Bowerbirds Reveal Deluxe Hymns, Tour With Bon Iver

Photo by Kathryn Yu

Bowerbirds' Pitchfork Recommended 2007 LP Hymns for a Dark Horse has itself a new label, a couple new tracks, and a brand new release date: June 17 in North America and August 18 in the UK from Dead Oceans. The disc, originally issued by Pitchfork contributor Grayson Currin's Burly Time imprint, is bolstered by "La Denigración" and "Matchstick Maker". It will also make its way to vinyl for the first time for the Dead Oceans incarnation.

Those Bowerbirds are touring quite a bit across the weeks and months to come, with a bunch of dates with kinda-sorta-labelmate Bon Iver in July and August. [MORE...]

Kanye's Mom Honored With Library & Literacy Center

In addition to managing her son's rapidly expanding business enterprises, the late Dr. Donda West led humanitarian efforts as the chairwoman of the Kanye West Foundation. This fall, as a result of one of those efforts, the village of Bongema, Sierra Leone will celebrate Dr. West's charitable legacy by building a "Donda West Library & Literacy Center."

Here's the story, according to a post on Kanye's blog:

In 2005, Donda West and the Kanye West Foundation donated $5000 to provide textbooks for children in Sierra Leone. Those funds were used to completely rehabilitate a dilapidated, roofless school building for 416 children. A new roof, new desks, new books, and a new future for children who eagerly attended school faithfully each day, regardless of their dire surroundings and home life. As a result of Ms. West's generous donation, Shine on Sierra Leone was developed to sustain these initial efforts.

In 2008, Muddy Lotus Primary [pictured above] was dedicated to the memory of Donda West and her love for education. In honor of this, Shine on Sierra Leone plans to break ground for the 'Donda West Library & Literacy Center' (DWLC) this fall. The Donda West Literacy Center will answer the call to an 80% illiteracy rate in the community of Bongema. Serving as a library for the students of Muddy Lotus, DWLC will extend its reach to the community, offering free literacy classes to parents within the community.

Returning to North America, Kanye still has a couple weeks left on his "Glow in the Dark" tour, which continues May 29 in Edmonton, Alberta. [MORE...]

Gorillaz Craft Promos for BBC Olympics Coverage

It's been four years since they last held the summer Olympic games, and the powers that be (Zeus, etc.) have come together and decided it might be just as good a summer as any to hold another one. And so they shall: the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held in and around Beijing, China August 8-24. And while we Yanks get reacquainted with the genial trivia font that is Bob Costas, UK sports fans tuning into BBC Sport will be met with an eyeful of Gorillaz.

Yep, Gorillaz-- the fake band with the big hits headed up by Blur frontguy Damon Albarn and animator Jamie Hewlett-- have worked up both a title sequence and original music for the network's broadcast of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, according to NME.com and confirmed by the BBC Sport website. It all sprung out of Monkey Journey to the West, the stage show Albarn and Hewlett created based on a traditional Chinese folktale.

"The idea is that you tell the entire story of Journey to the West in a two-minute opening sequence, which is basically them on their way to the Olympic stadium," Hewlett told the BBC Sport website. Executive producer Jonathan Bramley explained, "Monkey's journey to the West becomes a journey to the East. Monkey and the characters will travel across China to Beijing. While they will use magical powers to fight off various monsters and demons, they'll also use all sorts of Olympic sports as well. So Monkey might use gymnastic powers, Pigsy will be hurdling, and Sandy uses taekwondo."

Here in the U.S., we will probably get the Black Eyed Peas dancing with Al Roker. That is in no way a complaint.

Monkey Journey to the West is currently being performed at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina through June 8. Following that, it'll come to London's Royal Opera House July 23-26. And lest those breakup rumors from last year still have you wondering, Gorillaz (and Roots Manuva) appear on "Soldier Boy", the b-side to the new Martina Topley-Bird single "Poison", which is out now.

Albarn will also preside over the Honest Jon's Revue, a concert taking place at New York City's Lincoln Center on July 12. It features performances from artists on Albarn's Honest Jon's label roster, including Candi Staton, Afel Bocoum, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Kokanko Sata, Lobi Traore, and Simone White.

Love Is All, Ladybug Transistor, Tullycraft Play Popfest

Ah, to be a twee fan in the Big Apple in mid-June. This year's NYC Popfest, getting smiley at a number of Manhattan/Brooklyn locales over the long weekend of June 12-15, will once again gather the cream of the indie pop crop for four glorious days and nights of bouncy tempos and million part harmonies.

Joining the fun at the 2008 event are the likes of Love Is All, the Ladybug Transistor, Tullycraft, Mahogany, Pants Yell!, the Besties, the Orchids, the Cannanes, the Hermit Crabs, Friday Bridge, My Teenage Stride, Cats on Fire, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and quite a few more bands named after nouns or tender feelings.

Sharon Jones Plans Shows, Daptone Compiles Singles

Looks like it's back to the road for Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, who'll hit the touring circuit anew later this month. After a run of gigs on this continent, the tireless soul revivalists will grace Europe in July, then return to North America to close out the summer. And they'll look sharp doing it, too.

In yet another smooth move from this crew, Daptone Records has compiled some of their favorite vinyl-only morsels for the second volume of the Daptone 7 Inch Singles Collection, due June 3 from the label. Gathering a baker's dozen tunes never before released off wax, the digital-only collection sports Sharon and the Dap-Kings on a cover of "I Just Dropped In to See What Condition My Condition Is In" and a Sharon-less Kings doing "Nervous Like Me". [MORE...]

Blonde Redhead's Simone Pace, Soft Circle Do Bike Fest

Brooklynites! Fasten the chinstrap on those helmets, peep that tire pressure, and pedal on down to Studio B tonight (May 28) for Bikes Rock, a kickoff event for the traveling 2008 Bicycle Film Festival. While there, you'll be treated to a night of music, film, and rubbing the grease from your right trouser leg.

The night's highlights are manifold: Blonde Redhead's Simone Pace will provide a live score for Danish filmmaker Jørgen Leth's 1974 cycling film Den Umulige Time (The Impossible Hour), while Soft Circle and Daniel Leeb of Cinecycle Productions will present a multimedia piece that incorporates sounds made using bicycle parts. Additionally, there will be performances from Lucky Dragons, Chairlift, and Sweatshop Labor, plus some bicycle-powered turntablism! The event kicks off New York City's five-day run of Film Festival events, though the two-wheel soirée rolls on to a number of worldwide locations throughout the rest of the year.

Aaron Dessner Discusses Red Hot Comp, the National
Charity compilation additions include Feist collaborating with Ben Gibbard and with Grizzly Bear, Bright Eyes, Spoon, New Pornographers, Antony, Yo La Tengo, Stuart Murdoch

If you thought the initial lineup for the latest compilation benefiting AIDS charity Red Hot looked pretty unreal, well, it just might be time to re-define your reality. In a recent conversation with Pitchfork, Aaron Dessner-- who is co-curating the comp along with his twin brother and National bandmate Bryce-- shed some more light on what's fast shaping up to be the definitive snapshot of indie rock in the 00s.

I mean, just look at the lineup. In addition to previously mentioned contributions from Sufjan Stevens, Feist, Grizzly Bear, the Decemberists, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, the National themselves, and the combined powers of David Byrne and Dirty Projectors, Dessner tells us the Red Hot set will also feature Bright Eyes, Spoon, the New Pornographers, Antony (with Bryce Dessner), Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch, the Books with José González (covering Nick Drake's "Cello Song"), Blonde Redhead, Bon Iver, Andrew Bird, My Brightest Diamond (covering "Feeling Good", famously interpreted by Nina Simone), Sigur Rós offshoot Riceboy Sleeps, and TV on the Radio's David Sitek.

As if that weren't nutty enough, Feist actually appears twice-- once with Grizzly Bear, and once with Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard-- while the National are joined by ace composer/arranger Nico Muhly on their track. Grizzly Bear have a second tune, sans Feist, as well. And those are just the confirmed participants; Dessner expects quite a few more. "It'll probably end up being between 24 and 30 tracks," he reports. "We're probably about 80% done with it...we're hoping for a fall release, but it may be an early 2009 release, depending on a few people that we're still waiting on."

The comp will not necessarily be called Red Hot + Indie, as some have suggested. According to Dessner, they've yet to settle on a title for it. The Beggars Group will release the album, while proceeds will go to Population Services International's YouthAIDS organization.

Aaron, who has worked for Red Hot and sister company Funny Garbage, is impressed with the response the comp has received so far. "We're kind of shocked at how enthusiastic people have been," he says. "It hasn't been hard to convince people to do this, because everybody knows about Red Hot, and because a lot of us had [1993 Red Hot charity comp] No Alternative. That had the hidden Nirvana track on there, which was like a big thing back then."

He's also thrilled with the results to date. "We've been amazed...people are giving us great tracks. I think maybe part of that is people know Red Hot and part of it is like, whenever you get all of your peers together, nobody wants to have the dog, you know?" [MORE...]

Bjork, Battles, Hercules, Field Go Wild in the Country

Björk, Battles, Hercules & Love Affair, and the Field top the electronic-heavy lineup of this year's Wild in the Country festival.

Going down at Knebworth, England's Knebworth House on July 5, Wild in the Country also features live performances from Foals, Booka Shade, Soulwax, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, Audion, the Presets, the Count & Sinden, and Metronomy.

Since no self-respecting dance festival could do without some pure DJ sets, Wild in the Country also has some of those coming from Carl Craig, Switch, 2manydjs, Faithless (Sister Bliss & Maxi Jazz), Dixon, Richie Hawtin, M.A.N.D.Y., and Mylo.

Photos: Sasquatch! Festival [Monday] (NSFW)

Photos by Nilina Mason-Campbell; Above: The Flaming Lips

Another year, another Sasquatch! sighting at George, Washington's Gorge (which still sounds naughty every time we mention it). This year's three-day Memorial Day weekend bonanza concluded Monday, May 26 with the likes of the Flaming Lips (with a few NSFW guests, tucked away safely after the jump), Battles, Jamie Lidell, Yeasayer, the Hives, the Mars Volta, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and Thao With the Get Down Stay Down. Scope some Saturday and Sunday shots here and here, and check back tomorrow for full-fledged feature coverage.

Yeasayer [Sasquatch! Mainstage; 12:10 p.m.]






Thao With the Get Down Stay Down [Wookie! Stage; 1:25 p.m.]






The Hives [Sasquatch! Mainstage; 2:10 p.m.]




Rodrigo y Gabriela [Sasquatch! Mainstage; 4:40 p.m.]




Battles [Wookie! Stage; 5:55 p.m.]







[MORE...]

Def Jux Rapper/Producer Camu Tao, R.I.P.

Tero Smith, aka Columbus, Ohio MC and producer Camu Tao, died May 25 at the age of 30. His passing put an end to a year-and-a-half-long battle with lung cancer.

A member of the Definitive Jux family, Camu Tao worked with RJD2 and Copywrite in MHz, with Cage in Nighthawks, and Metro in S.A. Smash. He collaborated frequently with El-P, both on solo projects and in their groups Central Services and the Weathermen (which also included Cage, Yak Ballz, Tame One, and Breeze Brewin).

El-P eulogized Smith on his Okay Player blog:

"Today, at around 2 p.m., our dear friend, family member, and musical collaborator Tero 'Camu Tao' Smith passed away in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Tero had been quietly fighting for his life for the last year and a half after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

To those who knew Tero, he was an almost uncategorizable force of nature. Wild, hilarious, proud, loving, tough, outspoken, spontaneous and brilliant. He wore his heart on his sleeve, and he dripped creativity, leaving inspiration and awe in the hearts and minds of anyone who was fortunate enough to see him work.

We, his friends and family, have truly had our collective hearts broken by his passing. Not only because of the loss of our friend, but because of the loss of his contribution to those who never knew what we knew about his talent and his potential. He was the secret that no one wanted to keep, and we always knew that one day his vision and his heart could change music forever the way he changed all of our lives.

His departure from us all one month away from his 31st birthday is nothing less than a tragedy...nothing less than a crime. He was a gift to us all, and he is irreplaceable. Rest in peace, Mu. We will love you forever. May god bless you and your family."

Photos: Sasquatch! Festival [Sunday]

Photos by Nilina Mason-Campbell; Above: The Cure

Another year, another Sasquatch! sighting at George, Washington's Gorge (which still sounds naughty every time we mention it). This year's three-day Memorial Day weekend bonanza continued Sunday, May 25 with the likes of the Cure, Death Cab for Cutie, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Mates of State, Tegan and Sara, Rogue Wave, and White Rabbits. Scope some Saturday shots here, stay tuned for photos of Monday's festivities, and check back tomorrow for full-fledged feature coverage.

White Rabbits [Wookie! Stage; 3:40 p.m.]




Tegan and Sara [Sasquatch! Mainstage; 4:15 p.m.]




Rogue Wave [Wookie! Stage; 4:45 p.m.]


Mates of State [Wookie! Stage; 6 p.m.]




Death Cab for Cutie [Sasquatch! Mainstage; 8:15 p.m.]






Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks [Wookie! Stage; 8:45 p.m.]






The Cure [Sasquatch! Mainstage; 10 p.m.]

Kanye, Wilco, R. Kelly on Hood Internet Chicago Mix

Photo by Clayton Hauck/everyoneisfamous.com

Chicago mashup masters the Hood Internet fete their hometown on their new mixtape, the straightforwardly titled The Hood Internet vs. Chicago.

DJs STV SLV and ABX (aka Steve Reidell and Aaron Brink) bring their rap/R&B-fish-in-rock-waters aesthetic to their hometown, throwing Chicago MCs on top of music by Chicago bands and producers.

Artists featured on the mixtape include Kanye West, Kid Sister, Wilco, R. Kelly, Smashing Pumpkins, Common, Andrew Bird, the Cool Kids, Liz Phair, Rhymefest, Tortoise, Twista, Frankie Knuckles, Lupe Fiasco, the Sea and Cake, Dude N Nem, Ministry, Big Black, and, of course, the greatest rappers in Chicago history, the 1985 Chicago Bears.

The Hood Internet vs. Chicago makes its free digital appearance on the duo's blog via Two Thumbs Down today, May 27.

The Hood Internet have a handful of shows scheduled for this summer as well. [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.)