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Coyote Reveal Outsides on New Album

The best things come in pairs, don't they? Peanut butter has jelly. Pancakes have syrup. And there are also a few complimentary pairs that don't have to do with food, like Insides and Outsides. That is, Insides, Philly/Brooklyn band Coyote's debut EP, and Outsides, its forthcoming full-length follow-up.

Following the untimely death of member Trevor Butler (also of Bottom of the Hudson) just a few months ago, Coyote now consists solely of Russell Higbee (Man Man, Lewis & Clarke), Jeff Mooridian (Vaz), and Ryan Hamilton. Still, the trio hasn't let unfortunate circumstances stand in their way, as they will issue Outsides via awesomely named label Hot Dog City on November 20.

Coyote also have a pair of tour dates scheduled, starting with a show in Philly on November 23. [MORE...]
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Cadence Weapon Births Afterparty Babies on New LP

21-year-old "Guitar Hero 2" addict, former Pitchfork scribe, and indie rap star-in-the-making Cadence Weapon (aka Mr. Rollie Pemberton) will release his sophomore full-length via new label Anti-/Epitaph on March 4.

The Breaking Kayfabe follow-up is called Afterparty Babies, because those are the specific children whose conception he wants to soundtrack with the record.

The 14-track, 58-minute Afterparty Babies is a co-release with Canadian label Upper Class Recordings, who have partnered with different labels for the release in different territories: EMI in Canada, Big Dada in the UK and Europe, and the aforementioned Anti-/Epitaph in the U.S.

Cadence Weapon has a handful of dates left this year, starting with a November 15 show in London. [MORE...]

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Numero Group Revisits Miami on Latest Soul Comp

We've known for a while that those Numero Group folks are relentless in their pursuit of soul sounds rare, forgotten, and, of course, eccentric. We just didn't know how relentless. But the announcement of Eccentric Soul: The Outskirts of Deep City, the newest compilation in the label's Eccentric Soul series, gives us a slightly better idea.

See, Outskirts is an appendix volume to last year's Eccentric Soul: The Deep City Label, a compilation of tunes from 1960s Miami soul label Deep City. Outskirts takes the first compilation as a springboard into a whole plethora of tracks from other Miami labels, including Reid, Sun Cut, Lloyd, Concho, and Solid Soul. Thus, The Outskirts of Deep City is both a companion piece to the 2006 compilation and a stand-alone testament to the little-known corners of the Miami soulscape in the 60s.

Numero Group will release The Outskirts of Deep City digitally and on CD and double LP on November 20. The vinyl edition comes with three bonus tracks. Eccentric Soul: The Deep City Label will also get its double vinyl release on November 20. It comes with six tracks that did not appear on the original release. Four are by the Deep City Band: "Darling I'll Go (Instrumental)", "Good Lovin'", "I Love You Baby", and "Am I a Good Man (Instrumental)". The other two both feature the Rocketeers: their own "Stay Away From My Johnny (Instrumental)" and Frank Williams & the Rocketeers' "Good Thing Part 2". [MORE...]
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Tweedy, Oldham, Deal Sisters Play Second City Benefit
Also Steve Albini, Sally Timms and Jon Langford of the Mekons, Robbie Fulks

Improv comedy: It's not just for telling strangers to act like proctologists anymore! Beginning at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 4 and going until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5, the folks at Chicago's famed Second City comedy institution will take to their own e.t.c. stage to perform a full day's worth of improv, with ticket sales going to buy holiday presents for needy children. This is the sixth annual "The Second City That Never Sleeps: Letters to Santa" event, and though the whole thing makes us a little drowsy just thinking about it, it also warms our Grinchian hearts.

We at Pitchfork enjoy a good chuckle now and again, but we especially like our chuckles with a side of music. And indeed, Second City will yet again spike their eggnog with a liberal splash of music, with guest appearances from Jeff Tweedy, Will Oldham, Steve Albini, Kim and Kelley Deal, Mekons Sally Timms and Jon Langford, and (as ever in Chicago) Robbie Fulks. No word on whether or not the musical lot will join in all the improv games, though we'd sure be curious to see Albini do "charming." Just funnin', Smiley!
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Gorillaz Documentary Bananaz in the Works

In their ongoing effort to exhaust every possible monkey-related pun ever mustered, Gorillaz-- the Damon Albarn-helmed cartoon band-- will release Bananaz, a feature-length documentary on the animated ape act, according to an NME.com report and confirmed by the primates' publicist. The film will be directed by one Ceri Levy, who knows the guy behind the pen-and-ink well, having produced the 1994 Blur doc Starshaped.

While a few screenings of the film may be held, Bananaz appears to be primarily aimed at the DVD market. A release date has yet to be confirmed, though it's gonna be at least 2008 before you see it: word from Gorillaz's camp is that the film is still in production.

In other Gorillaz news, the group's second double-disc b-sides, rarities, and remix compilation D-Sides is out now on both sides of the pond. Meanwhile, the spinoff opera Monkey: Journey to the West swings into Berlin next year. Details here.
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Andrew Bird Drops Tour EP, Adds Dates

Photo by Joseph Mohan

On his current European tour, Mr. Andrew Bird has brought along a little something special. Nah, no fiery bowls or mysteriously produced eggs or any of his usual accoutrements. Instead, Bird's got himself Soldier On, an eight track tour EP collecting some choice odds and ends.

Along with a handful of outtakes, alternate mixes, and early versions of Bird classics, the disc sports Andrew's cover of Bob Dylan's "Oh Sister", his contribution to the Janet Reno-curated Songs of America compilation, and a tune from the dance project he cooked up alongside Molly Shanahan/Mad Shak. There's a new track, too, the somewhat improbably titled "The Water Jet Cilice". The disc is currently only available at the Birdman's gigs, but should head into wider availability early next year.

To pass the time until then, Bird's soldiering on on tour, with several more European dates, a return to the States, and an Australian tour (including a stop at the awesome Sydney Fest) in the works. [MORE...]
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Tweedy, McGuinn, Some Mekons Play School Benefit

It's been half a century since Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music set up shop, and they've finally figured out something a lot of Chicagoans already know: Northside rent don't come cheap. To celebrate their birthday-- and to help keep those classes, workshops, and concerts coming-- the school will host a benefit concert at the city's gorgeous Auditorium Theatre December 1.

Jeff Tweedy, former Byrd Roger McGuinn, the Mekons' Sally Timms and Jon Langford (as part of "The Bloodshot Family Band"), one-time Old Town School "dean of teachers" and former Weaver Frank Hamilton, Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Chicago staple Robbie Fulks, bluesman Lonnie Books, David Bromberg, and plenty of other folks (get it?) will perform. Proceeds will go to scholarship funds for Old Town School students, youth outreach programs, and the continued utilization of the Old Town School's performance and practice spaces.
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Phil Elverum Cancels Remaining Mount Eerie Dates

Aw shucks. Phil Elverum and his traveling Mount Eerie roadshow/book fair have been forced to shelve any and all forthcoming tour dates. Phil had this to say about the change in plans on his website (emphasis his):

ATTENTION: ALL UPCOMING MOUNT EERIE CONCERTS ARE CANCELLED (due to a family emergency). VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY SORRY EVERYBODY. PLEASE DON'T WORRY. IT MUST BE THIS WAY. WE WILL SURVIVE IT AND THERE WILL BE MORE CONCERTS LATER. thanks for understanding

No, thank you for letting us know! And thanks to several readers for the tip. Take note of the scrapped dates after the jump, and get lost in the pages of Mount Eerie Pts. 6 & 7 in the meantime. [MORE...]
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T.I. Speaks Out in Video Statement, Names New LP

"It's not over, and the king ain't dead," Clifford "T.I." Harris notes at the end of a StreetCred.com video statement issued from the Atlanta rapper's home, where he is currently under house arrest stemming from an October gun charge. Thanking his lawyers and his judge, reasserting his innocence, and briefly touching on Paper Trail, the album he's working on while locked up, T.I. had plenty to say in the first of what he promises will be many video blogs (via Idolator).

And according to EW.com, T.I.'s calling the LP Paper Trail due to a resurgence of an old method. Though he wrote out his verses on his 2001 debut I'm Serious, each subsequent LP found the rhymeslinger committing his lines to memory. On Paper Trail, he'll return to longhand as, according to his rep, "he wanted to take more time to really put something down."

Harris, a convicted felon, was charged last month with the purchase of illegal weapons after his bodyguard was caught by ATF agents reportedly buying guns on T.I.'s behalf. His prior convictions make the acquisition of said weapons a federal offense. A search of Harris' home also turned up a number of other weapons, which Harris is also forbidden to posess. According to EW.com, he is currently restricted to his home while awaiting trial, with a limited number of visitors allowed at any given time. A recent proposal which sought permission to allow additional guests to attend a Thanksgiving dinner at Harris' home was withdrawn this week by Harris' attorneys.
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Air Tour Europe With Au Revoir Simone

A mellow mood will almost certainly hang heavy on any proceedings featuring slinky French ambient popsters Air or tantalizing trio Au Revoir Simone. Put them together, and you may just find yourself comatose with pleasure.

Indeed, the salute to smoothness is happening right now, and will hit quite a swath of Europe before the two part in early December. Au Revoir have a couple dates on their lonesome once the joint tour wraps. I guess even with a name like theirs, saying goodbye never gets any easier. [MORE...]

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Neko Case Big Ups Poetry in Poetry Magazine
"My Flaming Hamster Wheel of Panic About Publicly Discussing Poetry in This Respected Forum"

Williams, Eliot, Pound, Frost... Case? That's right, scarlet-haired singer Neko Case has joined the esteemed ranks of those published in Poetry magazine (three guesses as to what it covers).

In Poetry's November issue, which features art by David Byrne on its cover, Neko Case explains her history with poetry in an essay titled "My Flaming Hamster Wheel of Panic About Publicly Discussing Poetry in This Respected Forum". The essay is just one in a series called "The View From Here", where folks reflect on their personal experiences with the form.

The full text of Case's "Hamster Wheel" is available online here, but here are some choice bits:

"I am an awkward, heavy-handed mule of a high school dropout. I guess I just need permission to be in the same room with poetry...

"Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus haunts me. Aaron's death speech is veiled, venomous gospel music...

"W.H. Auden scares me under the couch (even when he's being funny)...

"Dorothy Parker makes me manic! I can't even make it through the first three lines of 'The Godmother' without bursting into tears...

"Lynda Barry and Sherman Alexie save my life constantly..."

Thanks to reader David Congdon for the tip!

Case will pick back up with the New Pornographers for a European tour on November 17, but she has solo dates in Tucson and L.A. on November 15 and 16, respectively. UPDATE: NEKO WILL NOT BE ACCOMPANYING THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS IN EUROPE If for any reason you need to prep for those solo shows, her entire back catalog was recently reissued. [MORE...]

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Manu Chao Preps Digital Releases, Reissues

You'd think a year filled with big festival appearances, a sold-out tour, and an internationally successful new album would be enough for Manu Chao. [Cue Belushi] But noooooooo! He's got to go plan reissues and digital releases of a bunch of his old records too. Dude is insatiable.

The first of these "new" Manu Chao releases appears on November 20, when a good portion of his back catalog makes the jump to (legal) digital format.

Then, in late January, physical reissues of three Manu Chao releases will hit stores. Proxima Estación: Esperanza, Manu Chao's 2001 album, comes expanded with four videos, for "Me Gustas Tu", "Merry Blues", "La Chinita", and "Mr. Bobby". The 2002 live album Radio Bemba Sound System is the other CD getting reissued, and it comes with three clips from a 2007 Manu Chao concert in Paris as bonuses. The third reissue? Why, it's live DVD Babylonia en Guagua. That reissue comes with bonus documentaries Babylon's Fever and Todos a Genova, plus two other bonus films: Proxima Estacion...Esperanza and Infinita Tristeza.

All of these things come courtesy of Nacional/Because.
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