Archive for the ‘News’ Category
3/1/10 News briefs: Robyn, Pavement, Ellie Goulding, LCD Soundsystem and Best Coast
Monday, March 1st, 2010
Swedish pop pixie Robyn has announced that she’ll release not one, not two, but three - count ‘em three - new albums in 2010. In an interview with Bon magazine, the singer said the first one will be out this spring, with the other two following in summer and winter. The albums will feature work with Röyksopp, Diplo and a “rap duel” with Snoop Dogg. Wowsa!
Pavement played their first reunion show in New Zealand umm… today. The band played Auckland’s Town Hall and played a “greatest hits” set that included classic cuts like “Perfume-V,” “Box Elder,” “The Hexx,” “Here” and b-side “Give It A Day.” The band have confirmed only one Canadian date so far in Toronto at Olympic Island on June 19th. A compilation of Pavement’s “best” songs, Quarantine the Past, is out March 9th.
Rising young British singer Ellie Goulding has admitted that all the hype she’s received actually sent her to the emergency room. Speaking with the Times Online, Ellie said that after opening up for Florence & The Machine, she ended up feeling “really upset and weird, it felt like having a heart attack. I actually went to A&E. I think that was a warning: that my body had to deal with the other person.” Her debut album Lights is out in stores tomorrow. For her health’s sake I hope it bombs… (Note: I think she’s actually fantastic and hope the best for Ellie Goulding’s career)
LCD Soundsystem will release their new album in May. No date or title is confirmed.
Much loved noise pop duo Best Coast will be bringing their girl-group-inspired lo-fi ditties to Canada for a short North American tour. The band will play Montreal at The Cove on April 12th and Toronto at The Garrison on April 13th.
Tags: best coast, Ellie Goulding, LCD Soundsystem, pavement, Robyn
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2/3/10 News briefs: Jay Reatard, Deerhoof + Xiu Xiu, Pet Shop Boys, The Strokes and Girls + Dum Dum Girls
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
A medical examiner has cited that garage punk rocker Jay Reatard died from “cocaine toxicity, and that alcohol was a contributing factor in his death.” Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr. was found dead at his Memphis home on January 13th. He was 29.
Idiosyncratic indie rock crews Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu will team up to cover the classic Joy Division album Unknown Pleasures live at the Donaufestival in Krems, Austria on April 29th.
Talk about intimate! One lucky contest winner received a private performance in her own home by legendary synth pop duo Pet Shop Boys. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe re-created part of their spectacular Pandemonium tour in the home of super fan Lorraine Sands.
There has been a lot of speculation about this fourth Strokes album, but according to the band’s website they have officially begun recording it at Avatar Studios in NYC with engineer Gus Oberg and producer Joe Chiccarelli.
Girls and Dum Dum Girls are teaming up for a North American tour this spring. The indie faves will play 11 dates together before they stop to play Coachella. There is one Canadian date: April 9th at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto.
Tags: Deerhoof, Dum Dum Girls, Girls, jay reatard, Joy Division, Pet Shop Boys, the strokes, Xiu Xiu
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2/1/10 News briefs: Broken Social Scene, F**ked Up, Panda Bear, Beach House and Phoenix
Monday, February 1st, 2010
Broken Social Scene have announced they’ll release their first album in five years on May 4th. Though it’s still untitled, Kevin Drew told Pitchfork that the album will be mostly a six-piece version of the band with guest appearances by Feist, Emily Haines, Amy Millan, Sebastien Grainger, Pavement’s Spiral Stairs and John McEntire from Tortoise, who also acted as producer. You can read the interview here.
Last week we told you that the beef between Fucked Up and Sonic Youth was not actually real, but that the Polaris Prize winners had a new song called “Cranking To Sonic Youth.” Well, you can now download that song for free on a new mixtape from guitarist and Young Governor frontman Ben Cook. Grab it from his No Guv No Luv blog.
Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox) has revealed more details about his massively anticipated new album. Tomboy (yep, that’s what it’s called) will be out some time in September.
We love the new Beach House album, Teen Dream, so to hear that they performed four songs from it for the new Daytrotter Session is beautiful news to us.
And congratulations to Phoenix, who took home the only real Grammy Award that matters: Best Alternative Music Album. Okay, they’re all pretty meaningless, but the fact that they managed to win seems sweet on some level.
Tags: Beach House, Ben Cook, broken social scene, Daytrotter Session, Fucked Up, Grammy Awards, Kevin Drew, Panda Bear, phoenix, Pitchfork, Teen Dream, Young Governor
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1/26/10 News briefs: Battles, Animal Collective, F**ked Up, Javelin and Supergrass
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Battles will follow-up their brilliant 2007 debut Mirrored with a new album this year. Speaking with NME.com, guitarist Dave Konopka said making the album in the Times Squares neighbourhood of Manhattan has been an influence.
ODDSAC, Animal Collective’s film with director Danny Perez is set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival tonight. Judging by the trailer, it looks very AC-like. Get a peek here.
F**ked Up guitarist Ben Cook has cleared up rumours of a feud between them and Sonic Youth. Speaking to Spinner, Cook said the song they wrote - “Cranking to Sonic Youth” - is “more of an homage to their fans.”
Brooklyn music mashers Javelin have announced details about their proper debut album. The duo will release No Más on April 20th through David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label. In addition, next month Javelin will embark on a UK tour with Yeasayer.
Fresh off the heels of their Hot Rats side-project, Supergrass have revealed that members will swap instruments to help spruce up their new album. Calling it “different and chaotic,” frontman Gaz Coombes told NME.com they’ve been listening to a lot of krautrock, which sounds awesome.
Tags: animal collective, Battles, Ben Cook, f**ked up, Gaz Coombes, Javelin, Luaka Bop, NME.com, No Más, ODDSAC, Sonic Youth, Spinner, Supergrass, Yeasayer
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1/25/10 News briefs: The National, Caribou, The Tallest Man On Earth, Pavement and Vampire Weekend
Monday, January 25th, 2010
The National will release a new album on 4AD in April. Currently untitled, the band’s fifth album will take the Brooklynites on a North American tour that includes one Toronto date: Massey Hall on June 8th.
Caribou will release the follow-up to his Polaris Prize-winning Andorra album this spring. Titled Swim, Dan Snaith describes the album as “dance music that sounds like it’s made out of water, rather than made out of metallic stuff like most dance music does.” Merge Records will release Swim on April 20th, but you can hear a brand new track called “Odessa” right now.
Swedish folkie The Tallest Man On Earth (or just Kristian Matsson) has signed to Dead Oceans to release his new album. Speaking of that, The Wild Hunt will be released on April 13th and you can check out the first “King of Spain” over at Pitchfork.
Matador has released the tracklisting for the forthcoming Pavement greatest hits. Quarantine The Past will feature 23 of the bands “hits” including “Gold Soundz,” “Shoot The Singer,” “Shady Lane,” “Trigger Cut” and “Box Elder.” You can pre-order a copy here.
Finally, anyone curious as to how Vampire Weekend topped the charts last week in both the U.S. and Canada can learn more from an interview with the band’s A&R guy Kris Chen. And no, it’s not just a matter of people discovering the sweet nu-Soweto sounds of the band on MySpace. There’s actually a lot of work involved. GQ got the answers.
Tags: 4AD, Caribou, Dan Snaith, Dead Oceans, matador, Merge, pavement, The National, The Tallest Man On Earth, Vampire Weekend
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1/22/10 News briefs: Gang Gang Dance, She & Him, Suede, Franz Ferdinand and Primal Scream
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
Brooklyn experimental crew Gang Gang Dance have rightfully signed to 4AD Records. The band will follow-up 2008’s brilliant Saint Dymphna later this year. (I smell a “best album of the year” candidate.)
We’re still a good two months and a day away from She & Him’s second album Volume 2, but the duo of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward have given us a taste of what to expect with a new song. You can download “In the Sun” over at Pitchfork.
So remember that Suede reunion we reported on? Well, it turns out that Bernard Butler is not part of it because he wasn’t asked to join. Speaking with BBC 6 Music, Butler explained that it’s nothing personal and he actually approves of it. However, at the one-off gig they’re doing, he added, “It’s a great charity and I’ll be in the front row chucking peanuts at them!”
Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos has gone off on his North American record label after they licensed the band’s song to McDonald’s. Kapranos logged on to Twitter to use some choice swear words (which we won’t reprint) to deride the “psychopathic corporation” that is Epic and Sony for ruining a lucrative proposed deal with White Castle. Wait, I think that White Castle bit was a joke…
Primal Scream have begun working on the follow-up to 2008’s Beautiful Future. Bassist Mani told NME.com, “We’ve got some half ideas left over from the last album, so we’ll bring them up and give them a kick around, we’re into it.”
Tags: 4AD, Bernard Butler, Franz Ferdinand, Gang Gang Dance, M. Ward, Mani, McDonald's, NME.com, Primal Scream, She & Him, Suede, Zooey Deschanel
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1/19/10 News brief: MGMT, Melody Maker, Empire Of The Sun, Klaxons and Dinosaur Jr.
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
MGMT have told NME.com that they will not release any singles from their new album, Congratulations. Ben Goldwasseer explained, “We’d rather people hear the whole album as an album and see what tracks jump out rather than the ones that get played on the radio – if anything gets played on the radio!”
One-time weekly music bible Melody Maker is set to get an online re-launch. The UK paper folded in 2000 after 74 years, but is set to get a redesign and make public its extensive back catalogue. No date has been given for re-launch.
Luke Steele says he’ll release three albums in 2010: one by The Sleepy Jackson, another by Empire Of The Sun and one by his “punk rock” solo project.
Klaxons are currently finishing up their new album. Producer Ross Robinson (yeah, the guy who basically invented nu-metal) has said that it’s “the most violent British record to date.” Robinson also said it sounds like “coming up for a gasp of air.” Mmm hmm…
And if you happen to be in Toronto on Thursday, Dinosaur Jr. will be performing a free concert at Sonic Boom on Bloor Street at 6:30 pm If you go, please don’t forget your earplugs.
Tags: Dinosaur Jr., Empire of the Sun, Klaxons, Luke Steele, Melody Maker, MGMT, Ross Robinson, Sonic Boom, The Sleepy Jackson
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1/15/10 News briefs: Suede, High Places, A Sunny Day In Glasgow, Jay Reatard and Blur
Friday, January 15th, 2010
Suede are set to reform. The ’90s glam act will get back together for a one-off gig at the prestiguous Royal Albert Hall in London, England. The show will be part of a series to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity. Founding member and co-songwriter/guitarist Bernard Butler will not be in the band. Instead the line-up will be the same one that recorded 1996’s Coming Up and 1999’s Head Music: Brett Anderson, Richard Oakes, Neil Codling, Simon Gilbert and Matt Osman.
Tropical sound sculptors High Places will release their second album on April 6th. Thrill Jockey will release High Places vs. Mankind , which is said to tackle “the complex, gigantic subject of being human and what it’s like to interact with other human beings.” Oh boy!
Avant-shoegazers A Sunny Day In Glasgow will embark on a North American tour beginning on February 26th in New York City. The band will play three shows in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto in the spring. A week into the tour, ASDIG will also drop a brand new EP called Nitetime Rainbows.
Anyone looking to pay respects to the late Jay Reatard can do so tomorrow. A public memorial for the garage punk legend will take place tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Memorial Park Funeral Home, located at 5668 Poplar Avenue in Memphis.
Canadians will get a chance to get a sneak theatrical peek of the new Blur documentary, No Distance Left To Run. For one day - January 21st - cinemas across the country will screen the film, which documents the band’s successful reunion of last year. The DVD will be out in stores in mid-February.
Tags: A Sunny Day In Glasgow, blur, High Places, jay reatard, No Distance Left To Run, Suede
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R.I.P. Jay Reatard
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
Garage rocker Jay Reatard was found dead at his home in Memphis, Tennessee today. The cause of death is unknown. He was 29.
According to the Memphis-based website, The Commercial Appeal, police have opened an official investigation into his death. Jay Lindsey’s body was found at 3:30 am this morning.
His former label Goner Records first broke the news by posting the following message: “It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our good friend Jay Reatard. Jay died in his sleep last night. We will pass along information about funeral arrangements when they are made public.”
(more…)
Tags: jay reatard
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1/12/10 News briefs: Toronto Island Concert, Mystery Jets, Okkervil River, Let’s Wrestle and Owen Pallett
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
The first batch of bands have been announced for the annual Toronto Island Concert and this summer is a special one: Pavement are the headliners!!! Well, co-headliners. Along with indie rock’s greatest band of all time, local boys Broken Social Scene will also co-headline, along with Band of Horses. Pulling out all the stops, it seems. More bands will be announced in the coming months, but for all the details click here.
English eccentrics Mystery Jets spoke to NME.com and revealed that they’re third album is set for a March release (in the UK, we assume). Sounds good, but unfortunately they decided to axe a contribution by a penguin-mask-wearing bagpipe player they hired. Damn.
Rustic indie darlings Okkervil River have backed legendary rock’n'roll crazy Roky Erickson on his new solo album. The former 13th Floor Elevators frontman will release True Love Cast Out All Evil via Anti- on April 20th.
British indie band Let’s Wrestle have signed with Merge Records. The label will release their King Crimson-baiting debut album, In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s, on March 23rd. You can get yourself a free download of the track “We are the Men You’ll Grow to Love Soon” by right-clicking here.
Finally, in case you haven’t gone out and bought it yet, you can now stream Owen Pallett’s Heartland and see why it’s the best album of 2010 so far. Check out his MySpace page to hear it.
Tags: 13th Floor Elevators, Anti-, Band of Horses, broken social scene, Heartland, Let's Wrestle, merge records, Mystery Jets, NME.com, Okkervil River, Owen Pallett, pavement, Roky Erickson, Toronto Island Concert
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