Pitchfork: Ex-Tapes 'n Tapes Bassist Saves the World on Tour

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Ex-Tapes 'n Tapes Bassist Saves the World on Tour

Shawn Neary has moved on from Tapes 'n Tapes (he played bass on The Loon) to bigger things, like saving the world. Because, see, his new band is called Seymore Saves the World, and there's no way they just play music. They must fly around on golden horses repairing the hole in the ozone layer and installing water filters in Africa, right?

Apparently, even superheroes take breaks to record and tour, because the band just released their self-titled debut via Royalty, Etc. Records, and they kick off a U.S. tour April 27 in their hometown of Minneapolis.

In addition to Neary, the band consists of keyboardist/vocalist Scott Hefte and drummer Michael McGregor. But even though none of them are named Seymore, they will have even more dates than the ones below very soon. [MORE...]

Stream: Seymore Saves the World: Various Tracks

Posted by Dave Maher in sideproject, tour on Tue: 04-24-07: 04:00 PM CDT | Permalink

Exclusive: Justice Reveal Debut LP Details

French electronic duo (no, not that one... or that one) and Kanye West fan club presidents Justice will release their symbol-heavy † (that's a cross in case your browser hates on certain characters) on Vice Records/Ed Banger July 10.

† includes Pitchfork's 35th favorite track of 2006, "Waters of Nazareth", as well as "D.A.N.C.E.", released in single form this week. The long-awaited full-length debut from pious producers/remixers Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay will bring due process to the world through the summer, and, although the Justice league is currently only scheduled for a handful of live dates, you can expect that to change soon. [MORE...]

Stream: Justice: Phantom [from the forthcoming LP]

Posted by Paul Thompson in exclusive, album on Tue: 04-24-07: 03:00 PM CDT | Permalink

Franz, John Cale Cover LCD Soundsystem on Single
LCD retaliates by covering Joy Division

When LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy sang about all his "Friends" on this year's good-as-gold Sound of Silver, who knew he was talking about kewl folks like Franz Ferdinand, John Cale, Erol Alkan, and Joy Division?

Yet all these characters crop up on various configurations of the latest Silver single, "All My Friends", out May 21 via DFA/EMI. On that date, folks overseas will have the opportunity to purchase three different versions of the Silver standout. The first of two 7"s includes an Erol Alkan-produced cover of the song by Franz Ferdinand and an LCD cover of Joy Division's "No Love Lost" on the flip, while on the second 7" Velvet Underground viola vet John Cale gives "Friends" a go. The CD option, meanwhile, includes Franz's take and something new called "Freak Out/Starry Eyes". Or pass on doors one, two, and three for door number four, a 12" edition of "All My Friends", out May 28.

LCD Soundsystem, undeterred by foiled chart-topping ambitions, launch a North American tour at Coachella this weekend (with buddies Prinzhorn Dance School opening), then rock the European festival circuit all summer long. [MORE...]

Video: LCD Soundsystem: North American Scum (Live on Late Show with David Letterman)

Posted by Matthew Solarski in single, cover on Tue: 04-24-07: 02:20 PM CDT | Permalink

Qui Sign to Touch and Go for Miracle

After some eight years in hibernation, David Yow (of Jesus Lizard and Scratch Acid fame) has rejoined the Touch and Go roster as a member of Qui, the L.A. duo he recently expanded to a trio by joining on vocals.

In a statement about the signing on Touch and Go's website, the band, which also consists of Matt Cronk and Paul Christensen, said, "To say that we are beside ourselves about being on Touch and Go would be an understatement of the highest regard. We have, in fact, surrounded ourselves." Seems this signing is so special that it transcends the realm of physical possibility!

Qui's Touch and Go debut will be their second full-length record and the first with Yow in tow. That disc, titled Love's Miracle, includes covers of Pink Floyd's "Echoes" and Frank Zappa's "Willie the Pimp" and comes out September 11. According to the same website announcement, the album is "a raucously heavy ode to the depletion of abrasive and intrusive music this decade." Sounds like Yow hasn't missed a beat since his original Touch and Go days.

Qui will tentatively tour behind Love's Miracle in September and October in the U.S., and in November in the UK and Europe. They currently have three shows scheduled for this spring and summer.

Fittingly, Touch and Go posted footage this week from Scratch Acid's reunion gig at last fall's 25th anniversary festival. Scope it here, if you dare. [MORE...]

Stream: Qui: Today, Gestation / Freeze [from the forthcoming Love's Miracle LP]

Video: Scratch Acid: Live at the Touch and Go 25th Anniversary Block Party

Posted by Dave Maher in signing, album, tour on Tue: 04-24-07: 01:00 PM CDT | Permalink

Decemberist Funk Gathers Flash Hawk Parlor Ensemble
Covers Radiohead, Massive Attack, the Pretenders, Fleetwood Mac

Until now, Chris Funk's claim to fame as a Decemberist was getting swept away in a whirlwind of truth (oh, and playing guitar and more on all those records people seem to like). So, in striking out on his own, Funk called in backup, recruiting the help of Thom Yorke, Chrissie Hynde, Liz Fraser, and Lindsey Buckingham. Well, sorta.

May 15, Funk's Flash Hawk Parlor Ensemble will release Plastic Bag in the Tree via Portland's Hush Records (aka the Decemberists' original home). It's a collection of capital-F Funk originals and a mess of covers, with the ensemble tackling the likes of Radiohead, Massive Attack, the Pretenders, and Fleetwood Mac. Far from the bombast of his other band, Flash Hawk could be described as bleary acid-folk written, as Funk says on the band's MySpace page, "in a haze fueled by fellowship, libations and other unmentionables."

Flash Hawk will take it to the streets on a few West Coast dates in between Decemberists tours. Peep MySpace for a gushing stream of tracks, including a take on Massive Attack's Mezzanine standout/House theme song "Teardrop". [MORE...]

Stream: Flash Hawk Parlor Ensemble: Various Tracks

Posted by Paul Thompson in album, tour, sideproject on Tue: 04-24-07: 12:15 PM CDT | Permalink

Long Blondes Plot North American Tour at Last

Just in time for the June 5 release of Someone to Drive You Home in North America via Beggars, the Long Blondes have finally announced a tour of our fair continent as well.

The new dates start June 6 in Brooklyn and end June 15 in Los Angeles, but they come sandwiched in between the band's previously reported European and Japanese dates, which are currently scheduled from May through August. In early August, the Blondes beat the heat by embarking on an Australian tour. Thanks to alert reader Philip Runco for the heads up.

In related news, the Long Blondes contributed an art-inspired track called "The Unbearable Lightness of Buildings" to an audio-visual exhibit at London's Tate Modern. Beginning May 1, you may hear the track here. [MORE...]

Stream: The Long Blondes: Various Tracks

Posted by Dave Maher in tour on Tue: 04-24-07: 11:30 AM CDT | Permalink

San Fran Film Fest Gets Jonathan Richman, Xiu Xiu
Plus: Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Tarentel, more

The San Francisco Film Society's annual festival-- which celebrates its 50th anniversary with this year's event, going down April 26-May 10-- will host several events tying live music to a number of classic films.

May 5 sees a program titled Notes to a Toon Underground, which finds members of Xiu Xiu, Jason Lytle (late of Grandaddy), and a whole mess of others soundtracking 'toons with tunes of their own composition. April 27, noted San Fran oddball Jonathan Richman will also lay some noise behind Victor Sjöström's bizarre 1921 classic The Phantom Carriage.

Meanwhile, on May 10, Tarentel and Halou will help conjure a psychedelic multimedia experience at Mighty. Also appearing at the fest is actor/director Joan Chen, who'll provide narration for Guy Maddin's latest dizzying feature, Brand Upon the Brain! on May 7. Chen's work behind the lens of 1998's Xiu Xiu: the Sent Down Girl directly influenced the name of one of your favorite bands. No, not Rascal Flatts! Think harder.

Throughout the festival's two-week span, there'll be Bay natives performing film fest events; a full schedule can be found by clicking right here.

In related news, Jason Lytle plays the Club Pow! event at Sacramento's Press Club on May 7.

Posted by Paul Thompson in film on Tue: 04-24-07: 11:00 AM CDT | Permalink

Patti Smith Talks New LP, Rock Hall, Inspiration
"I had this dream that I heard this voice going 'you have to do [the Doors’] 'Soul Kitchen'." And I woke up and I go out on the street and then this truck comes and it’s blaring ‘Soul Kitchen’. I was like, 'OK. I'll do the damn song."

In 1974, poet, activist, and rocker Patti Smith, then dizzy with youth and desire, performed a poem, "Piss Factory", about inspecting pipe in Jersey. "You know the fiery potion is just about to come," she wrote. "I'm gonna be a big star and I will never return."

Last month, after nine albums, 33 years, and two children, Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside the Ronettes, Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash, and Smith super-fans R.E.M. After dedicating the honor to Fred "Sonic" Smith, her late husband, she launched into her 1978 song "Rock n Roll Nigger"-- apparently her mother's favorite song, and also an indirect challenge to prim media outlets covering the concert. (The New York Times called it only "a punk anthem about being 'outside of society,'" which, uh, totally narrows things down.)

Today, April 24, Columbia will release Smith's tenth album, Twelve, which consists entirely of covers of the likes of Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, and Nirvana. It features contributions from Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Television guitarist Tom Verlaine, Smith's daughter Jesse and son Jackson, and playwright Sam Shepard, among others. On the morning of her induction, Smith spoke with Pitchfork about Twelve, politics, inspiration, that fiery potion and those big stars. [MORE...]

MP3: Patti Smith: Gimme Shelter (Rolling Stones cover) [from the Twelve LP]

Posted by Mairead Case in interview on Tue: 04-24-07: 06:00 AM CDT | Permalink

White Stripes Reveal Special Single Releases

The White Stripes are all set to Icky Thump their way back into our hearts on June 19 (June 18 in Europe)-- and celebrate their tenth anniversary-- but the first (and second) tastes of the forthcoming album will be for those who love the analog as much as the Stripes themselves.

According to the Stripes' website, the first of two 7" singles the duo will release prior to Icky's arrival is a limited edition, gatefold "Rag and Bone" single on red vinyl with an etching on the B-side. For a limited time, the single will come free with copies of the June 6 edition of NME.

The second single is the album's title track, which will come out on CD and white vinyl with an etching of its own on June 11. Apparently if you combine the two 7" B-side etchings, a hologram of Jack White appears and reveals to you the meaning of life and the whereabouts of D.B. Cooper's fortune. Or something. "Icky Thump" is also the album's first radio single.

The White Stripes still have a couple weeks' worth of tour dates in the first half of June, and they have added a show in Milan on June 7 and an appearance at the Ottawa Bluesfest in July since our last report. [MORE...]

Video: The White Stripes: Fell in Love With a Girl [from the White Blood Cells LP]

Posted by Dave Maher in single, tour on Mon: 04-23-07: 05:15 PM CDT | Permalink

Albarn Announces Extinction for Gorillaz?
Feel Bad, Inc.

Go ape, if you must; seems that following musical pencil-sketch Gorillaz's very-tentative upcoming Untitled Gorillaz Project (reportedly with Brazil director Terry Gilliam), the cartoon crossover will draw their last frame. Monkey man Damon Albarn set off a firestorm last week when he told a BBC2 interviewer that the next Gorillaz record "will be a film score. There won't be another pop record."

So that's it, then? Careful. An evasive Albarn made the above remark during a Thursday, April 19 chat with BBC2 host/lost Marx brother Steve Wright. Pressed further, Albarn told Wright: "Alright, I'll call every record I make a...Gorillaz pop record. Does it matter what record I make? It's just music, isn't it?"

He beats around the bush even more regarding Blur's status: "I really don't know," said Albarn when asked if the iconic Brit-pop act was still together. "I mean I think it's possible that we might be, but I'm really not sure that we are...it's just really difficult to explain in the formats that you're given."

Albarn did say "I'd always like to make another record," but balked at Wright's suggestion that this would be a Blur record. He does sorta have this other thing going on, after all. If you'd like to offer your own interpretation of Albarn's remarks-- and you have RealPlayer and three hours to spare-- check out last Thursday's complete Steve Wright broadcast here.

Video: Gorillaz: Dare [from the Demon Days LP]

Posted by Paul Thompson and Matthew Solarski in breakup, gossip on Mon: 04-23-07: 05:00 PM CDT | Permalink

Yorke Drops Hints on New Radiohead Album
They say true love waits, but we're too impatient

'Tis true: Radiohead could put a phlegmmy napkin on eBay and we'd probably run a story about it. But when their official blog hints that perhaps their latest album is nearing completion, we figure even the less-obsessed amongst you wanna know quick-like; we are, after all, speaking on Radiohead (my generation's Arcade Fire). Following a lengthy post about a British proposal to limit carbon emissions, Thom filled the Dead Air Space with this:

"radiohead starts up again having finally caught up on some sleep next week
i have a cd of what we;'ve been up to...
and you haven't.
yet.
(sorry)

i must listen to it, after taking an ear break
that always makes me nervous
hope you're well"

I am, Thom. Thanks for asking. By the way, could you maybe be a little more cryptic next time? KTHX.

One can only assume that a CD of what they've been up to isn't just AM Gold or something, but, rather, demos from the follow-up to 2003's Hail to the Thief. And, although they're starting up again, if they've got songs enough for a CD/an irritatingly brief snippet, they must be getting close to completion. Right?

Video: Radiohead: Karma Police [from the OK Computer LP]

Posted by Paul Thompson in album, gossip on Mon: 04-23-07: 04:00 PM CDT | Permalink

Justin, Eminem, Timbaland, Dre Spice Up 50's Curtis

Oh no. Just when we thought the beef between 50 Cent and Cam'ron was over, 50 Cent announces that his third album's title is Curtis. It's not quite Cuuuuuuurrtiis, but it's close enough to make us think Mr. Jackson was either inspired by Cam'ron's rant, is firing back at the Harlem-based MC by embracing his own first name, or somehow has an excellent, self-deprecating sense of humor that eluded the public eye until now.

Timbaland, Dr. Dre, and Eminem all contribute production to the album, which also features an Eminem guest spot alongside vocal contributions from Justin Timberlake, Akon, Mary J. Blige, Robin Thicke, and the Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger.

Shady/Aftermath/Interscope will release Curtis on June 26, and its first single is "Straight to the Bank".

Stream: 50 Cent: Straight to the Bank [from the forthcoming Curtis LP]

Posted by Dave Maher in album, single on Mon: 04-23-07: 03:30 PM CDT | Permalink

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Fri: 04-27-07: 10:00 AM CDT
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