Shins, Wolf Parade, Rilo Kiley Design Charity Shirts
So do Au Revoir Simone

Many moons ago, we reported on the Yellow Bird Project, a fairly ingenious bit of rock'n'roll largesse. The Montreal-based non-profit drafts indie rock stars like Devendra Banhart, Stars, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and My Brightest Diamond to design t-shirts, with money from the sale of the shirts going to the charity of each band's choice.

Well, a little birdie-- or, rather, the Shins' MySpace blog-- reminded us that Yellow Bird's still doing their thing, and whaddya know, they've got a few noteworthy new designs since we last checked in. Experienced shirt designers the Shins contributed a sad sack guy standing in front of an exit sign, to benefit the Nature Conservancy. Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade scrawled a bird-like creature about to get swallowed by a dragon tail (or something), with the proceeds going to Eugene, Oregon's Glass Casters Union. Rilo Kiley doodled a leafy branch, to benefit the Elliott Smith Memorial Fund. And Au Revoir Simone have a little fun with squares on theirs, which gives it up to Transportation Alternatives.

All of these t-shirts are $25, available now. Many of the designs we mentioned way back when are still available as well.

Here are the Wolf Parade, Shins, Rilo Kiley, and Au Revoir Simone designs:

Pattern Is Movement Unveil New Album, Tour

MP3: Pattern Is Movement: Right Away [from the forthcoming All Together LP]

Vampire Weekend Axe Two UK Shows, Add Many More

Vampire Weekend's current mood? BUMMED! So says the band's most recent MySpace blog post anyhow, which explains the cancellations of tonight's gig in Manchester, England and tomorrow night's in Glasgow, Scotland. The reason? That towering beast, illness. But frontguy Ezra Koenig promises, "at least we'll be back in May."

So, how's about a bunch of new Vampire Weekend dates in the UK come May? The band have added a whole slew of shows to their itinerary across the pond, centered around their recently announced appearance at the ATP vs. Pitchfork festival. Both of the axed dates have already been rescheduled

Before heading across the pond, though, Vampire Weekend head out on a big North American tour in March and April, which will take them from Langerado through SXSW and all the way until Coachella. And even if you're not able to make it to SXSW, you'll be able to hear their set at the Parish on March 13 at 4:00 via a live webcast on NPR.

For now, though, get some rest, ya'll: being sick has a way of putting a damper on a perfectly good Weekend. [MORE...]

Video: Vampire Weekend: Various Tracks [live on Morning Becomes Eclectic]

The Dodos Add Dates With Silje Nes

MP3: The Dodos: Jodi [from the forthcoming Visiter LP]
Video: The Dodos: Winter (live in a tunnel in San Francisco)
MP3: Silje Nes: Ames Room [from the Ames Room LP]

Knife's Karin Dreijer Andersson on New dEUS Album

Stream: dEUS: Various Tracks

Andrew Bird Guests on Dianogah Album

Chicago post-rock three-piece Dianogah and indie-folk whistler/heartthrob Andrew Bird go way back. Dianogah member Jay Ryan is an accomplished designer and visual artist (you might recognize his work from our Pitchfork Music Festival posters and t-shirts), and he's created many album covers and posters for Bird over the years.

Last year, Bird and Dianogah teamed up for a Daytrotter session, and tomorrow night, February 28, they'll perform together at a Barack Obama benefit show at the Hideout in Chicago. But the collaboration has now stretched to Dianogah's new album. Unpronounceably titled qhnnnl, the record features Bird's contributions on four songs: "a breaks b", "andrew jackson", "sprinter", and "es posible fuego?". Yes, all of that is supposed to be in lower case.

Southern will release qhnnnl in the U.S. on June 10 and in Europe on June 16. In addition to Andrew Bird, the album also features guitarist Billy Smith (Hubcap), vocalist Stephanie Morris (the Pawners' Society, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir), and Mark Greenberg.

Dianogah will play a record release party with all of the record's guests at the Hideout on May 31, and the show will serve double duty as the only place to pick up qhnnnl prior to its proper release.

Bird just has a few dates scheduled, including the MusicNOW and All Points West festivals. [MORE...]

MP3: Andrew Bird ft. Dianogah: Fiery Crash / Lull / a breaks b / Plasticities (Daytrotter Session)

Frog Eyes Extend Tour

Photo by Sarah Cass

It was less than a year ago that Frog Eyes released Tears of the Valedictorian, and the Canadian band still has plenty of energy to expend on supporting it on the road.

Carey Mercer and co.'s newest jaunt starts with three dates at the Owen Pallet-curated Maximum Black festival, then heads across Europe for a couple weeks before heading back to North America for a pair of New York dates. [MORE...]

MP3: Frog Eyes: Bushels [from the Tears of the Valedictorian LP]

My Brightest Diamond Bares Shark's Teeth on New LP

Photo by Matt Wignall

Impeccably dressed, Sufjan-approved, injury-prone Huey Lewis fan Shara Worden will issue her second My Brightest Diamond album, A Thousand Shark's Teeth, June 17 on Asthmatic Kitty. The self-produced disc, recorded in Berlin, Los Angeles, and New York City, has been in the works for six years; some of its tunes even pre-date Bring Me the Workhorse, Worden's 2006 MBD debut.

In addition to Worden's formidable piano and guitar work, the set is peppered with vibraphones, French horns, harps, clarinets, marimbas, and even a sample of trip-hop maestro Tricky.

The album's lead single will be opening track "Inside a Boy". Worden and My Brightest Diamond will embark on a tour this spring and summer, though the've only got a few dates lined up at the moment, including a couple of SXSW appearances.

But don't forget: she and the rest of the Asthmatic Kitty family will appear on the label's Encyclopedia Asthmatica DVD, which arrives March 4. [MORE...]

Stream: My Brightest Diamond: Naturally (Huey Lewis cover) [from the Are You Still With Me?! A Tribute to Huey Lewis and the News LP]

Frank Black, Isaac Brock...and Larry Norman?

Video: Larry Norman: I Wish We'd All Been Ready (live in 2000)

Fleet Foxes Join P4K/Windish Party, Set Times Updated

Jeremy Jay Preps Debut LP for K Records, Tours

MP3: Jeremy Jay: Beautiful Rebel [from the forthcoming A Place Where We Can Go LP]

Bjork Dedicates Song to Kosovo, Serbia Show Canceled

Photo by Ashley Williamson

Björk's "Declare Independence" is a powerful, abrasive anthem about freedom; as Björk told us in an interview earlier this year, the song was written about the situation in Greenland and the Faroe Islands, both of which are politically bound to Denmark.

According to an Iceland Review Online story, the Icelandic superstar brought the song's message to an extremely hot-button issue last week, when she dedicated "Declare Independence" to Kosovo at two concerts in Tokyo. Kosovo declared its own independence from Serbia last week, sparking both celebrations and protests.

Iceland Review reports that the dedications led to the cancellation of Björk's planned performance in Novi Sad, Serbia this summer. According to various internet sources, that performance was to be at the EXIT Festival, which takes place this year from July 10-13.

Organizers explained their cancellation of Björk's appearance as the result of an inability to guarantee security for concertgoers, according to Iceland Review Online source Morgunbladid.

Morgunbladid reports that in response to the cancellation, Björk said, "Maybe a Serb attended my concert [in Tokyo] and called home, and therefore the concert in Novi Sad was cancelled."

Thanks to Daniel La France for the tip.

Björk has plenty of tour dates left across the world, continuing February 28 in Hong Kong. [MORE...]

Video: Bjork: Declare Independence [from the Volta LP]

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