Wolves in the Throne Room Capture Two Hunters, Tour

For their second full length, the folkish (I See a Darkness folkish, not like Trini Lopez) doom metal act Wolves in the Throne Room enlisted Earth, Sunn O))), and Boris producer Randall Dunn, cut back on any and all after-the-fact sound manipulation, and emerged with Two Hunters.

Over four songs-- and with the help of experimental vocalist Jessica Kinney-- the band have crafted a real sludgepot. Should be awesome. Find out for sure when the disc drops September 25 via Southern Lord.

You want more, do you? Well, catch these Wolves around the U.S. (and Canada, but once) with a good chunk of the avant-metal underground, including Jesu. Best bring an extra set of earplugs or two. [MORE...]

Boredoms' Eye, Torske Fix Up New Lindstrom EP

And you thought the Feedelity Affair was an, uh, fidelity affair! On his new EP, Hans-Peter Lindstrøm's going all monogamous on the tracklist front, though he'll mix it up with the likes of a Boredom and another dude with that cool crossed-out O in his name. Scandalous!

The previously mentioned Contemporary Fix EP features four takes on the Feedelity closer: two by Lindstrøm (who supplements the original with a "Serious Syntoms" version), one by Boredoms mastermind Eye, and one from L-boogie's countryman Bjørn Torske. (Alas, no remix from Justin Van Der Volgen of !!!, despite our earlier report.) A person could buy the Contemporary Fix EP October 15 across the pond on the Smalltown Supersound label, if a person were so inclined.

And, if you're feeling really adventurous, get your Lindstrøm fix by hopping over to one of the man's upcoming laptop gigs, where he'll be alternating clicks and clacks to your pacemaker's delight. [MORE...]

Report: Mastodon's Brent Hinds' Head Injury a Result of Fight With System of a Down Bassist
"Hinds took off his shirt and hit Odadjian with it, then struck Hudson in both the face and chest, prompting Odadjian to advise Hinds 'to relax' several times."

Sadly, it looks like the post-VMAs head injury Mastodon guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds suffered in the early morning hours of September 10 may have been more his fault than previously imagined.

According to a Las Vegas Weekly report by Aaron Thompson, Hinds' injuries ("brain hemorrhaging, a broken nose, and two black eyes") were the result of an altercation between him, System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian, and another musician, William Hudson.

Thompson cites a Las Vegas Metro police report "based on firsthand accounts and corroborated by hotel-security video footage" in describing "an inebriated Hinds...leaving Mandalay Bay [Hotel and Casino] around three a.m. when he encountered Odadjian and musician William Hudson at the hotel's west valet area. Hinds took off his shirt and hit Odadjian with it, then struck Hudson in both the face and chest, prompting Odadjian to advise Hinds 'to relax' several times.

"The police report then indicates both Odadjian and Hudson punched Hinds in the face, knocking him to the ground. An unidentified friend of Hinds, who reportedly witnessed the event, rushed to the musician's aid and apologized to Odadjian and Hudson, saying Hinds was 'just drunk.'

"No charges had been filed at press time, though the police report lists Hudson as a 'suspect,' facing a possible charge of 'battery with substantial bodily harm.' The police report lists Odadjian as a 'witness.'"

When asked for a response to the Las Vegas Weekly story, Mastodon's publicist said, "Brent has begun writing and wants to just put all this past him for the moment."

As we passingly mentioned in a story about Queens of the Stone Age's Anthony Bourdain holiday special, Hinds is recovering well from his injuries. According to Thompson's report, he was released from University Medical Center of Southern Nevada on Friday, September 14.

Bloc Party / Deerhoof Collision Expected Tonight

Having fulfilled their purpose on this earth recently-- playing an actual block party-- you'd think Britain's own Bloc Party would be ready to hang up their hats. As it turns out, though, the quartet will keep those hats and then hang onto them for dear life: beginning tonight (September 21) in Houston, their previously reported tour kicks into high gear with the addition of a hyperactive little opening agent known as Deerhoof.

Provided Bloc Party make it through tonight's gig and seven more thereafter (Smoosh will also be at most shows to cheer them on), they'll escape the caffeinated clutches of Deerhoof and do a couple more rounds of touring in the U.S. and Europe before the year's out.

Deerhoof, for their part, have some post-Party European escapades of their own lined up. Hopefully you caught the recent mp3-only Deerhoof rarities/remixes/outtakes/live collection via Forkcast, and perhaps you've seen that Dedication flick with the new Deerhoof songs? The film's in theaters now and the soundtrack's already on shelves, so get on that, yo. [MORE...]

Photos: The National / St. Vincent [Omaha, NE; 09/19/07]

Photos by Paparazzi by Appointment

Things slowed down a bit in Omaha last night, as the Boss-loving National came through town on their huge tour in support of the lauded LP, Boxer.

Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, opened the show with some tunes from her also-praiseworthy album Marry Me, shredding on her favorite Silvertone "red hornet." More photos and tour dates below.

THE NATIONAL






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Hot Hot Heat's Bays Talks Happiness, Sadness
"All of a sudden I went from not even knowing if I wanted to make music to actually only wanting to do that 24/7."

Breakdowns, makeups, megaproducers, and a few stray synthesizer bleats later, Victoria, British Columbia's Hot Hot Heat have made their way to Happiness LTD., their follow-up to 2005's Elevator. Laden with left-field instrumental turns and layered with production work by, among others, modern rock hitmakers Rob Cavallo and Butch Walker, Happiness LTD.-- out now on Warner Brothers/Sire-- marks the former Sub Poppers' second album for a major label.

According to HHH vocalist Steve Bays, the Happiness sessions were the first time the band struck a truly comfortable balance between ambition and execution. "The first record we did, it was literally documenting what was done at our jam-spot and it was recorded at Mushroom Studios in six days. The second record, we wanted to do a full-on, big, whole 'L.A. thing' and go into an L.A. studio. We wanted to do [Happiness] in our hometown for most of it and have our friends there and it was almost-- I don't want to say a big party because that kind of trivializes it-- but it was definitely a lot of people hanging out and exchanging ideas and it was like a giant experiment. And in the end, we just had a ton of songs and we picked the eleven songs that seemed to fit the theme that started to emerge by the end of it." [MORE...]

Queens of the Stone Age Extend Tour
Holiday sweater photo slowly edging toward seasonal appropriateness

Photo by Aliya Naumoff

Seemingly unaffected by all the tryptophan in their recent holiday meal with Anthony Bourdain, Queens of the Stone Age have extended their previously reported tour to include some stops in the UK after they finish up in Germany. The tour now ends in Reading, England on December 4.

The band keeps up its Energizer Bunny pace tonight, September 20, with a show in Tallahassee, Florida. [MORE...]

Jens Lekman Adds Some Dates

Photo by Sigurd Fandango

Quiz time, Texans, Georgians, and Floridians: what's the opposite of the opposite of hallelujah? Stumped, are ya? Prepare thy exhortations and behold: Jens Lekman is coming!

Yes, the sweet-as-pie Swede is throwing dates on his currently-in-progress fall tour in much the same lovingly haphazard fashion as he does samples of old records on his LPs. The four recently added gigs are all, according to Jens' website, "soloshows," which we're guessing means a ukelele-wielding Jens and not much else. Mister, toss in a little whistling and you got yourself a deal.

And, just in case you miss Jens on his generous but all-too-rare North American appearances, you can buy Night Falls Over Kortedala October 9 from Secretly Canadian, and maybe snag the bonus disc while you're at it. [MORE...]

Lee Perry Working With Andrew W.K. on New Album
Black Ark...floating on an ocean of beer

Abbott and Costello, Laverne and Shirley, the Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem, and...Lee "Scratch" Perry and Andrew W.K.? Actually, yes. The hard-partying, motivational-speaking rocker and the herbally-inclined studio wizard have extended their work together on the former's still forthcoming "Smokeshow" TV show to more musical territory.

The two, who first hit it off at SXSW, are collaborating on Perry's new album, which should come out on Narnack sometime in the middle of next year. W.K.'s role in the project is as co-producer, arranger, and all-around collaborator. So far, he and Perry have worked on the album's instrumentation, lyrics, and general sound.

While a title and tracklist is still forthcoming, the record is a mixture of collaborations with other artists and new Perry originals. So far, the guest list includes the Slits' Ari Up and singer/songwriter Aimee Allen.

Perry has no tour dates at this time, but a North American tour is in the works.

This isn't the first time Andrew W.K. has hooked up with someone unexpected, as you know. Other collaborators include Sightings, Current 93, To Live and Shave in LA, Will Oldham, Boredoms, Hanson, and Kelly Osbourne.

Dan Deacon Coughs Up Gunk, Cancels Tonight's Gig

Photo by Jason Bergman

Be warned: What follows is a lot more than you ever cared to know about Dan Deacon's insides:

hello,

im way to sick to play the show tonight. im coughing up weird chunks of yellow+blood. its really hard to speak, let alone sing. im really sorry. i promise i'll be back super soon.

dan

And smack dab in the middle of prime post-lunch digestion time, too! As the MySpace bulletin quoted above indicates, it seems our boy Deacon ran afoul of the old autumn nasty, causing him to miss out on tonight's gig with Girl Talk and White Williams.

One thing's for sure: no more eating hot dogs out of Gregg Gillis' butt. WAIT DAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOOOOOO [MORE...]

The Ponys, Chin Up Chin Up Join Forces for Tour

Not unlike those times when your auntie in Ravenswood overnights a freeze-dried deep-dish out to you in Bangor, a little taste of Chicago is heading your way. Two fine acts from the City of Big Shoulders-- The Ponys and Chin Up Chin Up, if you must know-- are taking it on the road in tandem this November.

The Ponys, of course, are still reverberating from this spring's release of Turn the Lights Out, while Chin Up Chin Up plan to hit us with a new disc late next year. Both bands have other dates besides, including the Ponys' forthcoming dish-like run with the Spoon. [MORE...]

Photos: The New Pornographers / Lavender Diamond [Los Angeles, CA; 09/19/07]

Photos by Akmal Naim

Hey, it's the old pornographers! Longtime studio collaborators Neko Case and Destroyer's Dan Bejar joined Carl Newman and company at Los Angeles' Henry Fonda Theatre last night in a rare live appearance. The Canadian pop maestros-- restored to full supergroup status-- treated the crowd to a set of tunes from their newest LP, Challengers.

(Speaking of challenges and those who accept them, don't forget about the Pornographers' viral video challenge: invent a new dance craze to the tune of a Newman number or a Bejar ballad, and win some prizes!)

The eagle-eyed in attendance might have noticed that usual drummer Kurt Dahle was missing in action. According to the New Pornographers' email newsletter, Dahle just had a baby, so Jon Wurster of Superchunk/Scharpling & Wurster has been filling in. Dahle will be back in action starting September 20 in Paris.

More photos of the Pornographers and openers Lavender Diamond, plus all their remaining tour dates (including a bunch of newly added European ones), below.

And one last item, for all you obsessives: The digital music store Zunior has made a treasure trove of rare Canadian indie rock vinyl available for download, including music by Thee Crusaders, an early band featuring Newman and keyboardist Blaine Thurier.

THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS








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