MP3: Justice: "Phantom Part I"

MP3: Justice: Phantom Part I [MySpace]

Love Is All, Long Blondes on Label Comp
Plus caUSE co-MOTION!, Comet Gain

The wee little label that could, NYC-based upstart imprint What's Your Rupture? got the jump on all those older, more experienced indie labels, introducing U.S. audiences to top-shelf acts from abroad and Pitchfork favorites like Love Is All and the Long Blondes through a series of vinyl EPs. Ever charitable, they also nodded to homebred lo-fi spazz-rockers caUSE co-MOTION! and spirited UK vets Comet Gain. Now all four acts and their respective EPs come bundled together on one convenient little piece of CD plastic.

Imagine the Shapes collects the first four What's Your Rupture? vinyl EPs onto CD-- 14 tracks in all-- and arrives February 6. If, like WYR?, you're one to think ahead, flex your foresight and preorder it now right here.

Believe it or not, this will mark the first time the Long Blondes-- whose Someone to Drive You Home snuck into our Top 50 Albums of 2006, despite the fact that we, er, haven't actually reviewed it yet-- appear on CD in the States.

If the news of this comp has you so excited you just can't contain yourself, bottle that energy and unleash it on the dancefloor at Imagine the Shapes' record release show, going down February 4 at Los Angeles' the Echo, as part of the Part Time Punks club night. caUSE co-MOTION! will perform, the kids will convulse, and the DJ will spin the Imagine comp in between sets if he/she knows what's good for him/her. caUSE co-MOTION tour the nation beginning next week; keep your browsers tuned to Pitchforkmedia.com for details. [MORE...]

Stream: Imagine the Shapes: Various Tracks

Enslaved Tour North America

Stream: Enslaved: Various Tracks

Justin K. Broadrick Talks New Jesu Album, Tour
Plus exclusive MP3

For someone who's known as one of the godfathers of experimental extreme metal, Justin K. Broadrick is a pretty happy guy. Or at least he sure seemed that way when he spoke to Pitchfork recently about his current band, Jesu, which also includes bassist Diarmuid Dalton and drummer Ted Parsons. The former Napalm Death/Head of David/Godflesh/Techno Animal member was chatty as a schoolgirl when discussing Jesu's upcoming album and North American tour with Isis, not to mention his slew of other projects.

The second Jesu album, Conqueror, comes out on Hydra Head on February 20 in the United States, February 19 in the UK and Europe, February 2 in Japan, and February 27 in the rest of the world. (Whew.) The Japanese version will be amended with a bonus disc containing the songs "Sun Down" and "Sun Rise", originally released on a limited edition vinyl EP on Aurora Borealis. The vinyl version of Conqueror comes out February 27 on Conspiracy Records.

The appropriately epic title track can be heard by downloading the exclusive mp3 below. [MORE...]

MP3: Jesu: Conqueror [from the forthcoming Conqueror LP]

The Shins Announce U.S. Tour

On February 8, in the very spot where Prince once went crazy, heard doves cry, and saw you laughing in the purple rain (Minneapolis' First Avenue club), the Shins will launch their American tour in support of their new album, Wincing the Night Away (due January 23 on Sub Pop, if you don't have that etched on the underside of your eyelids already).

They'll wince their way across half the country over the course of the following two weeks, after which they'll wince on over to England. Sub Pop says this is the "first leg" of the trek, so expect the second leg to appear sometime soon.

And just a reminder: the band will perform "Phantom Limb" and "New Slang" on "Saturday Night Live" on January 13. [MORE...]

MP3: The Shins: Phantom Limb [from the forthcoming Wincing the Night Away LP]

Rock Plaza Central Horse Around on Tour

Granted, most of that road is confined to Eastern Canada, but the septet will duck into the U.S. for a pair of dates in February and March. And given all the empty days surrounding those gigs in Brooklyn, and yes, Iowa, don't be surprised if Rock Plaza decides to rock all over their Southern neighbors' faces in the near future. Consider our fingers crossed. [MORE...]

MP3: Rock Plaza Central: SexyBack [Justin Timberlake cover]

Wilco Side Project Autumn Defense Prep New LP

Wilco members John Stirrat and Pat Sansone are about to wave goodbye to Papa Tweedy and embark on a jaunt all their own.

Their duo, the Autumn Defense, will spend February and March on a North American excursion in support of their previously reported self-titled record, which is due January 16 on Stirrat's Broadmoor label (note: the first 100 pre-orders will be autographed).

Then, hopefully, they'll get back to working on that new Wilco record. [MORE...]

Stream: The Autumn Defense: Various Tracks

RJD2 Reveals Tracklist, Tour Dates, New Song

RJD2's third album-- titled The Third Hand, appropriately enough-- comes out March 6 on XL, and he's done the trad rock thing by booking a tour the same month as the album release. The trek begins March 9 in his hometown of Columbus and, as it stands right now, ends March 24 in Baltimore.

RJD2 has also announced The Third Hand's tracklist, which includes the previously reported "You Never Had It So Good" and "Get It", which is newly streamable from his MySpace page. Despite the claim in his Pitchfork interview that Third Hand was a pop album, we're still hearing a lot of hip hop in "Get It"'s syncopated drums, clipped vocal coos, and tinkling background electronics. It sounds like just the sort of downbeat instrumental that he brought in spades to Since We Last Spoke.

So RJ, you're on watch. We expect nothing less than a full-blown chorus from your next MySpace track! [MORE...]

Stream: RJD2: Get It [from the forthcoming The Third Hand LP]

Peter Bjorn and John Tap Victoria for U.S. Gigs
Add Los Angeles Show on February 1

Now U.S. audiences are in for a special treat: not only have Peter Bjorn and John tacked a third date onto their previously reported U.S. invasion foray (February 1 in Los Angeles), but the gentlemen have also announced that Victoria herself will be present at all three U.S. gigs to trade lovelorn verses with Peter. Maybe she'll shake a tambourine or ride a pony around the stage too or something, who knows?

That trio of U.S. dates falls smack dab in the middle of a PB&J world tour, which also has our pop-tastic Swedish friends hopscotching about Europe, Australia, and Japan.

As previously reported, Peter Bjorn and John's fantastic Writer's Block-- which squeaked into Pitchfork's Top 25 Albums of 2006-- finally receives a proper U.S. release on February 6 via the brand new AlmostGold Recordings. The Stateside edition comes bundled with a lovely six-song bonus disc. [MORE...]

MP3: Peter Bjorn and John: Young Folks [ft. Victoria Bergsman] [Infinite Mixtape #37; from the Writer's Block LP]

Modest Mouse, Shellac, Books Join Fan-Curated ATP

In the greatest fight of summer 2007, it's looking like everybody's a winner. As previously reported, All Tomorrow's Parties' May fiesta boasts the knock-down, drag-out matchup of ATP Versus You (the Fans). Half of the festival's lineup is being curated by attendees, using a handy online voting system. The other half is chosen by All Tomorrow's Parties themselves.

So far, the bill is pretty great. Modest Mouse, Shellac, the Books, Apples in Stereo, Micah P. Hinson, and Youth Movie Soundtrack Strategies have been added to the previously announced squad of Built to Spill, the Notwist, Sparklehorse, Echo & the Bunnymen, Akron/Family, Do Make Say Think, Brightblack Morning Light, and Death Vessel.

As we type, Pavement, Björk, Interpol, the Shins, Mogwai, Sonic Youth, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, PJ Harvey, Iron & Wine, and Belle and Sebastian head up the fans' wishlist. The Shins, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Sonic Youth, and Pavement (duh) are all unavailable, as are the Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens, Ween, and Silver Jews.

ATP Versus You (the Fans) runs from May 18-20 at Butlins Minehead in Somerset, England.

Meanwhile, the curating of the first ATP of the year, which takes place at the same venue from April 27-29, remains in the gnarled hands of the Dirty Three. Newly revealed artists for that festival include Joanna Newsom and White Magic, in addition to previously reported performers Cat Power, Bill Callahan, Spiritualized, Low, Nick Cave and Grinderman, and many more.

Fugazi's Lally Takes There to Here From Here to There
Beefs with Fujiya & Miyagi over Fujagi portmanteau

Lally will tour in support of There to Here, his solo debut, released by Dischord this past October. Joining him for all U.S. dates are spastic Oberlin College upstarts Capillary Action and mathy Italian trio Zu, whose sax stylings lovingly recall Sweep the Leg Johnny. All three members of Zu will play as part of Lally's live band as well, beginning at a January 12 gig in Pittsburgh and continuing through the end of the U.S. tour, which culminates in happening Delaware.

Then in February, Lally and his pals in Zu jet off to Europe for a string of UK shows and one gig in Switzerland. Lally promises a tour of Scandinavia to follow in March. He'll jaunt through Japan in June.

Lally also runs Fugazi Live Series, offering choice live recordings of fan-favorite Fugazi gigs. Thus far he's released thirty shows spread out over two sets, including Fugazi's most recent performance, a 2002 engagement in London. Hard to believe that's five years ago. Five painstaking, insufferable, Fugazi-less years. Could an end to this plight be in sight? [MORE...]

Stream: Joe Lally: Various Tracks

Wu-Tang Plan New Album, Contribute to Compilations
MP3: Hell Razah, Talib Kweli, and Viktor Vaughn: "Project Jazz"

Wu-Tang Clan plan to release their first group album since 2001's Iron Flag this year via SRC Records. Label CEO Steve Rifkind-- whose now-defunct Loud Records released the first two seminal Wu-Tang albums-- made the announcement with a video on the label's blog. Explaining that he just got off the phone with RZA and Wu businessman Divine, Rifkind said, "It's official," though there is no information currently available about potential titles, release dates, or musical guests.

The Clan have also teamed with Nature Sounds for a couple of compilations. The first-- Wu-Tang Clan & Friends: Unreleased-- collects rare and previously unreleased tracks from every living Wu-Tang MC, curated and remixed by Wu DJ and occasional beatmaker Mathematics. Unreleased also features contributions from Wu associates like Cappadonna, Killah Priest, and Solomon Childs. Nature Sounds will release the compilation on January 23.

The second compilation, titled Natural Selection 2.0: A Digital Survival Guide, is a digital-only release currently available from iTunes and scheduled for a January 23 release at all other digital outlets. It features contributions from GZA, Raekwon, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, and Mathematics as well as Pete Rock, Talib Kweli, Little Brother, and MF DOOM (under his Viktor Vaughn alias).

Nature Sounds has offered a taste of Natural Selection 2.0 by making the Viktor Vaughn, Talib Kweli, and Hell Razah track "Project Jazz" available for download. It's a pleasant organ-and-saxophone-sampling jaunt through each MC's musical and personal history, with the exception of whatever MF DOOM is rapping about. We're not complaining, though. His mouth-full-of-cookies voice is always a blast to hear, and even though there are no Wu MCs on the track, there are few better summations of the Wu-Tang aesthetic than "enough combined slang to bang all year." [MORE...]

MP3: Viktor Vaughn, Talib Kweli, and Hell Razah: Project Jazz [from the Natural Selection 2.0: A Digital Survival Guide LP]

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.)