Broken Social Scene Score Tracey Fragments

Broken Social Scene are no strangers to the film music game. In 2006 alone, the band provided music for Half Nelson and Snow Cake. They're continuing the trend in 2007 with their score for The Tracey Fragments, which on February 8 will open the Panorama program of the 57th Berlin International Film Festival.

Ellen Page (Hard Candy, X-Men: The Last Stand) plays the film's protagonist, Tracey Berkowitz. Vancouver author Maureen Medved wrote the screenplay based on her own book of the same title, a psychodrama about a girl looking for her lost brother who thinks he's a dog. According to a press release, the film is "a stirring tragic comedy and a 21st century Catcher in the Rye, told in a dazzling pop-art fashion." Though it sounds like a little bit like a Wes Anderson movie, it's actually Canadian director Bruce McDonald's project.

The February 8 screening will be the film's world premiere, and there is no word of future screenings or a commercial release of Broken Social Scene's score.

Video: Broken Social Scene: Major Label Debut [from the Broken Social Scene LP]

Trentemoller "Moan"s, Seances With Lynch, Pynchon

What happens when Trentemøller, David Lynch, and Thomas Pynchon get together? They have a seance, apparently. On January 25, Trentemøller provided a live soundtrack to Eyerophany, an abstract David Lynch film.

This event was "a séance without spirits calling for the apparition and the impossible act of seeing with the Mystery Eye," according to the website for the Netmage Festival in Bologna, Italy, where the thing took place. (No, we have no idea what they're talking about either.) And that's not even mentioning the "shortcircuits with Thomas Pynchon" part of the night. We thought that guy never left the house!

Those of us who weren't able to attend the séance of the century can console ourselves with Trentemøller's "Moan", the second single from The Last Resort. The single will come out digitally and in two separate vinyl editions on March 6. [MORE...]

Video: Trentemoller: Moan (Live) [forthcoming single; from The Last Resort LP]

Herbert Releases Film Work as Score

Video: Herbert: Moving Like a Train [from the Scale LP]

R.E.M., Lips, Ward Cover Radiohead, More on Comp
Also: Magic Numbers, Paul Weller, Robert Plant, Sia, Dido, Damien Rice, Girls in Hawaii

On March 13, KCRW and Starbucks Entertainment will co-release Sounds Eclectic: The Covers Project at select Starbucks locations (Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, San Diego, Austin, Boston, and Washington, D.C.) and online.

The collection features covers from the Flaming Lips (doing Radiohead's "Knives Out"), R.E.M. (John Hartford's "Gentle on My Mind"; made famous by Glen Campbell), M. Ward (David Bowie's "Let's Dance"), Rufus Wainwright and Chris Stills (Neil Young's "Harvest"), Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog" [haHA]), Paul Weller (Rose Royce's "Wishing on a Star"; made famous by Junior Walker), Damien Rice (Radiohead's "Creep"), Gary Jules (Tears for Fears' "Mad World"; made famous in Donnie Darko), and more, all originally performed live in the KCRW studio for Nic Harcourt's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" program. Well...except for the Lips, who took on Radiohead's "Knives Out" in their tour bus on the way to the studio. K.D. Lang also does us the disservice of giving the world yet another inferior cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah".

Proceeds from album sales will assist the station in digitizing its huge (60,000+ albums) music library.

As previously reported, earnings from KCRW's sixth annual A Sounds Eclectic Evening fundraiser will be put toward the same cause. The event is set to take place on April 14 at University City, California's Gibson Amphitheater. The Shins, Lily Allen, Cold War Kids, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and Bitter:Sweet will perform, and the Pinker Tones will entertain at the after-party. [MORE...]

Jonathan Richman Tours, Scores Indie Film

While he hasn't issued a disc of new material since 2004's well-received Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love, the Modern Lover did recently lend his talents to the upcoming indie film Revolution Summer. Written and directed by Miles Montalbano-- who also played some bass on Not So Much and shot Richman's 2003 live DVD Take Me to the Plaza-- the film features an original score by Richman, as well as his, er, riches: Jonathan executive produced the project.

While the film is currently without a release date, it's never too early to get pumped up for Revolution Summer. Practice telling your friends about it: the film's official website describes it as a story of "Four young people adrift in The City, and the choices they make in their search for meaning in the face of an increasingly oppressive and alienating society." Could be the next There's Something About Mary, who knows? [MORE...]

Video: Jonathan Richman: I'm So Confused [from the I'm So Confused LP]

Exclusive: Frog Eyes Shed Tears, Tour to Feel Better

Tears of the Valedictorian collects nine new tracks from Carey Mercer (also of Swan Lake) and company, featuring typically zany titles and copious punctuation. The LP follows up last July's Acuarela EP The Future Is Inter-Disciplinary or Not at All, and guess what? Frog Eyes hit the road this spring to support their latest creation, yapping and yelping down to SXSW for a one-off showcase spot, then circumnavigating the continent in May. [MORE...]

Stream: Frog Eyes: Various Tracks

Grizzly Bear Kick Off North American Tour

The Grizzly Bear den will be empty for the next month, as the band kicks off an extensive North American tour tonight in Philadelphia. Dirty Projectors will lend support for much of the first half of the trek, with the latter half handled by San Francisco's Papercuts.

Grizzly Bear have three spring festival appearances on the calendar as well; they'll perform at Coachella in California on April 29, ATP vs the Fans in England on May 18, and Barcelona's Primavera Festival on May 31.

As previously reported, CSS will follow Girl Talk in remixing Grizzly Bear's "Knife", and there's a chance that the track may be released on a tour-only 7". According to NME.com, Grizzly Bear plan to return the favor with a CSS cover.

And speaking of "Knife", the video for the Yellow House number is nearly complete, thanks to the folks at Encylcopedia Pictura. [MORE...]

MP3: Grizzly Bear: Knife (Girl Talk Remix)

Exclusive: Dean & Britta Announce Tour, Share MP3

The couple-- Dean, surname Wareham, best known for his work in Luna and Galaxie 500, and Britta, surname Phillips, known for playing in Luna and the Belltower, providing cartoon voice-overs, and whipping up a mean water filter-- take to the the tour trail this March, beginning in Philadelphia. Along the way they'll hit up most major cosmopolitan areas in the U.S. and Canada, closing things out with a NYC homecoming gig. Joining these lovebirds onstage: drummer Matt Johnson and keyboardist/melodica player Lara Meyerratken.

To get the kids stoked for the forthcoming jaunt and record release, Dean & Britta have kindly shared an exclusive mp3 of Back Numbers opener "Singer Sing". As Dean told Pitchfork last fall, said tune "was the last thing we finished...it was something we were creeping around with at home." Appropriately, it has that gauzy, homespun feel, and will likely make you wish you were back at your place cuddling up with a loved one, instead of staring at this cold, dispassionate computer screen. [MORE...]

MP3: Dean & Britta: Singer Sing [from the forthcoming Back Numbers LP]

Björk, Chili Peppers Set to Rock Roskilde
Björk also primed for Coachella, Glastonbury, Open'er

This year mighty Roskilde celebrates its 36th birthday July 5-8 in the Copenhagen-area town from which it derives its name. Expect many, many more acts to join the bill in the coming weeks.

And if you're feeling a déjà vu-like sensation right now, that's probably because you read this story, and vaguely recall that Björk also headlines Coachella's first night (April 27), while RHCP close out the second (April 28). Does this mean Rage Against the Machine's gearing up for the Rosk as well? Considering last year's fest had Guns ‘n Roses, we won't rule out the possibility.

Special thanks to alert reader Péter Tóth for the festival tip.

As previously reported, Björk has a new album tentatively slated for late spring release and boasting special guests Timbaland, Antony, Brian Chippendale (Lightning Bolt), Konono N^o 1, and more. Gal must have festival fever, too: she's also playing Gdynia, Poland's Open'er Festival alongside the Beastie Boys. That fest crashes Eastern Europe from June 29 to July 1. As if that weren't enough, she's onboard for Glastonbury as well (June 22-24).

Exclusive: Magik Markers Record With Ranaldo, Tour
[Photo by John Moloney]

Magik Markers will record their first proper studio album in February at Echo Canyon West studio in Hoboken, New Jersey. Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo will produce the record, and bandmate Thurston Moore will release it on his Ecstatic Peace label.

According to drummer Pete Nolan, former guitarist Leah Quimby is "currently enjoying domestic bliss with Rob [Thomas] from Sunburned [Hand of the Man] in Boston." Thus, the new record will feature Nolan and guitarist/vocalist Elisa Ambrogio as a duo, along with "whomever they snare as a 'guest' here and there," according to Moore.

There are also plans for "a DVD documenting the legendary 'Was it a memory or were we dreaming?' first phase of Markers history: the trio with original member Leah Quimby. This will rule," says Moore.

Also ruling is the name of the Markers' upcoming tour, which begins March 8 at a venue to be announced in Brooklyn: "'Relax in a Panic Free Environment' Spring 2007 Deep Fucking South Tour". Noise rockers give everything the best titles. [MORE...]

Video: Magik Markers: Live

Sea and Cake Ready Everybody

Everybody follows up 2003's One Bedroom and features the tried-and-true lineup of vocalist/guitarist Sam Prekop (Dracula), guitarist Archer Prewitt (mummy), bassist Erik Claridge (Frankenstein monster), and drummer John McEntire (werewolf). What they may lack in synchronized dance moves, they more than make up for with sparkling, graceful arrangements and thoughtful songwriting.

Despite Prekop's best intentions, Everybody contains-- like every Sea and Cake album before it-- exactly 10 songs. Unlike the band's previous LPs, this one was recorded with some help from sound engineer Brian Paulson (Wilco, Slint) at Michigan's Key Club. It was "like a little rock'n'roll boot camp," Prekop told Pitchfork earlier this month.

As previously reported, Cakers Prekop and McEntire are slowly piecing together a electronic record, while Prekop also has a book of photography on the way. Expect the Sea and Cake to hit the road this spring to rock your body right. [MORE...]

MP3: The Sea and Cake: Hotel Tell [from the One Bedroom LP]

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