sung Tongs and Feels – it feels like that moment in Star Wars when the Millennium Falcon jumps into hyperspace and all the stars go wild.

Though they've been filed as part of the freak-folk fold, the band have long maintained they've more in common with electronic acts - the sumptuous minimalism of Luomo or the pop-ambient of the Kompakt label. And on earlier records, and particularly Panda Bear's sublime Person Pitch, you could sort of imagine them as a kind of bizarre Amish techno act – emulating digital dance music without electricity, but with acoustic guitars, vocal harmonies and tape loops. On MPP they now sound electrified: AC fully plugged into the DC, anchoring their fluttering reverbed chants with seismic beats and bass.

Second track, “The Girls”, is the perfect demonstration of their new resources. Rippling waves of synths are pounded by Aaron Copland bass drums as Panda Bear/Noah Lennox multitracks his voice into a call and response choir. In what almost seems like an apology for the song's irresistable pop momentum, he sings about how he doesn't care for material things and just wants four walls for wife and daughter.You suspect the song could quite easily become a huge crossover hit on the scale of say, “Born Slippy” ten years ago – in which case the girls won't have to worry too much about holes in the roof.

The wonders keep coming. “Summertime Clothes” is a delirious number about walking the streets on nights when it's too hot to sleep, with Avey singing “I want to walk around with you!”, in a way reminiscent of the plain, profound joy of Arthur Russell's “Let's Go Swimming”. Indeed at times, MPP feels like the AC have managed to shake all of the fugitive fragments of Russell's remarkable career – from fragile folkpop to disco trance and buddhist bubblegum – into a brilliant kaleidoscopic design of their own.

The infatuated “Bluish” meanwhile manages to synthesise the dazzled awe of Mercury Rev circa “Carwash Hair”, the lucid languor of Primal Scream's “Higher Than The Sun” and the sun-spangled melody of Brian Wilson. And yet listing references almost seems beside the point; there's no sense of pastiche, everything feels utterly, unmistakeably absorbed into the Animal Collective universe.

There's not a weak or wasted track here, but the final two are magnificent: “No More Runnin”, a more down-tempo, dreamy number, comes on like a tropicalized Beach Boys, transposing their harmonies from the California coast to a lazy river meandering through some Rousseau-esque rainforest. And the closing “Brother Sport” is sensational, exploding like a psychedelic carnival parade, culminating in a polyphonic spree of endless chattering loops.

It’s hard to overstate Animal Collective’s achievement on this record. They’ve made a dance record, out of evident love of the latest digital developments , but it’s a dance record with an odd, distant hint of Sousa marching bands. They’ve made a blissed-out rave record, but one with touches of Terry Riley’s all-night minimalist trances. It’s a rare contemporary album that sounds like it couldn't have been made at any other time or by any other band.

Maybe the overwhelming, full-throated joy of it all sounds particularly radiant in the fluey gloom of winter, but right now Merriweather Post Pavilion doesn't just seem like one of the first great records of 2009, it feels like one of the landmark American albums of the century so far.
(Review by: STEPHEN TROUSSÉ)

Apple makes iTunes primarily DRM free

Apple just made this very much official, and announced that some 8 million songs will indeed be DRM free (with a full ten million planned by the end of the quarter). As if that wasn't enough, it's also announced a new pricing structure for tracks, including a new $0.69 tier and a $1.29 one, which music companies will apparently be able to use at their own discretion. And, to keep things realy spicy, the company has also announced that the music store is now finally available over 3G, and not just WiFi.
(via engadget)

Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton found dead

Ron Asheton, the influential guitarist for legendary punk band the Stooges, was found dead early this morning at his home in Ann Arbor, police said.

Ann Arbor Police Sgt. Brad Hill said the department received a call around midnight with a request to check on Asheton, 60, because the unidentified caller said he had not heard from the guitarist in a few days. Police went to his home and found him deceased.

The death is still under investigation, but foul play is not suspected, Hill said.

The Stooges was founded in 1967 in Ann Arbor by Iggy Pop, Asheton and Ron Asheton’s brother, Scott. It is among the most important rock groups to have emerged from the Detroit area, a place that’s seen more than its share. The band was never a commercial success in its late 1960s and early ‘70s heyday, but the Stooges’ raw guttural sound helped create the template for punk rock, and later became hugely influential in the alternative-rock revolution of the late 1980s and early ‘90s.

Asheton was not an incredibly gifted player technically, but the dirgy, guttural sounds he created on early Stooges classics like “I Wanna Be Your Dog” were cited by guitarists as varied as Kurt Cobain, Thurston Moore and Jack White — who once called the Stooges’ 1969 effort “Fun House” the greatest rock album of all time. In a 2003 list by Rolling Stone magazine, the publication named Asheton the 29th-greatest rock guitarist of all time.

He made the “Stooges' music reek like a puddle of week-old biker sweat. He favored black leather and German iron crosses onstage, and he never let not really knowing how to play get in the way of a big, ugly feedback solo,” the magazine said.

Though the band broke up in the 1970s among a swirl of infighting and drugs, its influence among later generations of rockers helped spurn a series of reunion shows in 2003 — including a legendary August gig at DTE Energy Music Theatre. A near fanatical reception to the reformation spawned a new album, “The Weirdness,” and a second tour in 2007.

The Stooges were among the nominees for this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, with the inductees expected to be announced this month.

In a 2003 interview with the Free Press, Asheton said the Stooges’ reunion was very important to him, and that he got great satisfaction from the recognition the band received — even if it was a long time coming.

“When I was a young guy coming up, going to the Grande Ballroom every weekend, I got to see my heroes play. Jeff Beck, the Who, everyone. I didn't want to be a fanboy, but I'd stand there and wait — 'I just want to say hi, this was great.' I saw them walk by me with blank stares like they were zombies. I said to myself, you know, if I ever make it, I've got at least one minute for everybody who wants to say something. So I talk to people, and that's what's exciting now."

Von Bondies guitarist Jason Stollsteimer, 30, is among a younger generation of rock musicians who soaked up Asheton's influence. Asheton's playing was the embodiment of the Michigan rock sound, he said.

"To me, he was the epitome of raw punk," said Stollsteimer. "He wasn't flashy or over the top. It was raw. The riffs he wrote stood the test of time."
Stollsteimer's band opened for the Stooges at their 2003 reunion show at DTE Energy Music Theatre. It was a triumphant comeback that saw the Stooges treated with a level of attention and respect they'd never previously enjoyed.

"He was like a kid ina candy store, just so excited," Stollsteimer recalled of that night. "He wasn't afraid to show it. Some people are too cool, but he was obviously very happy and proud."

Apple to include 'celebrity music lessons' on new version of 'GarageBand'?

Rumours abound that an announcement for the music application is about to be made

Apple is rumoured to be releasing a new version of music application 'GarageBand', featuring interactive music lessons given by celebrity musicians.

Apple traditionally updates its Mac program platform (which includes 'GarageBand') every January, and MusicRadar speculates that an announcement will be made about 'GarageBand' during the company's keynote address at the Macworld 2009 conference tomorrow (January 6).

'GarageBand' is available as part of the iLife multimedia suite on all Macs.

9to5mac.com says that the celebrity lessons are to be called 'Mentor'.

The service will reportedly allow users to download music lessons taken by their favourite musicians.

Springsteen Goes Free With Amazon, 'Guitar Hero'

Bruce Springsteen is offering free downloads through Amazon.com and "Guitar Hero" in the run-up to the Jan. 27 release of his next Columbia album, "Working on a Dream."

The third single from that project, "Life Itself," is up as a free track on Amazon.com as of today, along with a new video. Amazon previously made the album track "My Lucky Day" available, while the title cut was initially an iTunes exclusive.

Meanwhile, "My Lucky Day" and "Born To Run" will be free downloads on Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii versions of "Guitar Hero: World Tour," beginning on the new album's release date and running through Feb. 4. Afterward, they will cost $2.

As previously reported, Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform Feb. 1 during the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show in Tampa, Fla.

The group has yet to confirm tour plans in support of "Working on a Dream," but headlining appearances at the Bonnaroo festival in mid-June and the U.K.'s Glastonbury festival later that month are strongly rumored.

Radiohead Snags Kraftwerk For Spring Shows

Radiohead has drafted legendary German electronica act Kraftwerk to support its spring tour of Latin America, which begins March 15-16 in Mexico City. Kraftwerk will also play headlining shows April 25-26 in Wolfsburg, Germany.

However, the group's lineup appears to be in flux. Founding member Florian Schneider, who did not appear onstage with Kraftwerk during its 2008 world tour, has left the group, according to Kraftwerk's official fan Web site.

Lone remaining original member Ralf Hutter told the New Zealand Herald in September that Schneider has spent the last few years "working on other projects; technical things."

Last year, Schneider was replaced onstage by Stefan Pfaffe. The group also includes Fritz Hilpert and Henning Schmitz.

Here are Kraftwerk's tour dates:

March 15-16: Mexico City (Foro Sol)
March 20: Rio de Janeiro (Praca da Apoteose)
March 22: Sao Paulo, Brazil (Chacara Do Jockey)
March 24: Buenos Aires, (Club Ciduad)
March 26-27: Santiago, Chile (San Carlos De Apoquindo)
April 25-26: Wolfsburg, Germany (Altes Heizkraftwerk)

Pavement: Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition (Album Review)

Fans of the '90s' preeminent lo-fi-literati rockers tend to divide themselves like different gangs from The Warriors — some are fiercely loyal to the clean accessibility of 1994's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, others to '95's more jammy, obtuse Wowee Zowee. But '97's ''mainstream''-friendly Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition, now reissued with 32 extra tracks, is a trove of effortless pleasures, from the pogo-party frolic ''Stereo'' to the rickety, fuzzed-up gem ''Date w/ Ikea.'' Many of the unreleased, B-side, and cover tracks here are less immediate, but no less joyful for the Pavement completist. This is good stuff.. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

Bands to look forward to in 2009

We have scoured the web to find out what bands/albums the music community at large is looking forward to the most.

Guardian's "Introducing your new favourite bands"

LA City Beat- THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2009

The Daily Record lists musical artists to watch in 2009.

Seattle Weekly previews 10 highly anticipated 2009 albums.

BBC Newsbeat previews the big albums of 2009.

Prince To Roll Out Three Albums This Year

Prince is planning to release three new albums in 2009 without the assistance of a record label, according to an interview with the Los Angeles Times. A "major retailer" is in talks with the artist to release the music physically, while a new Prince Web site will sell it in digital form.

The two new Prince albums are the tentatively titled "MPLSOUND" and "Lotus Flower." He was also heavily involved in an album titled "Elixir" from his protege, Bria Valente. "We got sick of waiting for Sade to make a new album," he said of that project.

As for "MPLSOUND," recorded at Prince's Paisley Park compound in Minneapolis, the Times describes at "electro-flavored" and full of "trippy, experimental pop songs." Q-Tip guests on one track.

"Lotus Flower" is more guitar-driven, an approach Prince says he came to after touring as the guitarist in singer Tamar Davis' band in 2006. Tracks include "Dreamer," a cover of Tommy James and the Shondells' "Crimson & Clover," "Colonized Mind" and "Wall of Berlin."

Prince's last studio album, "Planet Earth," was first released as a free covermount with the U.K. newspaper the Mail on Sunday in July 2007. It was subsequently issued worldwide by Columbia Records.

Live Wilco DVD To Precede New Album

Wilco will release its first concert DVD, "Ashes of American Flags," chronicling February 2008 visits to Nashville's Ryman Auditorium and Tulsa, Okla.'s Cain Ballroom.

The project is due in February or March from Nonesuch, just in advance of the next Wilco studio album, which the band is now recording.

"Ashes" was assembled by longtime collaborators Brendan Canty and Christoph Green of Trixie Films, who previously worked on frontman Jeff Tweedy's solo DVD "Sunken Treasure" and the behind-the-scenes film that accompanied certain editions of Wilco's 2007 album "Sky Blue Sky."

According to a newsletter sent to fans, Wilco will play "a handful of gigs" in the southern U.S. in April, to be followed by an extensive tour of Spain in May and then "the usual summer hijinks with a new record and gigs everywhere imaginable."

Tweedy also has three solo shows on tap in Michigan and Illinois later this month.
(via billboard)

Zooey Deschanel Engaged to Death Cab for Cutie Rocker

Zooey Deschanel is engaged to Ben Gibbard, the front man for Death Cab for Cutie, a source close to the couple said.

Rumors that the Yes Man / Elf actress, 28, was getting married spread after In Touch falsely reported she was engaged to a different musician: Hunter Burgan, a bass guitarist for AFI.

Deschanel and Gibbard, 32, are "so thrilled," the source tells Us. "Zooey was swept off her feet, and Ben is so excited."