Pitchfork Music Festival 2007: July 14-15, Chicago

We know, we know. It's January. It's horrible outside. There's snow everywhere. We're all wrapped up in bulky sweaters, bathrobes, and blankets. Even thinking about summer is torturous right now. But the days are already getting longer, and as we slowly forge ahead through each remaining winter day, it becomes clearer that those long dusks and leafed-out trees are closer than we think.

So get ready to roll out the beach towels and tennis shorts, because this year-- on Saturday, July 14 and Sunday, July 15 -- the annual two-day rockathon known as the Pitchfork Music Festival returns to Chicago's Union Park.

We're still holding the lineup close to the vest, but rest assured, it's going to be our best and most ambitious yet. And ticket prices? Still unbeatable. One-day passes run a measly $25, or you can rock both days for $35. Tickets go on sale March 12 through Ticketweb.

To all those who attended in 2006, thanks again. We'll see you in July! And for those who didn't, check this fan-shot YouTube footage to see what you missed:

Video: > Art Brut: "Good Weekend" [Pitchfork Music Festival '06]

Video: > The Futureheads: "Hounds of Love" [Pitchfork Music Festival '06]

Video: > Devendra Banhart: "That Thing" (Lauryn Hill cover) [Pitchfork Music Festival '06]

Video: > Spoon: "The Beast and Dragon, Adored" [Pitchfork Music Festival '06]

Video: > Danielson: "Kids Pushing Kids" [Pitchfork Music Festival '06]

Kanye West, RZA, DJ Premier on Beat Kings DVD
Also: Just Blaze, Prince Paul, Pete Rock, Marley Marl, David Banner

It's no Sneak King, but with everyone from Kanye West to Marley Marl "revealing the secrets behind making hit records" (according to a press release), Nature Sounds' forthcoming Beat Kings: The History of Hip Hop DVD is more than okay by us.

Beat Kings is a 66-minute documentary hosted by Wu-Tang DJ Mathematics, who interviews prominent hip hop producers about "the equipment they use, how they learned how to use it, and how they developed their style." Interview subjects include the aforementioned West and Marl as well as RZA, Just Blaze, DJ Premier, Prince Paul, Pete Rock, David Banner, Havoc (Mobb Deep), Alchemist, Swizz Beatz, Easy Moe Bee, and Trackmasters.

Nature Sounds will release Beat Kings on January 23.

Summer Hymns, Winter Tour
Joined by Elf Power side project Folklore

In a bid to ward off Seasonal Affective Disorder, the men of Summer Hymns take to the road this winter, playing shows across the United States in support of their latest long-player, last year's Misra Records release Backwards Masks. The tour kicks off in sexy Lexington, Kentucky and swoops up north before settling at last in august Augusta, Georgia.

While the all-too-pleasant vibe of Backwards Masks may have driven some to self-immolation, the open road affords Summer Hymns ample opportunities to inject some spark and spontaneity into their music. Some ideas: wear papier-mâché masks modeled after the dudes/dudette from Lordi; throw candy canes and/or razorblades at the audience; only perform a cappella Prince covers.

Get to these gigs early to catch Folklore, a new project from Elf Power guitarist Jimmy Hughes with quite an intriguing premise. On its concept LP The Ghost of H.W. Beaverman-- which features guest appearances from pretty much half the population of Athens, Georgia-- the combo "takes ghost stories based in the mountains of upstate New York and dissects them into the myths and rumors from which they are based," according to the website/blog of Folklore's publicist.

Sample tune "H.W. Beaverman" ain't too shabby, packing enough melody into its layers and vocal cataracts to make it worth a download-- which, conveniently enough, you can do by clicking below. [MORE...]

Apples in Stereo Tour in Support of New Album

With Jeff Mangum contributing to the new Apples in Stereo album New Magnetic Wonder, Elijah Wood putting it out on his record label, and frontman Robert Schneider serenading Stephen Colbert on national television, the Apples could easily be spending their time hanging out with their famous friends, drinking champagne and cavorting in hot tubs.

But instead of letting it go to their heads, they've buddied up with fellow Athens, Georgia folk Casper & the Cookies for a national tour.

The trek in support of Wonder (due February 6 via Simian/Elephant 6/Yep Roc), starts in early February and ends at SXSW. A couple of shows at the Sundance Film Festival this weekend precede the tour, and the band heads to All Tomorrow's Parties afterwards.

For the tour, the band's standard lineup will be beefed up by the addition of the Olivia Tremor Control's Bill Doss, Ulysses' John Ferguson, and Deathray Davies' John Dufilho.

For a taste of what's to come, head over to Forkcast and check out the latest Apples in Stereo video, "Energy". [MORE...]

Islands' Nick Thorburn Talks All Kinds of Crazy Stuff
"This record is going to be so good, I'm afraid that we won't get our shit together and be able to record it."

Despite near-non-stop touring in recent months, Islands principal Nick Diamonds-- now going by his given name, Nick Thorburn-- somehow managed to write up enough new material for two whole records, one of which will follow up 2006's Best New Music selection Return to the Sea.

"I feel a lot of unease and anxiety when I don't have a guitar near me," Thorburn revealed to Pitchfork during a recent chat. "I think that's where [the creative spark] comes from: an urge, a real desire to expunge music from my inner-being."

Thorburn also had mouthfuls to say about his band's latest exploits, his present songwriting ambitions, numerous periphery pursuits, the appeal of his "government" name, disowning "Rough Gem", cryptomnesia, the Killers, and Jelly Donut.

While Thorburn's reluctant to reveal titles, the first of Islands' two new discs should reach the mainland in September-- that is, if it gets made at all. "This record is going to be so good," enthused Thorburn, "I'm afraid that we won't get our shit together and be able to record it."

Thorburn seems invigorated of late by a new songwriting sensibility, one that might throw fans of the previous record for a loop. "The last time I talked to you I wanted to make the perfect pop song and pop record," the ex-Unicorn recalled. "And I realized I misquoted myself, because I have no desire to write popular songs for the populace. I want to make interesting, good music, and I think that's what I meant...I feel a need to write songs that are 15 minutes long right now. Maybe I'll get over that phase."

So what are we in for? "It's a physical record. It's someone plunging your face into a river and rescuing you. If Return to the Sea was the water record, this is the bodies." [MORE...]

Rock Plaza Central Sign to Yep Roc
Roc Plaza Central

The yelpiest horse-obsessed indie rockers in Toronto (okay, probably anywhere) are taking their act to the U.S. Yep, Rock Plaza Central have signed to Yep Roc to release Are We Not Horses? in the States on April 17. The band have also added dates to their previously reported tour, including Yep Roc's South by Southwest day party and showcase on the Friday and Saturday of the festival, respectively. [MORE...]

Dosh Drops EP, Dashes Off on Tour

Why form a band anymore...when you can be your own band? Think about it. No tangling of egos, no half-assed attempts at democratic decision-making, no dividing up your earnings at the end of the night. Martin Dosh thought about it, then he did it, and now the solo Dosh makes as much scintillating racket as three mid-sized indie rock bands.

The Anticon-signed drum'n'pedal wizard serves up more of his magic on the self-released Triple Rock EP, out January 30. Half of the new disc spotlights live performances from Minneapolis hotspot the Triple Rock Social Club-- featuring special guests Andrew Bird, Mike Lewis, JT Bates, Adam Linz, and Jeremy Ylvisaker (Dosh doesn't always go it alone, see)-- while the other half is a four-part suite entitled "Henderson". We were kinda hoping each part would celebrate a different member of the family from Harry and the Hendersons, but it turns out the piece is in fact a tribute to Dosh's deceased cat. May he rest in peace.

Check out the new EP's live version of "The Lost Take" in mp3 form below.

Of late Dosh has been flexing his percussive muscle as live drummer for the aforementioned Bird-- who guested on Dosh's latest LP, The Lost Take. With Bird's brief U.S. jaunt all wrapped up, Dosh hits the road on his own January 24, headlining clubs across the country and joining up with fellow Anticon-ite Sole for a string of dates. [MORE...]

Fujiya & Miyagi Schedule U.S. Shows

Different things comfort different people. For the members of Fujiya & Miyagi, it's looking through transparent things. For the rest of us, it's listening to Fujiya & Miyagi.

The band will give American fans the opportunity to do so in a live setting this March, as they have recently announced a U.S. trek. The short tour, which surrounds SXSW, will be in support of the previously reported U.S. release of Transparent Things January 23 via Deaf Dumb & Blind Communications.

And don't forget to check out "Electro Karaoke in the Negative Style", the Pitchfork exclusive track posted in Forkcast earlier this week. [MORE...]

Lily Allen Announces American Tour
MTV fancies the lass

Remember when we mentioned that Lily Allen was gearing up for the first-ever MTV Discover and Download tour? Well, now we have the dates.

The seven-show club trek runs from February 5-18, with stops in L.A., San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, and Boston. Lily has dates scheduled across Australia and Europe as well, and will be heading back to the States for SXSW in March.

Before the tour, however, Lily will be the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live" on February 3. She will perform her hit singles "Smile" and "LDN". That show's host is Drew Barrymore. Cute overload!

As previously reported, Capitol Records will release Allen's debut, Alright, Still, in the U.S. on January 30.

Finally, Allen recently shot the video for her next single, "Alfie", in Tokyo. "Alfie was played by a puppet and the whole thing looks like an episode of a mixture Tom and Jerry and Roger Rabbit," she wrote in her Myspace blog. "You'll understand when you see it." [MORE...]

Ghost Prepare for Stormy Nights

Ghost take their time when it comes to releasing albums, hence the three year wait for In Stormy Nights, the follow-up to 2004's Hypnotic Underworld. It seems those three years were well spent, though.

According to the Drag City website, the band took that time to "suffuse [the album] with a bright and burning spirit of protest," and the CD and LP versions of the release are suffused with different tracklists.

That's right, almost choose-your-own-adventure style, the double LP release has the album's tracks in an entirely different order than the one on the CD and includes extra track "Caledonia (Sing Together mix)".

Drag City will release In Stormy Nights on January 23. [MORE...]

Iron & Wine and Calexico Tour Japan

Iron & Wine and Calexico will jump back in the saddle to perform In the Reins on their tour of Japan, which begins tonight in Fukuoka. Sam and Sarah Beam of Iron & Wine will open the shows as a duo before Calexico gradually joins them. On the Calexico website, frontman Joey Burns writes, "As on tours before in North America and Europe, I am sure there will be a lot of improvising together and coming up with interesting new original and cover songs."

Though the Beams are more tight-lipped about their future plans, Burns hints at them: "Last year, Paul Niehaus and myself recorded with Sam at his home studio to contribute to the new Iron & Wine album, due to come out later this year."

Iron & Wine and Calexico have separate dates as well, including a sizable tour of Australia for the latter in late February/early March. [MORE...]

Exclusive: The Pipettes to Charm North America
Girl group to play NYC, Toronto, SXSW

No longer will their kisses be wasted on Europe, as the fabulous ladies of the Pipettes have revealed their first-ever North American tour dates.

On March 10, Becki, Rose, Gwenno, and their backing boys will hit Toronto's Rivoli as part of Canadian Music Week, and on March 13 they'll play New York City's Bowery Ballroom. (Unfortunately, Amy Winehouse is also on the latter bill.)

Then it's off to Texas for the polka-dotted crew, where they'll charm the ironic t-shirts right off of the music industry bigwigs gathered at SXSW. The exact shows they'll be playing at SXSW haven't been announced yet, but we're sure they'll be very, very special.

Right now, the Pipettes only have one other performance scheduled, and that's on February 24 at the MX Beat 2007 festival in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Still no word on a North American release for the group's fabulous debut album We Are the Pipettes. But to tide you over, head to the Memphis Industries MySpace page to hear a remix of the Pipettes' "Judy" by labelmates Blue States.

Arcade Fire Announce UK Single
Brits get "Keep the Car Running", North Americans get "Black Mirror"

With only 46 more days until the Neon Bible opens (45 if you're in Europe), Arcade Fire have revealed that their sophomore album's first single will be "Keep the Car Running" in the UK, rather than "Black Mirror". "Black Mirror" will remain the North American single, however, and will probably be released in Britain at a later date.

NME.com reports that "Keep the Car Running" will be released on March 19, though that hasn't been confirmed. At this time, the band plans to release the single on 7" only.

Neon Bible will be available on CD, deluxe CD, and vinyl. The deluxe version comes housed in a box with a lenticular cover designed to resemble the graphic on the front page of the album website. It also includes two booklets.

The LP is "double 180-gram audiophile quality with three sides of music and an etching on the fourth side", according to the Merge Records website. And as has become all the rage with forward-thinking independent labels, the vinyl comes with a code for free mp3 downloads of all of the album's tracks.

Be sure to keep your eye on www.neonbible.com, as Arcade Fire seem to be adding new goodies all the time.

As previously reported, Arcade Fire will celebrate the album with a pre-release tour hitting London, Montreal, and New York City. Then in March, they'll travel to the UK, Scandinavia, and Europe. [MORE...]

Radiohead Working on Album Again
fancy that

Having returned from what we presume was some kind of holiday reprieve, the band called Radiohead is back in the recording saddle again, according to a post by Thom Yorke today on Dead Air Space, the quintet's often-cryptic blog.

"we have staRTed up again had a good today," wrote Yorke. Our experts in the field of hypertext are also "working on a version of '15Step' [a new song they've been playing live recently] and rebuilding our studio in the wind." We hope this one fares better than the one they built on the moon last year.

And, holy Moses, they're still supporting causes as well. This time Thom urges us to sign this petition against nuclear proliferation, and if you ever want to see another Radiohead album again, you'd damn well better do it.

You can still catch Thom Yorke performing live on Nigel Godrich's downloadable web-programme, "From the Basement". And, as previously reported, Jonny Greenwood will deliver his reggae compilation Jonny Greenwood Is the Controller, on March 6. Finally, it's not too late to enter the Radiohead-sponsored music video contest, held as part of the D&AD Global Student Awards. Get those entries in by March 23, or else, you know, no Radiohead. We're warning you.

Bjork Taps Antony, Timbaland, Lightning Bolt for LP
Plus Konono N°1, Toumani Diabate, Chris Corsano; album due "late spring"

Photo by Leó Stefánsson

Anticipate! The Björk countdown has bjegun: according to a recent post on the Icelandic songstress's official website by the mysterious Meester Fly (high five to reader Adam for the tip), Björk has commenced work on her latest LP, the follow-up to 2004's Medulla-- and she's rounded up quite the little rodeo of special guests and collaborators.

Laying previous doubts to waste, the record will in fact feature a pair of duets with androgynous dude-about-town Antony. It's due in "late spring" and also boasts "some beats" from red-hot producer Timbaland on a couple tracks, "percussive delights" from Lightning Bolt's Brian Chippendale, electric thumb piano magic from Konono N°1 (but you knew that), Kora action from Toumani Diabate, and additional drum-work from Chris Corsano.

Icelandic scribe Sjón contributes some lyrics, and frequent Björk producer Mark Bell is involved once again. There's no title yet, says Meester Fly, who also reports that "nothing sounds really familiar about this experience." The presence of "beats" and "drums" and, um, instruments leads us to believe this won't sound much like Medulla.

Last but not least: Björk will be touring! No details yet, but she will have a band, and, if the words of Meester Fly are to be believed, "We are in for a treat."

As previously reported, Björk covers Joni Mitchell's "Boho Dance" on the forthcoming Joni tribute on Nonesuch, due out this spring.

Of Montreal Launch Tour, Release Digital Single

With the final countdown to the release of the fantastic Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? underway, Of Montreal are packing their bags for an insanely long road trip.

Tonight, the Athens gang will kick things off in Memphis. If all goes according plan (read: no exhaustion-induced collapses), the trek will run through early April. According to Of Montreal's publicist, the band's live show will include "three projection screens, a giant animal...that [bandleader] Kevin [Barnes] will climb in and out of, a ten-foot-high dress that he sings in, [and] costume changes." Holy smokes.

In other Of Montreal news, remember that limited edition "She's a Rejecter" seven inch? Those not into wax can now gank cyber trax from eMusic, where an exclusive digital release of the three-song single is currently available. Like its vinyl predecessor, it features two Hissing Fauna numbers, as well as B-side "Little Rock".

Of Montreal will also record a KEXP session on February 9.

Hissing Fauna drops on both CD and 2XLP on Tuesday (January 23), sharing a due date with Of Montreal's previously reported Icons, Abstract Thee EP. Both are being released courtesy of Polyvinyl. You can stream the album here. [MORE...]

Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)