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Wednesday, June 10

The Raveonettes Use Twitter as Focus Group on Work in Progress

The Raveonettes Use Twitter as Focus Group on Work in Progress

The "Real World"-ization of music continues with hazy Danish duo the Raveonettes, who plan to give away their forthcoming album-- due this Fall on Vice-- while they record it. Well, studio demos, that is, which they are posting to their Twitter.

In a MySpace message, the band wrote: "Don't be shy to leave comments for the tunes, we most definitely appreciate your opinion! We wanna make the best Raveonettes album to date!" The first demo, tentatively titled "Last Dance", is currently downloadable via the Raveonettes' Twitter.

While the band-by-committee concept is attractive in theory-- totally open communication between fan and artist, finally!-- it also demolishes some of the inherent mystery associated with the act of making music. Not to get all Jack White with it, but this "Big Brother"-type stuff bums me out a little.

Interested parties can sign up for more in-progress Raveonettes updates and MP3s here.

Posted by Ryan Dombal on June 10, 2009 at 2:50 p.m.

Tags: Audio, The Raveonettes

 

Premiere: Anti-Pop Consortium: "Capricorn One" [MP3/Stream]

Premiere: Anti-Pop Consortium: "Capricorn One" [MP3/Stream]

The New York skronk-rap crew Anti-Pop Consortium reunited a couple of years ago, and they're getting set to drop Fluorescent Black, their long-awaited comeback album and first full-length since 2002's Arrhythmia. Big Dada will release the album on October 13 (not the September 9 release date we originally reported). The trippy sci-fi album cover is above; check below for the tracklist.

Here's a brand new Fluorescent Black track. It's called "Capricorn One", and it may very well melt your brain.



MP3:> Anti-Pop Consortium: "Capricorn One"

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Kanye West to Tour With Lady Gaga

The shoe budget is going to be bonkers. Kanye West to Tour With Lady Gaga

Leave it to Kanye to get Lady Gaga on the front page of Pitchfork. The rapper made the most of his appearance on "The View" today, announcing a co-headlining tour with the "Poker Face" pop freak, according to MTV News.

Whose set will be more insane? Who will wear the most mirrored clothing? And, most important: will either artist be able to actually see anything out of their colossal sunglasses?

Those aren't the only questions up in the air considering West apparently didn't give away when or where any of the shows are going down. Could this mean he's getting ready to promote a brand new LP? Then again, he never officially toured behind last year's 808s and Heartbreak, despite numerous promotional appearances. So many questions.

Check out the MTV story for more.

Posted by Ryan Dombal on June 10, 2009 at 2:05 p.m.

Tags: Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Tour

 

New Release: Flying Lotus: L.A. EP 3 X 3

New Release: Flying Lotus: <i>L.A. EP 3 X 3</i>

Artist: Flying Lotus
EP: L.A. EP 3 X 3
Release Date: July 20
Label: Warp

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Blitzen Trapper Ready EP, Tour

Blitzen Trapper Ready EP, Tour

Since early 2008, Portland twangers Blitzen Trapper have been selling a CD-R with six unreleased tracks at their live show. On August 24, Sub Pop will release the Black River Killer EP, which will include all six of those songs, plus the title track, which previously appeared on last year's Furr.

Of course, if Blitzen Trapper were only still selling the EP at shows and nowhere else, you'd still have plenty of opportunities to buy it. The band recently announced another set of tour dates, and these guys are going to be on the road well into autumn. One of those dates, of course, will be at our very own Pitchfork Music Festival. Those dates are below, along with the Black River Killer tracklist.

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Air Soundtrack Short Film

Air Soundtrack Short Film

"Hear, Earth, Heart" is a meditative short film from ridiculously talented Chinese visual artist Yi Zhou that features an exclusive piece by Air called "The Dream of Yi". You can watch and listen to most of it at Zhou's site. The film premiered in Paris last year, and now it's showing as part of Art Basel, the modern art extravaganza running in Basel, Switzerland from June 10-14. According to Air's MySpace, the Basel showing features "Hear, Earth, Heart" projected onto a marble plate!

Another Zhou piece, "My Heart Laid Bare"-- starring a severely heartbroken Charlotte Gainsbourg and featuring music by Chester French-- will also play (on a plate) at Basel. You can watch that one at the artist's site as well. RIYL Björk music videos circa Homogenic.

Posted by Ryan Dombal on June 10, 2009 at 12:20 p.m.

Tags: Air, Film

 

News in Brief: Bat for Lashes, Thrill Jockey, Spinnerette, Hove Festival

News in Brief: Bat for Lashes, Thrill Jockey, Spinnerette, Hove Festival

-- Two titans of decayed indie rock elegance will intersect when TV on the Radio production mastermind Dave Sitek, under the pseudonym 909, remixes Bat for Lashes' slow-burn synth jam "Sleep Alone". Sitek's remix will appear as a B-side for Bat for Lashes' "Pearl's Dream" 7", which Parlophone will release in the UK on June 22. There's a snippet of the remix up on Bat For Lashes' MySpace page, and it sounds appropriately witchy. The digital version of the "Pearl's Dream" single, meanwhile, will include live versions of "Good Love" and "Siren Song".

-- The Chicago indie Thrill Jockey occasionally puts out limited editions of music more experimental and avant-garde than the stuff on their regular roster. And given that their regular roster includes the likes of the Boredoms and Tortoise, that should give you some idea what you're getting into here. On August 18, Thrill Jockey will release two such albums: Lokai's Transition and Sycamore, a collaboration between David Daniell (San Agustin) and Douglas McCombs (Tortoise, Eleventh Dream Day). And yesterday, June 9, Thrill Jockey reissued Heads on Fire, the 2007 album from NYC space-rockers White Hills; it's on vinyl for the first time.

-- On June 23, Anthem/RED will release the self-titled debut album from Spinnerette, former Distillers frontwoman Brody Dalle's new scuzz-rock project. Spinnerette will tour this summer.

-- The Hove Festival goes down June 22-25 in Arendal, Norway. This year's bill includes the Killers, Faith No More, Franz Ferdinand, Fleet Foxes, M83, Q-Tip, M. Ward, Lykke Li, Ratatat, and the Gaslight Anthem.

Posted by Tom Breihan on June 10, 2009 at 12:05 p.m.

Tags: Album, Bat For Lashes, Dave Sitek, Festival, Hove, Remix, Single, Spinnerettes, Thrill Jockey, TV on the Radio, White Hills

 

Devendra Banhart Remixes Oasis

Download the sufficiently freaky redo right now. Devendra Banhart Remixes Oasis

Photo by Lauren Dukoff

After pulling off an R-rated, tropicália-style cover of Oasis's "Don't Look Back in Anger" a few years ago, Devendra Banhart is airing out his Noel and Liam fan-dom once again. This time, he offers a trippy remix of the stomping kiss-off "(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady" from the Manchester stalwarts' 2008 LP, Dig Out Your Soul. Pink Floyd-y synths ahoy.

You have to register to download the remix at Oasisinet. Or, there's also this thing called Google.

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Jesus Lizard Reveal Reissue Details, Tour

Jesus Lizard Reveal Reissue Details, Tour

Photo by Joshua Black Wilkins

This is going to be one grimy summer. Chicago pigfuck legends the Jesus Lizard are back on the scene. And before the weather gets cold, they'll play a few shows and reissue their first four albums: Head, Goat, Liar, and Down. If the Jesus Lizard's grand return doesn't bring violence back to indie rock, I don't know what will.

So: Can David Yow still twist his junk into pretzels onstage? We'll find out this summer! You already know that the Jesus Lizard will play our very own Pitchfork Music Festival, which goes down at Chicago's Union Park July 17-19. (Their set is part of the "Write the Night" series, in which ticketholders choose the setlist.) But if you can't make it to that show, don't stress too hard. The Jesus Lizard have announced a bunch of dates well into the fall. Bassist David Wm. Sims has listed the tour dates on his blog, and he promises more to come. That itinerary is below.

Also listed below are the tracklists for those Jesus Lizard reissues. Originally scheduled to come out in May, they will now be released on September 22 on CD and vinyl via Touch and Go. Bob Weston and Steve Albini worked together to remaster the records, which will include bonus tracks and extended liner notes. All these reissues will be out on CD, MP3, and vinyl. The CD version of the Head reissue will also include the band's debut EP, Pure, though that will be available separately on vinyl. All of the reissued LPs will come with download codes for the full tracklists, including the bonus material.

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New Release: Blues Control: Local Flavor

New Release: Blues Control: <i>Local Flavor</i>

Artist: Blues Control
Album: Local Flavor
Release Date: July 14
Label: Siltbreeze

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