Justice, Cee-Lo, Junior Boys, Matthew Dear Do WMC
Plus: Madlib, Cool Kids, Gui Boratto, Biz Markie, MSTRKRFT, A-Trak, M.A.N.D.Y., Moby

Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige Launch "Heart of the City" Tour

Though the "Heart of the City" tour-- the rap/R&B juggernaut featuring the pretty much inarguable leaders of both genres, Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige-- doesn't kick off 'til tomorrow, it seems Jay's itching for a little warm-up.

Tonight, Jay will take the stage at Miami Beach's Jackie Gleason Theater for a pre-tour show (what do you think the chances are that Mary shows up?). Then, he and the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul will join forces Saturday evening in Miami for the first of a month and a half's worth of collaborative dates.

Quite a few gigs have been added since we checked in on 'em last time, so if you were feeling neglected, you may want to take a second glance. (Sorry, Denver-- you're still neglected. An April 23 show at the Pepsi Center was announced and cancelled within the same day, for some reason.)

Mary's live plans are all tied up with "Heart of the City", but Jigga, as you know, has been expressing a fondness for the headlining spot on a number of big ol' summer shindigs. Jay's taking the top of the bill at the Hove Festival-- about damn time, too!-- as well as Glastonbury, British Columbia's recently-announced Pemberton Festival, and Germany's Splash! Festival. He'll also join Linkin Park for a one-off gig just after Glastonbury at Milton Keynes, England's National Bowl. [MORE...]

Video: Jay-Z ft. Pharrell: I Know [from the American Gangster LP]
Video: Mary J. Blige: Real Love [from the What's the 411? LP]

Atlas Sound Signs to 4AD in Europe

Photo by Matthew Taplinger

Deerhunter frontman turned Atlas Sound juggernaut Bradford Cox has signed to 4AD for the release of Atlas Sound's debut, Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel, outside of North America on May 5. It seems a spot-on match in aesthetic terms, and the label will expand upon the work done by Kranky in North America by adding an extra disc of new material to the release (details forthcoming).

Bradford's planning a full-blown European tour for May, but right now the only two scheduled Atlas Sound performances are in mid-May at the Explosions in the Sky-curated All Tomorrow's Parties festival and July 19 at the 2008 Pitchfork Music Festival.

Deerhunter will end their hiatus with a few European dates in May and June, including an appearance at ATP vs. Pitchfork. [MORE...]

MP3: Atlas Sound: River Card [from the Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel LP]

The Presets Present New Album, Single, Live Dates

Aussie electro-pop duo the Presets have unveiled the details surrounding their second album, and its title is strikingly close to that of countryman Mel Gibson's Mayan adventure epic Apocalypto. Apocalypso (which we'd be remiss not to point out is also the name of a Mew song) is the follow-up to 2006's Beams, and it will arrive via Modular April 12 in Australia, May 12 in the UK, and May 13 in the U.S.

Apocalypso's first single "My People" is available now, and a music video for the track resides at the link below. A follow-up single for "This Boy's in Love" lands March 29 in Australia, April 1 in the U.S., and April 8 in the UK.

The Presets have a heap of Apocalypso support dates scheduled all the way into June, including shows in-- you guessed it-- Australia, the UK, and the U.S. (plus Canada). [MORE...]

Video: The Presets: My People [from the forthcoming Apocalypso LP]

The Honeydrips Open for Jens Lekman on U.S. Tour

MP3: The Honeydrips: Hej Då Karolin [mp3 single]
Stream: The Honeydrips: Fall From a Height (The Field Way) [from the I Wouldn't Know What to Do single]

The New Tilly and the Wall Album Has No Name
But it does have 11 songs, a release date, and an accompanying tour

MP3: Tilly and the Wall: The Freest Man (CSS remix)
MP3: Tilly and the Wall: Bad Education [from the Bottoms of Barrels LP]

Los Campesinos! Cover Bikini Kill, Deerhoof on Single
Also cover Casiotone for the Painfully Alone

We don't expect to hear shout-outs to Yes and King Crimson from them any time soon, but Los Campesinos! will once again indulge their progressive impulses on their second self-proclaimed "concept single."

"My Year in Lists" is the newest tune from Hold on Now, Youngster... to get the single treatment, and it will be released in the UK on April 14 via Wichita.

The concept of the "My Year in Lists" single is, essentially, shortness. Combined, all three of the single's B-sides clock in at the 1:49 duration of "My Year in Lists". They are also all covers, of songs by Deerhoof, Bikini Kill, and Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, respectively. So sort of like the opposite of prog rock, then. [MORE...]

Video: Los Campesinos!: Various Tracks (Live on Radio Citta del Capo)

Sufjan, Danielson Play Serena-Maneesh Dude's Fest Gig

Sage Francis, Busdriver, Kool Keith Rock Paid Dues
With Fatlip, Boot Camp Clik, Hieroglyphics, Black Moon, Murs, Little Brother, Dilated Peoples

Provided the weather holds and all the East Coasters' planes get in on time, tomorrow (March 22) is going to be quite a Saturday in San Bernardino, California. A motherload of indie rap's finest will take the stage at the city's NOS Events Center for the third annual Paid Dues Festival.

Once again hosted by Murs-- who is apparently running for President-- the big day out will feature performances from Sage Francis, Hieroglyphics, Busdriver, Kool Keith, Boot Camp Clik with Black Moon, Fatlip & Omni, Little Brother, Dilated Peoples, Little Brother, Jedi Mind Tricks, Living Legends, Visionaries, Mac Lethal, Yak Ballz, P.O.S., B. Dolan, and Isaiah.

Attendees should also be on the lookout for a "special surprise guest appearance" from somebody or other. Soulja Boy, perhaps? NO GUYS STOP I DIDN'T MEAN IT...

MP3: Sage Francis, Prolyphic, B. Dolan: SFR Pays Dues

New Elvis Costello Album Due on Vinyl, Download Only
Kick out the jams, Momofukus!

We're going to be in for quite a treat in 2038 when Elvis Costello gives the deluxe double-disc reissue treatment to his forthcoming new album, Momofuku.

But first, he's got to go through that whole "original issue" process, so he has enlisted Lost Highway to put the album out on April 22, according to a Billboard.com report.

The report also reveals Costello's nontraditional release strategy for Momofuku. At least at first, it will come out only on vinyl, with a digital download code inside the package. But it will be supported with a tour-- that previously announced one with the Police.

Since Elvis Costello can never have just one project going on at once, he will also celebrate the world premiere of Nightspot, a Twyla Tharp ballet he scored, on March 28 at the Arsht Center in Miami. According to his website, March 31 will reveal a new "session" from the Coward Brothers, Costello's partnership with producer T-Bone Burnett. It's a "live studio recording of the soundtrack for a stop-frame animation feature adapted from the James Ensor painting, 'Christ's Last Entry Into Brussels'."

And if that wasn't weird enough for ya, Costello's website explains that said Coward Brothers album, Henry and Howard's Last Entry Into Brussels, will be distributed in an even more non-traditional manner than Momofuku: "U.S. edition of record will be released on a state-by-state basis, in alphabetical order. Due to problems with piracy, only one copy will be manufactured for issue in each state or international territory. Individual copies will be encoded with the new, KNARP discriminators and secreted in the racks of selected stockists. Those discovering each unique disc will be free to do with it as their conscience draws it."

That last thing might be a big joke, though. We're not sure. Wouldn't put it past Elvis Costello, though.

Also, in case we have failed to draw the proper attention to this fact so far, THE RECORD IS CALLED MOMOFUKU. We hope the whole thing sounds like the "Boom Shakalaka" chant in the Muppet Treasure Island scene where Miss Piggy is revealed to be the queen of the tribe of wild boars. [MORE...]

Video: Elvis Costello and the Attractions: (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea [from the This Year's Model LP]

Gnarls, Feist, Devendra, Deerhoof Play KCRW Fest

KCRW's World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles will return for its 10th year this summer. The SoCal public radio station will celebrate a decade of collaborating with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association by infusing Sundays throughout the summer with sweet tunes and inspired matchups.

The weekly festival's six installments feature such stellar lineups as Devendra Banhart, Gilberto Gil, and the Album Leaf with Mike Heron from the Incredible String Band, Feist and Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Gnarls Barkley, Youssou N'Dour, and Deerhoof, and Thievery Corporation with Seu Jorge.

KCRW's World Festival begins on June 22 with Thievery/Jorge headlining a show that also features Bebel Gilberto, Los Amigos Invisibles, and Federico Aubele. The full lineup is after the jump.

The Hollywood Bowl also has several notable non-World Festival shows scheduled throughout the coming months, including Brian Wilson on September 12-14, Nick Cave and Spiritualized on September 17, and Etta James and Solomon Burke on August 13. [MORE...]

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists to Open for Pearl Jam
Don't they just look like one big happy Photoshopped family?

Hmmm, wonder if they'll spend any time talking politics? Pearl Jam have made their selections for the opening slots on their forthcoming summer U.S. tour, and dashing young punk Ted Leo and his Pharmacists are among them.

It seems Ted and company will take up with Eddie etc. starting June 19 in Camden, New Jersey and follow the stadium-rock staples through the rest of the month. Actually, it sounds like a good choice all around: Pearl Jam get one of the best live bands in the world to front for 'em, and Ted can school the masses to the ways of the world a few more folks at a time than he's generally accustomed. Plus he gets to rock Madison Square Garden!

Kings of Leon, who are kind of the complete antithesis of Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, will open the rest of Pearl Jam's tour.

Ted, sans Ed, hits the UK next month. He also recently remixed Spoon's "Don't You Evah" for an upcoming single, and appears on the just-released DVD of the first season of "Human Giant".

As for Pearl Jam, the rest of their dates are available after the jump. Eddie Vedder has a solo West Coast trek going down at the beginning of April. [MORE...]

MP3: Ted Leo: Nothing Much to Say [live on Fair Game]

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.)