Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid Team for African Album

Legendary jazz drummer Steve Reid and jack-of-all-electronic-trades Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) have collaborated once again. The Steve Reid Ensemble's new album Daxaar comes out tomorrow, February 5, via Domino.

Reid, Hebden, and keyboardist Boris Netsvetaev traveled to Dakar, Senegal in January 2007 to record the album with a group of African musicians, including guitarist Jimi Mbaye (a member of Youssou N'Dour's band), bassist Dembel Diop, trumpeter Roger Ongolo and percussionist Khadim Badji. The album's title comes from an historical spelling of Dakar.


Reid and Hebden visited Domino's East Village Radio show today to talk about Daxaar and yet another record they are recording in New York next week. A podcast of the show is available online at eastvillageradio.com. A documentary about their trip to Africa can be viewed here. [MORE...]

MP3: Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid: Sun Never Sets [from the Tongues LP]

Black Kids Sign to Almost Gold Outside North America
Prep single, think about possibly maybe getting to work on that debut

MP3: Black Kids: I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You [from the Wizard of Ahhhs EP]

Peter Moren to Take Tycoon on the Road This Spring

First it was a title. Then a tracklist. Then some handsome photos. And now, a full stop American tour. All the signs are there, and our P4K command center's intelligence estimates suggest the threat is looming.

The question remains: What are you doing to prepare for the Peter Morén invasion set to hit this spring? Are you stockpiling canned goods? Erecting a shelter? Or simply cleaning out those ears in preparation for what has to be the most non-combative attack ever? Yeah, go with that one. The guy seems pretty nice.

As you may have noticed, the Peter Bjorn and John member's solo debut, The Last Tycoon, is due April 8 on Quarterstick. A month after a stint at SXSW, Peter will take off on a North American tour, as reported by CMJ and confirmed by his label.

With these dates scheduled, is Morén's takeover complete? Or are there untold depths to his diabolical plot to make the world just a little more tuneful? Hard to say at this point, really. But I'm told the warning sign will come in the form of an infectious whistle. [MORE...]

Stream: Peter Moren: Spanish Guitar (Gene Clark cover) [from The World Turns All Around Him: A Tribute to Gene Clark]

T.V. Eye: February 4-10, 2008

Live music on TV this week:

Tuesday, February 5:

ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Hot Chip

Wednesday, February 6:

NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Dillinger Escape Plan

Thursday, February 7:

OVATION: Live From the Artists Den: Crowded House

Friday, February 8:

FUEL TV: The Daily Habit: Rogue Wave
Syndicated: The Ellen DeGeneres Show Lupe Fiasco

Saturday, February 9:

PBS: Austin City Limits: Etta James
FOX: Fearless Music TV: Hot Chip, Fujiya & Miyagi, Datarock, Silversun Pickups, Two Gallants

Sunday, February 10:

CBS: Grammy Awards: Feist, Beyonce, Rihanna and the Time

The Hold Steady's Tad Kubler Playing Gig for Kids
Band mixing LP4, growing beards

Photo by Michael Alan Goldberg

Drunkenness, debauchery, fudging on bedtimes: each helps provide the grist for the rock'n'roll mill owned and operated by the Hold Steady. So why in the world is Hold Steady axe slinger Tad Kubler gigging just after lunchtime for folks with flasks full of chocolate milk?

To raise the next generation of Hold Steady fans, we guess. On Sunday, February 10 at the Living Room in New york City, Tad (and "friends"), along with Langhorne Slim and the War Eagles will peform a 1 p.m. set as part of the KiDROCKERS series. These KiDROCKERS gigs contain a special provision, however: every adult must be accompanied by a kid, and vice versa.

Though just which "friends" Tad will bring along to the Living Room remains to be seen, his well-known pals in the Hold Steady are chugging right along on LP4. A recent MySpace bulletin suggests they're already at the mixing stage, and photos from their website suggest the band's "beard off" is nearly a month in the making. Though drummer Bobby Drake appears to have disqualified himself after a run-in with the razor and babyfaced bassist Galen Polivka seems to have opted out of the proceedings altogether, the rest of the band are looking pretty gnarly. Even producer John Agnello is in on the action. But let no ungainly soul patch stand in the way of the tuneage, gents!

Tad's not the only one taking a little break from his bearded brethren soonish, as keyboardist Franz Nicolay will serenade the highest bidder at the Cupid on Demand auction this Friday. And the band have a handful of UK appearances later this month, and yet another one come May at the ATP vs. Pitchfork festival. [MORE...]

MP3: The Hold Steady: Various Tracks [live on KEXP]

Love Is All Name New Album, Gain Member, Plan Shows

Stream: Love Is All: New Beginnings (Demo) [from the forthcoming A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night LP]
Video: Love Is All: Ageing Had Never Been His Friend [from the Nine Times That Same Song LP]

R.I.P. Sean Finnegan, Drummer From Void

Sean Finnegan, drummer from Washington, D.C.-area hardcore band Void, passed away Wednesday, January 30 of an apparent heart attack, according to a press release. One of the first acts associated with Dischord Records, Void appeared on the label's 1982 Flex Your Head compilation. They made their proper debut with a 1982 LP split with fellow D.C. locals Faith.

Void parted ways in 1983. At the time of his death, Finnegan was working on the HBO television show "The Wire". He was 43 years old.

Video: Void: Who Are You (live) [from the Faith/Void LP]

Dirty Projectors Tour North America in the Spring

Photo by Daniel Cantó

More snaky guitar lines! More skyward harmonies! More yelping! The Dirty Projectors are coming to tidily take care of all three on a brief North American tour this spring. Especially the bit about the yelping. Gotta love that yelping.

After stops at Owen Pallett's weird and wonderful Maximum Black Festival in Europe, Dave Longstreth and his oh-so-Dirty Ps will hit the road in late March. They'll pop in at the MusicNOW festival curated by the National's Bryce Dessner and, when all's said and done, wait patiently for their slot at May's ATP vs. Pitchfork festival.

What else, what else. Dirty Projectors bassist Angel Deradoorian will perform a solo show at New York City's Cake Shop February 8. And while we're on the subject of single Projectors, there's that single the Projectors split with White Williams that's out now. [MORE...]

Video: Dirty Projectors: Rise Above [live on NPR's Bryant Park Project]

Photos: Hot Chip [New York, NY; 02/02/08]

Photos: Joanna Newsom with the Brooklyn Philharmonic [Brooklyn, NY; 02/01/08]

Om Cancel Dates, Drummer Hakius Leaves

Stream: Om: Various Tracks

Blonde Redhead Plot Another Brief Tour

Photo by Sebastian Mlynarski

Pocket-sized Blonde Redhead tours seem to be the order of the day for 2008, as the tantalizing tinted trio are following up their brief East Coast run earlier this month with a nine-date trek through Europe come April.

The band's plans include stops in Scandinavia, France, and a lone date in London. They will also join their 4AD labelmates the Breeders-- and scores of others, of course-- at Belgium's Pukkelpop Festival Polsslag Festival, an indoor festival organized by the Pukkelpop people here the Pace brothers and the Deal sisters will reenact their favorite scenes from the Schwarzenegger/DeVito classic Twins. That's what twins do when they get together, right? [MORE...]

Video: Blonde Redhead: The Dress [from the 23 LP]

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