Spiritualized's Spaceman Scores Harmony Korine Film
Soundtrack due on Drag City
Mister Lonely tells the tale of a young drifter who gets his kicks impersonating Michael Jackson. This ersatz King of Pop stumbles into a community of like-minded mimics-- everyone from Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Shirley Temple, Madonna, and the Three Stooges to Abe Lincoln, the Pope, and the Queen of England. Sounds like a total trip, so who better to soundtrack it than a guy who's made a 25+ year career out of otherworldly audio excursions?
Enter J. Spaceman (aka Jason Pierce) of Spiritualized and Spacemen 3 fame, whose compositions from the cosmos make up a fair part of the score to the film, the latest from controversial director Harmony Korine (Kids, Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy).
Mister Lonely made the festival rounds last year, while a soundtrack release is on the way via Drag City, according to the Spiritualized website. Sun City Girls feature on it as well, according to Drag City.
The film itself, boasting a cast that includes Samantha Morton, revered director Werner Herzog, and magic guy David Blaine, should see wider release this year.
And that new Spiritualized album we were supposed to see last year? J. Spaceman explains all in his latest website dispatch: "We've been sittin' on a finished (and mastered) record here for months now while Universal try to sort out their shit[.] so with luck it should be resolved early this year and you can have it."
J. also alludes to a couple final Acoustic Mainlines gigs in the coming months (nothing confirmed as of yet), and "after that we're going electric." (!) The shows just might take place in "Vancouver down to Palm Springs in a few months." Hmm... Palm Springs in a few months... Coachella anyone?
Finally, Mr. Pierce has collaborated with free jazz guy Matthew Shipp on an upcoming release, titled, yes, Spaceshipp, on the UK's Treader imprint.
Justice Announce World Tour, Dates With Diplo
Justice mix allegedly rejected by Fabric
Nothing quite does French Touch duo Justice justice like the live setting. And come this March, Justice will be served to adoring audiences across North America, as the dance giants behind Pitchfork's 15th favorite album (†) and 8th favorite track (the ubiquitous "D.A.N.C.E.") of 2007 hold court on a month-long tour.
The jaunt-- billed as the spring MySpace Music Tour-- will pair Xavier de Rosnay and Gaspard Augé with quite a few like-minded practitioners of Music You Can't Help But Dance To, including the mighty Diplo, Ed Banger bros DJ Mehdi and Busy P, NYC's Chromeo, and fellow countryfolk Fancy. It all begins March 3 in Austin, and for another lovingly foot-noted guide to just who is playing when, peek on past the jump.
But wait! Long before they reach the shores of North America, Justice will show kids from Osaka to Hamburg just what they're made of. Those gigs kick off January 23.
Apparently not everyone is hip to Justice's dance-doing ways, however. Over the holidays the pair sat down for an interview with Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen, wherein they revealed that a mix they had put together for the famed Fabriclive series had been rejected by the Fabric folk themselves.
According to a translation from interviewer Bernt Erik Pedersen, de Rosnay told Dagsavisen, "We didn't want to do just another boring mix, so we put together a selection of tunes we absolutely love, mainly weird disco tracks and French novelty acts. But Fabric turned it down. They weren't ready for something like this. Maybe we'll put the mix out ourselves. People should really hear it, they'd be surprised."
Judge for yourself: An unconfirmed tracklist for the Justice Fabriclive mix has been making the interweb rounds, and we've reprinted it below for your convenience.
Fabric, meanwhile, have not yet responded to requests for comment. [MORE...]
Son Lux Signs to Anticon
Works with Beirut, My Brightest Diamond, Castanets
Ryan Lott is just shy of the three-decade mark in years, but in that time, he has lived in a handful of locations (Denver, Cleveland, Atlanta, California, Connecticut, NYC), trained in composition and piano, and organized several multimedia art shows. So, naturally, he joined the Anticon roster to release his full-length debut under the name Son Lux.
At War With Walls and Mazes is an Anticonesque beat-and-hook-filled mish-mash of genres, and the label will release it on February 26. Son Lux will follow the album's release with spring dates supporting Why?
In the meantime, Lott is keeping himself busy by starting work on the next Son Lux album and a slew of other projects. He's remixing Beirut and Castanets, collaborating with My Brightest Diamond, and working on a large-scale piece with the Gina Gibney Dance company for a third time. [MORE...]
Sub Pop Responds to Arrest of Shins' Crandall
Detail from photo by Brian TamborelloAs reported yesterday, Shins keyboardist/utility man Marty Crandall and his now former girlfriend, model Elyse Sewell, both found themselves in a Sacramento County jail this weekend facing domestic abuse charges following a scuffle in a hotel Friday night.
Sewell was released Saturday on bail; Crandall followed suit yesterday. A post on Sewell's blog explaining the incident and cited in our previous story, meanwhile, has since been removed. "I've decided to heed the advice of many commenters (lawyerly types) and friends," wrote Sewell yesterday, "[and] lock my last entry about the legal foibles between me and my ex-boyfriend."
Today the Shins' label Sub Pop came forward with a statement regarding the arrests. It reads as follows:
Marty Crandall and his ex-girlfriend Elyse Sewell were both arrested over the weekend following an argument at a Sacramento hotel which resulted in hotel staff calling the police.The Crandall case goes before a judge tomorrow, January 8.
They were both taken into police custody and released over the weekend.
There will be no further comment at this time and we would appreciate their privacy being respected.
Slowly, slowly, things are starting up again:
Monday, January 7:
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: RZA, Ian Hunter
Tuesday, January 8:
FUEL TV: The Daily Habit: Buzzcocks
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: MGMT
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Rogue Wave
Wednesday, January 9:
FUEL TV: The Daily Habit: Panthers
PBS: Tavis Smiley: Lupe Fiasco
Friday, January 11:
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Spoon
Saturday, January 12:
FOX: Fearless TV: Paramore
PBS: Austin City Limits: Kings of Leon, Roky Erickson
Vampire Weekend Plot North American Tour
Album release pushed up to this month in UK/Europe
As you attempt to shake the cobwebs from your head following your own blood-curdling, stomach-churning respite from the working world, sink those Monday fangs into this: nifty new New Yorkers (and, full disclosure, our buddies) Vampire Weekend have plotted tour dates enough to wear down even the starchiest Dockers.
Following a lone date in London late next week, the band will feast on North America as January comes to a close. The dates stretch on practically into April, so if you haven't been bitten by the Vampire Weekend bug yet, your chance is nigh. I guess you could say there's a lot at... stake... on this tour! Okay, okay, enough.
They'll share bills-- and, it occurs to us, a similar fashion aesthetic-- with the Walkmen on a smattering of dates in early March.
Also, good news for Vampire fans the world over: the band has moved the UK/European XL Recordings release of their debut full length from March 3 to January 28, the day before the disc hits U.S. shelves. And good news for anyone with a few minutes to kill and a working clicker-finger: the band's very Wang Chung video for "A-Punk" just made its way to Forkcast a little earlier today. [MORE...]
Dan Deacon's Ultimate Reality Tour Kicks Off
Deacon announces new single: "Slience Like the Wind"
Surely you noticed the change when you woke yesterday morning. Your eyes were crusty and your worldview bleary, but you could still feel it: the reality you've known all your life had changed. Heightened, if you will. Or, perhaps, simply become more... ultimate?
Chalk that fresh feeling up to the efforts of two fellows, Dan Deacon and Jimmy Joe Roche, both of Baltimore's storied Wham City collective. The two are taking Ultimate Reality-- the DVD they jointly created and recently released via Carpark-- out for a spin, with the proceedings ultimately kicking off last night in Chapel Hill. Danny Boy and Jimmy Joe will dole out their version of reality throughout the rest of the month of January, joined on the drums by Videohippos' Kevin O'Meare and Ponytail's Jeremy Hyman.
And when he's not heightening reality with a few old friends, Dan's doing his damndest by his lonesome on a handful of non-Ultimate Reality gigs over the next few months, including a trip to Australia and a trip to Langerado.
Deacon also recently revealed to the blog Cone Toaster that his next single from Spiderman of the Rings will be live fave "Silence Like the Wind". (His publicist confirmed this as well.) DOH! "Silence Like the Wind" isn't on Spiderman of the Rings!
In other Dan Deacon news, I wouldn't expect a Deaconized cover of "The Wheels on the Bus" anytime soon. [MORE...]
Photo by Sanchez and Kitahara
Sure, Mirrored grabbed the #8 spot on Pitchfork's 2007 year-end albums list and "Atlas" came away as our #2 track of the year, but Battles aren't about to rest on their internet-provided laurels. Instead, they're hitting the road to conquer Australia. Starting January 18, the band will play a couple weeks' worth of shows on the continent (and New Zealand), most of which are Big Day Out festival dates.
Also, for the ultimate Battles obsessive in your life, Mirrored lyrics!! [MORE...]
The Cool Kids Line Up Winter Dates
All set to conquer 2008 by actually releasing their freakin' album already (via new label Chocolate Industries), the Cool Kids have hatched a plan to tour North America this month. Shortly thereafter, they'll bunny hop across the pond for shows in the Old Countries.After that, the Obama-backers head Down Under, and they'll keep those passports handy for a return to Europe in March. [MORE...]
Drive-By Truckers Brighten 2008 With Album, Tour
Band also reissues back catalog on vinyl
The Truckers have already offered a taste of the record with a digital EP, also called Brighter Than Creation's Dark, featuring album tracks "Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife", "3 Dimes Down", "The Righteous Path", and "The Purgatory Line". The EP is available now via digital retailers, and if you get any of its tracks on iTunes, the purchase will knock a bit off the cost of the album, as part of the Complete My Album program.
After releasing the album, DBT will kickstart "The Home Front 2008 World Tour" with a bunch of North American dates in February and March (European dates are still forthcoming). And since they seem to like teasers so much, they'll preview both the album and the tour with three dates in Athens, Georgia. The first of the Athens dates will find them playing Brighter Than Creation's Dark in its entirety as part of their annual Nuçi's Space benefit.
Additionally, the band will give a good chunk of its back catalog vinyl reissues on February 5 via New West. The limited edition 180-gram vinyl pressings include reissues of Gangstabilly, Pizza Deliverance, Decoration Day, The Dirty South, and A Blessing and a Curse. For a bunch of these albums, this marks their first vinyl releases. [MORE...]
Photo by Shannon McClean
Teenage spaceships, take flight: there's Bill Callahan tour dates aplenty if you want 'em. After gracing the northern part of this fair nation last fall, Bill Callahan will take a decidedly southern tack on his forthcoming tour, which kicks off a couple days after Valentine's in Baton Rouge.
Dance away... just don't dance too hard. Surely you've heard what that leads to. [MORE...]
Echo & the Bunnymen, Orchestra Play Ocean Rain Live
September 16, 2008, wildly influential Brits Echo & the Bunnymen will perform their classic Ocean Rain LP in its entirety alongside a full orchestra at London's Royal Albert Hall. Each and every track, from the shimmering "Silver" to the soaring "Killing Moon" to the epic title track, will be done up with strings and laid out by the recently reformed post-punkers.The group has two other live engagements between now and next fall, including a free gig in Spain and an appearance at January 12's Liverpool 08 concert, where they'll perform "Nothing Last Forever" from 1997's Evergreen with the Liverpool Philharmonic. Frontman Ian McCulloch will also appear on "The Early Show" on CBS January 11. [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
Browse
- 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