Prefuse 73, Books, Petra Haden Rework Cornelius on EP
Better yet: nearly all of Cornelius' featured MySpace friends are cats!
A month or so ago when we first reported Cornelius' brief run of U.S. tour dates this January, we mentioned that "an EP composed entirely of other people covering Cornelius tracks" was on the way. It still is; but this ain't it.
Gum, the forthcoming 12"/digital EP from the Japanese noisemaker, finds its way to stores January 15. And, despite a paradoxically music-free a cappella cover of Cornelius' "Music" by Petra Haden, the disc is otherwise all Corny.
Which didn't stop Prefuse 73 or the Books from getting their interloping hands all over "Gum" and "Fit Song", respectively, for a pair of remixes that round out the EP. Note that the 12" version of the Gum EP is one of those limited editions, and comes with a free 320 kbps mp3 download of the whole thing. Both that and the digital version arrive from Everloving.
UPDATE: Bonus! Everloving e-mailed to say they've added two tracks to the 12": Ms. Haden's Japanese version of "Music", and a collaboration between Cornelius and Ryuichi Sakomoto entitled "Turn Turn". Though Petra's Japanese take on "Music" will appear on the digital release, the Sakomoto track may be a vinyl exclusive. The amended tracklist is available after the jump.
In the coming spring, Everloving will release a Sensuous DVD featuring videos for each of the album's tracks, plus live footage spanning Cornelius' entire career. Also due from Cornelius as the snow melts: a handful of recently added Japanese dates.
Furthermore, we're not joking about the cats. [MORE...]
Baroness Roll Over East Coast on Tour
Stoner metal stalwarts Baroness laid a fine one on us this year with their Red Album. But there's just something so inherently un-metal about listening to a metal record on earbuds while walking to the bank and stuff, isn't there? Shouldn't you be in the closest proximity possible to the source of said metal, gleaming with the sweat of the unwashed masses, gazing in awe at a guitar improbably shaped like a V and gnarled beard hairs numbering in the thousands? Totally, dude.So, then, head on down to these, the brief (but only preliminary) slate of dates on Baroness' fall tour. Metal will be there in the flesh; do say hello for us, would you? [MORE...]
Horse Feathers Sign to Kill Rock Stars
Photo by Jason QuigleyWanna get signed to perennially great Pacific Northwest powerhouse Kill Rock Stars? Pack that fiddle and move up there. It worked for recent Portland emigrant Justin Ringle, whose twangy Horse Feathers just got signed to the label for their future releases.
The forthcoming sophomore set from Ringle, songwriting partner Peter Broderick, and collaborator Heather Broderick-- which follows up Horse Feathers' 2006 debut Words Are Dead-- is expected from KRS in October of next year. In the meantime, the group has a pair of shows close to home where they'll be joined by the Portland Cello Project. [MORE...]
Lookout, the Next Silver Jews LP Has a Title
It's a long 'un, too!
No word yet on a sequenced tracklist for the album, or (more importantly) whether previously alphabetized tunes "Chimerical Gangland" or "Party Barge" made the cut.
We've also heard some rumblings about a DVD release of the Silver Jews documentary we first mentioned this past spring, but it, too, seems a bit up in the air at this point. No tour's been planned as yet, though we're hoping the band's stint on the road in the wake of Tanglewood Numbers agreed with them as much as it did us.
DMC, De La Soul, Raekwon Play Jam Master Jay Benefit
Plus: Snoop Dogg, Mobb Deep, Dead Prez, Q-Tip, Marley Marl, Papoose
The first-ever J.A.M. Awards and concert, a benefit for slain Run-DMC "big beat blaster" and all around cool dude Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell, will be held November 29 at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom.
Performances from Jay's friends and well-wishers DMC, Snoop Dogg, Marley Marl, Mobb Deep, De La Soul, Dead Prez, Papoose, Raekwon, Q-Tip, Everlast featuring DJ Muggs, Kid Capri, and more will serve as the evening's entertainment, while awards will be handed out to folks "for their outstanding efforts in promoting social Justice, Arts & Music" (hence, J.A.M.).
The Jam Master Jay Foundation for Music-- set up by his widow Terri Corley-Mizell and friends to support music and arts education in rural and urban schools-- will receive the evening's charitable donations.
Circulatory System, Daedelus, Liz Janes Play Athens Fest
As do Diane Cluck, Chris Schlarb, Dark Meat, Grampall Jookabox
Whatever the reason, Athens, Georgia's Next to Last Fest ought to be the next to last thing you think of skipping the weekend of December 8-9, when Circulatory System, Daedelus, Liz Janes, Chris Schlarb, Dark Meat, Diane Cluck, those Grampall Jookabox characters, and many others join together in song and sodality. This penultimate party goes down in, well, the woods. Hope you like nature.
There'll be art, a farmer's market, and fire acrobatics, too, if music ain't your bag. Proceeds from the festival's tickets (which truly are quite reasonably priced) will go to the Athens and New Orleans chapters of Common Ground, dedicated to providing "short term relief for victims of hurricane disasters in the gulf coast region, and long term support in rebuilding the communities affected in the New Orleans area."
Bruce Springsteen and Band Add Even More 2008 Dates
So ten-night stretches in every city isn't the plan for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's previously reported (and now expanded) tour schedule after all.According to Billboard.com, Bruce and the big ol' band will forego the residency thing that often characterizes their tours, opting instead to cover the width and breadth of North America over two solid months of gigs. Bad news for Metropolis Mike with the jones for deep B-sides; good news for Sacramento Sandy with the hubby who owes her a night out.
UPDATE: According to a second Billboard.com report today, E Street Band keyboardist Danny Federici will take a leave of absence from the band to undergo treatment for melanoma. Charles Giordano will handle live keys duties for the time being. [MORE...]
Justice, Peaches, 2 Live Crew, A-Trak Do NYE in L.A.
Big surprise here: in Los Angeles, on New Year's Eve, Steve Aoki's gonna be playing records at a party.But, hey, so are Justice (doing a DJ set), Peaches (performing, and counting down to midnight), that Spank Rock cover band 2 Live Crew, A-Trak, Busy P, Whitey, Softlightes, and a full roster of the usual suspects as well.
And you, too, can be there for Hard New Year's Eve, provided you're 21 years of age and can make your way to the city's Premiere Events Center on the evening of December 31. Auld acquaintance will be wiped clean over the minifest's generous eight hour run time, and all those DayGlo hoodies ought to keep you upright well into 2008.
Bat for Lashes Drop iTunes EP With Plaid Remix
Much like the flying rodents after which she's named, Natasha Khan and her Bat for Lashes have snuck up on us all unexpected-like.The lovely "What's a Girl to Do?" from her similarly lovely Fur and Gold LP made its way to iTunes today as part of an exclusive EP featuring the original song, a remix thereof from Plaid, and a live take on "The Wizard" from a recent gig in New York City. The much-lauded, previously Forkcasted "Girl" video comes bundled with the thing, too, should you or your media device be tiring of that Feist vid. Perish the thought.
As for Khan, she's taking a rare break from the road at the moment. Whatever for, you ask? Why, "working on writing the next album," of course. [MORE...]
Michael Showalter Talks Sandwiches, State Reunion
"I think within the next two years, you will be hearing about a State movie. In the vein of a Monty Python film, which is to say a sketch comedy film. Like The Meaning of Life or something."
Pitchfork's (and a whole bunch of other people's) interest piqued, I called Showalter to talk to him about the reunion and all of the other things he has on his plate at the moment. In addition to the obvious stuff (the reunion, his album, his tour with fellow State member and frequent collaborator Michael Ian Black), we talked about hecklers, the Writers Guild of America strike, and his relationship with Sandwiches producer and former Shudder to Think frontman Craig Wedren. And yeah, sue me, I talked to yet another person about baseball.
Pitchfork: Are you and Michael [Ian Black] performing on stage together at all on this tour?
Michael Showalter: No, no. Not really. We're traveling together, but we're not performing together.
Pitchfork: Have you influenced each other's sets indirectly in any way? Any sabotage, intentional or unintentional?
MS: I think so. No sabotage, but I think we feed off of each other in certain ways.
Pitchfork: What sorts of ways?
MS: Mostly we eat food off of each other's stomachs and stuff like that.
Pitchfork: Do you clean it up before you go on stage, or do you just leave it on your stomachs?
MS: We try to, but sometimes there's no time.
Pitchfork: So you gotta work on the fly?
MS: Yeah. And I go up first, so I'm usually a little messier.
Pitchfork: You go up first?
MS: Yeah. I open.
Pitchfork: How was that decided?
MS: Well, Mike is sort of the headliner because he's more famous than me. He just has a lot more exposure than I do. He's a more recognizable face than I am. So like, when I'm traveling with Michael, I would say that for every ten people [who recognize] Michael, eight of them also [know] who I [am].
Pitchfork: So it's like he is 25% more popular than you, is what you're saying?
MS: He is probably a little bit more like-- and popular is also not the right word. He's just more famous. He's probably 30% more famous than me. [MORE...]
Included on Atlas are two 10+ minute tracks, "Atlas One" (recently featured in Forkcast) and "Atlas Two". The physical release will be the only place you can get these tracks, since they will not be available digitally.
Hecker has a couple shows left this year, starting December 6 in Lausanne, Switzerland. He's also working on a full-length follow-up to Harmony in Ultraviolet for a forthcoming release on Kranky. [MORE...]
The Mountain Goats Reveal New Album
Photo by Kyle GustafsonLet's let John Darnielle explain just why Heretic Pride, the forthcoming billionth LP from his Mountain Goats, will see the light February 19 from 4AD, and not a moment sooner:
"We are really excited about this album, and we wish it were out right now, but there is a law against releasing albums in December unless you are Queen. Any album you see released in December is actually by Queen, no matter what it says on the cover. Then in January everybody is recovering from having listened to too much Queen. Hence, February. See you then!"
Heretic Pride arrives with the mark of guest appearances by St. Vincent's Annie Clark, Superchunk's Jon Wurster, Peter Hughes (naturally), old pal Franklin Bruno, Erik Friedlander, and the Bright Mountain Choir. The disc was produced by John Vanderslice and Scott Solter at Prairie Sun Studio, and features artwork from longtime 4AD fave Vaughan Oliver.
While you wait, you've got a few shots at hearing the new stuff live at a handful of Mountain Goats dates over the next few weeks. They've also got that post-Queen-hangover set at this spring's Noise Pop festival, which we reported earlier today. [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.)
Thu: 01-10-08: 01:15 PM CST
Radiohead to Take Over BBC Radio 1 Airwaves
Thu: 01-10-08: 12:45 PM CST
Thermals Kick Out the Jams for Live Band Karaoke
Thu: 01-10-08: 12:15 PM CST
Low Tour, Retribution Gospel Choir Prep Debut LP
Thu: 01-10-08: 11:45 AM CST
Islands Return to the Road
Thu: 01-10-08: 10:55 AM CST
Morrissey Reveals Greatest Hits Details, Bonus CD
- Annie Returns With New Single, Preps Album
- Blonde Redhead Plan Brief East Coast Tour
- Dan Deacon Inaugurates Wham City Records With 7"
- Cat Power Checks in From India, Bangladesh
- Xiu Xiu Announce Spring Dates
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- Cat Power Checks in From India, Bangladesh
- Xiu Xiu Announce Spring Dates
- Serena-Maneesh Compile Early Tracks, Rarities
- Bodies of Water, Sons & Daughters Announce Joint Tour
- Autechre Offer Up Quaristice Tracklist, Tour
- Fogarino/Franklin's Setting Suns Forced to Nix Name
- Kim Gordon, Lavender Diamond's Stark Appear in Film
- Rare Disco, Electro Gems on Disco Not Disco Comp
- Polly Jean Harvey, John Parish Meet Again for New LP
- Arbouretum, Lungfish Dudes Ready Human Bell Album
- Broken Social Scene Head Out on World Tour
- Hukkelberg's Rykestrasse Leads to North America
- No Age Come up With a Few Good Nouns for Sub Pop
- Nada Surf Get Lucky With Ben Gibbard on New Album
- Radiohead (Sorta) Announce North American Tour!
- Spoon Head Down Under
- Black Kids Tour With Sons & Daughters, Kate Nash
- Jay Reatard Signs to Matador, Plans Singles Barrage
- Sufjan, MBD, Asthmatic Kitty Roster on New DVD
- Malkmus' Real Emotional Trash Album Cover Revealed
- Men [ft. Le Tigre's Samson, Fateman] Play Shows
- Marty Crandall Domestic Abuse Case Dismissed
- Jens Lekman Announces Spring Tour
- Von Bondies Return With Album, EP, Tour
- Baltimore's Wye Oak Sign to Merge, Issue Debut
- Hold Steady Work on LP4, Line up UK Tour
- Black Heart Procession Head Out on Short Tour
- The Black Keys Reveal Danger Mouse-Produced Album
- Kenyan Extra Golden Members Need Your Help
- Silver Mt. Zion Lend Tune to "Lost" Ad
- Blitzen Trapper Announce Giant North American Tour
- R.E.M., MMJ, Robyn, Jens Lekman, Bun B Do SXSW
- Spiritualized's Spaceman Scores Harmony Korine Film
- Justice Announce World Tour, Dates With Diplo
- Son Lux Signs to Anticon
- Sub Pop Responds to Arrest of Shins' Crandall
- T.V. Eye: January 7-13, 2008
- Vampire Weekend Plot North American Tour
- Dan Deacon's Ultimate Reality Tour Kicks Off
- Battles Storm Australia
- The Cool Kids Line Up Winter Dates
- Drive-By Truckers Brighten 2008 With Album, Tour
- Bill Callahan Tours the South
- Echo & the Bunnymen, Orchestra Play Ocean Rain Live
- Six Organs of Admittance Set to Hit the Road
- Band of Horses, McCombs Play Halfway to Forecastle
- Caribou Announces Huge World Tour
- Basia Bulat Brings Darling to U.S., Plans Shows
- A Place to Bury Strangers Announce Spring Tour
- Daft Punk, Hot Chip, Pipettes, T.I. Design Playboy Shirts
- Dizzee Rascal Expands Winter Tour
- Silver Jews' David Berman Talks Lookout, Outlook
- Facing Lockup, Rapper Prodigy Turns Video Blogger
- Belle & Sebastian's Jackson, Oakley Hall Do Guitar Fest
- Flipper Recording New Album With Krist Novoselic
- Radiohead Manager Explains Amplive Remix Snafu
- Califone, Fugazi Members Soundtrack Brent Green Films
- MMJ, Wrens, Mekons Folks Aid New Orleans Musicians
- The Go! Team Tour Away Winter Languor
- Walkmen, White Williams, Bon Iver Play Chicago Fest
- The Streets' Skinner Retires the Beats Label
- Raveonettes Plot Tours of North America, Italy
- Robyn Announces U.S. Tour Dates!
- Jose Gonzalez Goes Green for North American Tour
- Under Byen Enlist Symphonic Help on New EP
- Black Mountain Add Dates With Bon Iver
- Nick Cave's Lazarus Gets Tracklist, U.S. Release Date
- The Long Blondes Set Up Couples, UK Tour
- Antony Designs Dress for Charity
- Amplive Nixes Radiohead Remixes at Warner's Demand
- The Fiery Furnaces Add Dates, Surprise Surprise
- Casiotone Drops a Few Singles, Plays a Few Gigs
- Fennesz Releases Two New Singles
- No Age, Mae Shi, Cline Play Smell Anniversary Shows
- Man Man Adopt Rabbit Habits, Tour U.S.
- Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan DJs on WFMU
- Beyonce PWNS Kanye in Connect Four
- Hot Chip Reveal Made Tracklist, Single, New Dates
- M83 Reveals Full Album Details
- Grand Archives Reveal Sub Pop Debut Details, Dates
- Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks Tour for Trash
- Boredoms to Invade America This Spring
- Xiu Xiu Bolster Lovers With DVD, iTunes Exclusives
- Beck's Odelay Given Deluxe Reissue Treatment
- Smashing Pumpkins Issue New EP Today
- Cat Power Plots Jukebox Tour
- R.E.M. Gear Up to Accelerate on New LP
- Oberst Woos Iowans for Obama
- Evan Farrell (Magnolia Electric Co./Rogue Wave) R.I.P.
- Panda Bear Designs Sweatshirts
- Neko Case Schedules Winter Shows
- Bjork Discusses "Independence", Videos, Grammys
- While We Were Out
- Radiohead Celebrate New Year With Webcast
- Jay-Z Leaves Def Jam Presidency
- R.I.P. Oscar Peterson, 1925-2007
- Kim Deal Talks New Breeders Album, Pixies, German
- Country Singer J.D. "Cast" King R.I.P.
- Minor Threat Turns Condiment, But Ian Doesn't Mind
- Pollard Records 7" With Decemberists, Quasi Members
- Los Campesinos! Reveal Album Tracklist, Release Date
- Swell Return With New Album, Rarities Collection
- Mission of Burma Have a Burmese Mission
- Oldham, Faun Fables Release Letting Go Demos
- Photos: GZA Performs Liquid Swords [New York, NY; 12/13/07]
- Thrill Jockey B-Day Bash: Become Yr Fave Album Cover!
- The Decemberists to Return to the Road in January
- Rocket From the Crypt Resurrected on Live CD/DVD
- Lupe Fiasco Plots Sizable U.S. Tour, Cool Happenings
- Radiohead Reveal Cool In Rainbows CD Packaging
- Kindercore Serves Up Xmas Charity Comp/Comic Book
- Black Lips Release Very Limited Edition Single
- Portastatic, Annuals, Rosebuds Rock Trekky Recs Xmas
- Beach House Team With Papercuts for 2008 Tour
- Labels Seek Apology From Rolling Stone for Camel Ad
- Electrelane Organize Anti-Trafficking Benefit
- Donations Sought for Ailing Country Singer Cast King
- Madonna, Leonard Cohen Inducted Into Rock Hall
- Harry Potter Bands Rock Against Media Consolidation
- My Bloody Valentine Headline Benicassim Festival
- Sambassadeur Let Migration Free in the States
- Kevin Barnes, Jeff Mangum in Wacky Elephant 6 Movie
- Liars, No Age Announce Joint Tour
- Justice Release "Phantom" Single
- Stephen Malkmus Talks Trash
- Ike Turner R.I.P.
- Calexico Tour-Only Jams Now Digital Via Touch & Go
- Bradford Cox Publicly Apologizes to Samara Lubelski
- Yorke Preps 12"s With Field, Four Tet, Burial Remixes
- Diplo Remixes Spoon's "Don't You Evah" for Charity
- Robyn Invites Us to "Be Mine" on Latest Single, Dates
- Morrissey Reveals New Single Details
- Liars, No Age Members Team for Sissy Spacek Show
- Black Lips Add Tour Dates (Yep) Again
- Explosions to "Drop off the Face of the Earth" After Tour
- Yeasayer Announce Big 2008 Tour
- Final Fantasy Song Jacked for Ad Leads to
AngerLawsuitTotally Sweet Music Festival - Okkervil River Drop Free Covers Mixtape, Add Gigs
- The Mars Volta Whip Up More Dates
- Radiohead Pad Out Tour With New Dates
- Jens Lekman Plots 2008 Dates
- Photos: ATP's Nightmare Before Christmas [Minehead, England; 12/07-12/09/07]
- Marina Leaves Bonde do Role
- Ghostface, Raekwon, Kweli Guest on New Hi-Tek Disc
- Built to Spill Keep on Trucking Into 2008