February At The 9:30 Club

If you're wondering, here's what's coming to the 9:30 Club in February:

Feb 1 The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus w/ Emery, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, A Static Lullaby, Kaddisfly
Feb 2 Cowboy Mouth w/ Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk
Feb 3 Big Head Todd and The Monsters
Feb 5,6 Goo Goo Dolls w/ Augustana
Feb 8 Dust Galaxy w/ Revival & Georgie James
Feb 9 Jonathan Richman feat. Tommy Larkins
Feb 9,10 Galactic
Feb 10 BLOWOFF Featuring the DJ Sounds of Bob Mould & Richard Morel
Feb 13 Rickie Lee Jones
Feb 14 The Mooney Suzuki
Feb 15 MN8 Presents Eric Roberson
Feb 16 MTV.com Presents Lily Allen
Feb 17 Mastodon w/ Converge & Priestess
Feb 19,20 Slayer w/ Unearth
Feb 21 Gym Class Heroes w/ RX Bandits, P.O.S., K-OS
Feb 22 Rusted Root w/ Quintus
Feb 23 Anberlin w/ Bayside, Meg & Dia, Jonezetta
Feb 24 Cute Is What We Aim For w/ All Time Low, This Providence, Brighten (early show. 3:30 PM Doors)
Feb 24 Van Wilder Tour feat. Everclear
Feb 25,26 Jack's Mannequin w/ We Are The Fury
Feb 28 Guster w/ Mason Jennings

Del.ici.ous, Digg, Reddit Problems

These social bookmark sites have been giving me grief the last couple of days, so I have temporarily removed them (thanks to those of you who pointed out the SNAFU). Once I figure out the code that doesn't destroy the page layout, I will bring them back. On a related note, anyone using Blogger who has highly customized their template and tried switching to the new blogger customizable templates? They are a pain, too.

Noise Pop 2007 Lineup Schedule Announced

The schedule for Noise Pop 2007 has been announced. Running from February 27 to March 4 in San Francisco, the lineup includes a reunited Sebadoh, Alexi Murdoch w/ Aqueduct & The Bird and The Bee, Lyrics Born, the French Kicks, The Donnas, the Annuals, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, The Dandy Warhols, The Brightblack Morning Light, Clinic, The Dwarves, and Cake, amongst others.

5th Annual Langerado Music Festival: March 9-11, 2007

While we're going nuts talking about festivals, and waiting for the V-Day announcement of the Bonnaroo lineup, let's talk about Langerado. Scheduled for March 9 through 11 in Sunrise, Florida, the lineup will include Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio, moe., My Morning Jacket, O.A.R., Matisyahu, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Medeski Martin & Wood, Galactic, The Disco Biscuits, Sound Tribe Sector 9, The New Pornographers, Los Lobos, Taj Mahal, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues, North Mississippi Allstars, The Greyboy Allstars, Toots and the Maytals, Blackalicious, JJ Grey and MOFRO, Explosions in the Sky, Pepper, New Orleans Social Club, Soulive, Perpetual Groove, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, The Hold Steady, Yerba Buena, Tea Leaf Green, New Monsoon, The Mutaytor, Band of Horses, Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) and Steve Reid, Assembly of Dust, The SLIP, Girl Talk, Toubab Krewe, Lotus, Apollo Sunshine, Si*Sé, Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Spam Allstars, Dubconscious, Jake Shimabukuro, Kid Beyond, and many more.

Langerado ought to be a welcome alternative to Bonnaroo if you don't want to deal with the summer heat or the growing commercialism of the fest. You can buy tickets here. Right now, three day passes are $125.

Wilco Considering Numerous Tracks For New Album, Sky Blue Sky

According to the Wilco website, "The band are in the final stretch on the new record, which they're calling Sky Blue Sky. It's scheduled for worldwide release (Nonesuch Records) on 15 May. Some of the 18+ plus tracks recorded and being considered for inclusion are "Impossible Germany", "Shake it Off", "Glad it's Over", "Side with the Seeds", "Walken" and "Either Way". Watch this space for more updates and maybe even some music soon(ish). Oh, and per the press release, it's the first studio record with the sextet lineup that was heard on the 2-cd live set Kicking Television."

Bloc Party: Jack White Is "Treacherous"

According to Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke, Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs) is a punk when it comes to speaking out on political issues. Okereke states that he was amazed when White "said it wasn't his job to be critical about foreign policy because he was being paid to be an entertainer. I thought that was treacherous because it's complicit with the capitalist society. Selling more records is the only thing that's important to him, not provoking debate." Source: NME

Capitalist society aside, how does Meg White feel? We already know Bob Dylan (who had the Raconteurs open on his recent tour) is hanging his head in shame for poor Jack.




Bloc Party's Weekend in the City releases next Tuesday, February 6.

NYC Release Party For Air's Pocket Symphony

TRIPNOTICA, in collaboration with Filter Magazine, presents the New York record release party for Air's thrilling new album, Pocket Symphony(Astralwerks, March 6, 2007). The official preview event will include promotional giveaways and will be held at The Delancey in New York City on Sunday, February 18th, from 7pm -- 2am. Admission is $10. The Delancey is located at 168 Delancey Street, between Clinton and Attorney Streets, NYC.

Free MP3: Aqueduct - "As You Wish"

Aqueduct, a one man band all full of mariachi horns, grand piano, computers, and yes, of course, guitars, is about to deliver a new album. It's called Or Give Me Death, and it drops on February 20 from Barsuk. The single, "As You Wish", demonstrates what Aqueduct has to offer, and offers up a fantastic pop hook including the phrase "I'll probably kill you in the morning", a death threat that sounds good to me.

Aqueduct - "As You Wish"

Free MP3: MSTRKRFT - "Street Justice"

About to tour with John Digweed as part of the Diamonds Tour, give MSTRKRFT a day in court, and they might deliver some "Street Justice".

MSTRKRFT - "Street Justice"



If you like what you hear, click on the album art to buy The Looks.

Free MP3: Albert Hammond, Jr. - "In Transit"

Albert Hammond, Jr., guitarist for The Strokes, embarks on his solo career with Yours To Keep, due out March 6 from New Line Records. The album features guest appearances from the likes of Sean Lennon, Ben Kweller and Jody Porter from Fountains of Wayne. An indie pop reprieve from Strokes rock, Yours To Keep's lead single "In Transit" comes complete with harmonies and clever, poppy guitar hooks.

Click the art to buy the album after you listen to the MP3:

Albert Hammond, Jr. - "In Transit"

Free MP3: Peter Bjorn & John - "Young Folks"

Peter Bjorn & John are at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC tonight, before taking a coast-to-coast flight for these dates:

February
01 Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy
02 Long Beach, CA - Fingerprints Records




The new PB&J (get it?) album comes out February 6 on Almost Gold Recordings, and you can pre-order by clicking the album art.

For now, have some PB&J for breakfast, lunch, dinner, whatever meal is approaching and download "Young Folks" by Peter Bjorn & John. Whistling, toe-tapping percussion, a head-bobbing bass hook, all lovely.

Speaking Of Mike Patton: Peeping Tom Tour Dates

As Mike Patton and Norah Jones celebrate her awesome album sales today, here are Peeping Tom's tour dates for Spring 2007 (Rahzel will be joining Patton on this tour):

Mar. 30, 2007 Dallas, TX Granada Theatre
Mar. 31, 2007 Austin, TX Emo's
Apr. 2, 2007 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Apr. 4, 2007 Atlanta, GA Center Stage
Apr. 5, 2007 Carborro, NC Cat's Cradle
Apr. 6, 2007 Baltimore, MD Ram's Head Live!
Apr. 7, 2007 Philadelphia, PA Theater of Living Arts
Apr. 9, 2007 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Apr. 10, 2007 Boston, MA Paradise
Apr. 11, 2007 Montreal, QC Spectrum
Apr. 12, 2007 Toronto, ON Phoenix
Apr. 14, 2007 Cleveland, OH Agora
Apr. 15, 2007 Chicago, IL Park West
Apr. 16, 2007 Minneapolis, MN Trocadero
Apr. 18, 2007 Denver, CO Gothic
Apr. 19, 2007 Salt Lake City, UT Depot
Apr. 21, 2007 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
Apr. 22, 2007 Vancouver, BC Commodore
Apr. 23, 2007 Seattle, WA Showbox
Apr. 25, 2007 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
Apr. 27, 2007 Indio, CA Coachella Festival

You might steal the Raveonettes from us, Boston, but you have to share Mike Patton!

Norah Jones Not Too Late Releases Today, Is Amazon's Best-Selling Presale Ever. Mike Patton Fans Rejoice!

Amazon.com today announced that Norah Jones’ third album, Not Too Late has become the most pre-ordered album of all time on Amazon.com. The album released today, but you can still click on the art and buy it.



I suspect the reason for such a great presale was all the fans of Mike Patton's Peeping Tom project, issued by Ipecac, which include Norah Jones being, um, vulgar.

"Whatever, Man. I'm So Happy With Millenium Edition!" Windows Vista Launches Today

Today is the day that PC owners can purchase Windows Vista. Of great concern to even the least savvy consumer should be (1) security flaws and (2) compatibility issues. For those into desktop music production, head on over to CreateDigitalMusic.com for a quick update on who has the drivers you need to run Vista and keep jamming.

"Once Upon A Time" - New Single From Air

"Once Upon A Time", the new single from Air's forthcoming album Pocket Symphony is now available on iTunes. The album is slated for release on March 6 from Astralwerks. To preorder, click the art below:

iPod Shuffle: In Living Color (5 of them, to be exact)

Apple today announced that the world's most wearable digital music player is now available in colors: blue, pink, green, orange and the original silver.

"iPod shuffle is the world's most wearable digital music player," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing, in the press release. "Music fans can now choose iPod shuffle in one of five brilliant colors, or they can buy one of each."

You can buy it now, $79 each.

"I'll Have A Latte, And Download The New Tapes 'N Tapes": Starbucks May Introduce MP3 Downloads In Stores

According to a report from The Seattle Times, the ubiquitous Starbucks is likely to test MP3 downloading in some stores very soon.

Two weeks ago, Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz hinted "Within 12 months, probably, you're going to be able to walk into a Starbucks and digitally be able to fill up your MP3 player with music."

While that statement is probably slightly lofty for all but those in the largest test markets, with iTunes giving Starbucks a space on the iTunes store, and Schultz's statement, MP3s and lattes are all but a certainty in the next couple of years.

Pretty Girls Make Graves Calling It Quits, Start Digging Their Own Hole. RIP!

Pretty Girls Make Graves are calling it quits, but not until after one final tour. The drummer, Nick DeWitt, has left the group, and as they state on their website, the remaining members "feel like it wouldn't be right to continue on without him. The 5 of us feel very lucky to have met and worked with some truly amazing people over the years. Thank you all so much..."

Details about the last tour are TBA.

Pardon all the corny death references in the post title.

New York's Knitting Factory Makes Serious Sound Improvements

The Knitting Factory in New York today announced all-new lighting and PA systems, a new onstage monitor mix position and an HD audio/video capture system.

"The Knitting Factory has never looked or sounded better," said Jared Hoffman, President and CEO of Knitting Factory Entertainment (KFE). "Entering our milestone 20th year, we are actively building on our reputation, not only as the place that showcases the best in emerging and established music, but also as a state-of-the-art venue that provides the very best audio-visual live music experiences. Equipping the NY facility with the most advanced technology we could find is just one more way we're demonstrating our absolute commitment to artists and audiences alike."

Want the technical specs?

Lighting System
The Knitting Factory's new intelligent lighting system unleashes an unlimited color palette and dazzling special effects. Driven by the programmable Hog 500 lighting console, the system features top-of-the-line Vari-Lite 2500 moving head luminaires, high-impact Martin Atomic 3000 watt strobe fixtures and the DF-50 atmospheric fog hazer. The system also boasts a professional par can array enabling frontal lighting and full washes of the stage from multiple angles.

Live Sound System
The venue's brand-new live sound system is anchored by a 32-channel Soundcraft MH3 console at front-of-house, and features state-of-the-art Meyer Sound UPA-2P and UPJ-1P self-powered main speakers and USW-1 sub-woofers. Outboard processors include popular devices by Klark-Teknik, Drawmer, TC Electronics, Lexicon and Meyer Sound. Also included are an onstage monitor position, featuring a new 24-channel Midas Siena console manned by a dedicated monitor engineer for the best stage sound possible.

HD Audio/Visual Content Capture System
In addition to the lighting and sound system upgrade, KFE is also installing a ground-breaking content capture system that will enable record labels and artists to cost-effectively capture live music content in high-definition quality. The system boasts 4 Sony BRC-H700 HD audio/video cameras and can be customized with unlimited operator/floor cameras for additional angles and shots, mixing, and post-production. Controlled from a production booth by a dedicated director, each robotic camera features independent pan, tilt, zoom capabilities. Additionally, the system boasts a Panasonic HD/SD switcher with full effects and processing, facilitating fast delivery of professional line edits (or camera ISO) to SD and HD DVD or cartridge formats. Multitrack or stereo audio capture is also available. A matching HD A/V capture system is also being installed in the Knitting Factory's Hollywood venue.



These improvements will make the live experience better, but will also allow for some [Insert Artist Name] - Live At The Knitting Factory albums that will enhance the venue's brand name.

The Raveonettes Announce (Potentially FREE) US Shows

The Raveonettes are beginning to announce some dates for a 2007 tour. Confirmed are:

3/10 - Brooklyn, NY @ Southpaw
3/11 - Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell's
3/12 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
3/14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's
3/15 - Boston, MA @ T.T. The Bear's
3/16 - Washington, DC @ Rock N Roll Hotel

A scheduled Baltimore show was dropped in favor of Boston. Boo!

What's best is, you might get in free! Fans are asked to send the band messages on why they should be picked to be put on the guest list. See more on their MySpace.

Win Free Subscription To Filter Magazine, Courtesy of Fluevog Shoes

Fluevog Shoes, worn by such favorite celebrities as Madonna, Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, and even Perry Farrell (Formerly of Jane's Addiction and forever the founder of Lollapalooza), is hosting a contest to win a free subscription to Filter Magazine. All you have to do is vote for your favorite advertisement for a new pair of Fluevogs. Thousands will vote, only 10 will win.

New Audio From Bright Eyes: "Tourist Trap" From Forthcoming EP The Four Winds, Full Length Cassadaga Comes Out April 10

Head on over to the Saddle Creek Records to hear the new Bright Eyes track "Tourist Trap". The song is from the EP The Four Winds which will release on March 6. Following that, the full length album Cassadaga will be issued April 10.

And catch Bright Eyes at the 9:30 Club March 5.

Free MP3: Rob Crow - "I Hate You, Rob Crow"

Last week, Rob Crow of Pinback released a solo album, Living Well. In case you haven't picked it up yet, and need a nudge, download this free MP3:

Rob Crow - "I Hate You, Rob Crow"

Very poppy, with grungy guitars and a great hook, "I Hate You, Rob Crow" shows that this album should be seen as his best solo work, and should sell accordingly.

As soon as you decide it's totally awesome, click on the album cover above to buy the CD.

Pearl Jam On European Vacation During Summer 2007, Schedules European Tour. No Bonnaroo For PJ?

Pollstar reports that Pearl Jam has scheduled a European tour for this summer, kicking off on June 8 at Passeio Maritimo Alges in Lisbon, Portugal, and includes dates in Spain, Germany, Poland, Italy, Austria, England, Denmark, Holland and Belgium.

More importantly, NME reports a PJ show at Wembley Arena on June 18, and that they will also play seven festivals above and beyond the above dates. With Bonnaroo going until June 17, I'm going to say no to a PJ set.

And with no other PJ dates scheduled for 2007, the speculation all but ends as to their US plans for this year.

Smashing Pumpkins: Deutsche Dream? Playing German Festivals Rock am Ring & Rock im Park

Seen on the Pumpkins MySpace:

"The Smashing Pumpkins have made their first official announcement of an appearance in 2007. The band will headline both Rock am Ring (6/2/07) and Rock im Park (6/3/07) Festivals in Germany. Tickets are available beginning on Saturday, January 27, 2007. Tickets can be purchased by visiting here. Check out the festival website for more information . Stay tuned for many more announcements"

Hey, Billy, here's the announcement I'm waiting for: WHO'S IN THE BAND? Just you and Jimmy still? Where's James? How about D'Arcy? I want D'Arcy! Though I'll be almost as happy with Auf der Mauer.

New Releases: January 30, 2007

First, much love to Dreamland for keeping me on top of Baltimore's beloved John Waters, and for letting me know about this album you see here, which drops on February 6. Support Dreamland by paying a visit, and pick up John's new album full of selections which contains (in his words) "all romantic seduction music I would play if I had you over." Man, I just love the Prince-esque photo.

Now, for next week's releases:

January 30

Lily Allen: Alright, Still: Much hyped, much loved, and, I think, much overrated. Enjoy.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Some Loud Thunder - Also much touted, but much more worthy.

Harry Connick, Jr.: Oh My NOLA - Closing the New Orleans Jazz Festival, terribly handsome, and a wonderful singer.

Skinny Puppy: Mythmaker - Industrial titans are back to blow your mind, and show you why Trent Reznor can thank them for giving him a career.


As always, click on the album cover to buy.

Breakbeat Fans: Vote In The International Breakbeat Awards, Attend Breakspoll 2007

Fans of breakbeats can let their voice be heard by going to Breakspoll.com and voting in the 6th Annual International Breakbeat Awards. Made huge in the electronic scene by artists like DJ Icey and DJ Baby Anne, breaks have gone global, and you can be a part of the global takeover by heading over to Fabric Nightclub in London for Breakspoll 2007 on February 22.

Breakspoll 2007 Full Line Up:

ATOMIC HOOLIGAN & JAY CUNNING
BAOBINGA & ID VS 30HZ
BARRY ASHWORTH AKA DUB PISTOLS
BEN & LEX
BREAKFASTAZ Vs CTRL Z
CEDRIC BENOIT Vs FLORE
CHRIS CARTER Vs ANDREA LAI
ED SOLO & SNEAKY
HYPER (LIVE)
KLAUS HEAVYWEIGHT HILL Vs DOPAMINE
KOSMIK NEIL & IYTAL
KRAFTY KUTS
LADY WAKS & QUEST (ru)
MJ COLE & NAPT
PAUL ARNOLD & MERKA
PETE JORDAN & HEXADECIMAL
RICO TUBBS VS NEZTIC
SONZ OF MECHA Vs CEREAL KILLAZ
STEVE THORPE Vs ELECTROSLUTS
TAYO
THE FREESTYLERS
VIGI & MR B
VLAD Vs DIVERTED
WEST (STEELZAWHEELZ & PLAZA DE FUNK) Vs SPLANK! (GROOVE ALLEGIANCE & DARFTPHUNK)

Beastie Boys Getting Hip Replacements, Recording New Album

Alright, so they're not getting hip replacements, but the Beastie Boys are working on a new album.

And not only are they recording, but Russell Simmons wants the Beasties to put their beef with him from back in the Def Jam days to sleep and help him fight racism.

Before you go, et a look at MCA, he looks like death warmed over!

Iconic DJ Sasha Almost Gets Pelted With A Glass At UK Club

According to DJ Magazine, Sasha was almost the victim of a pelting by glass bottle at a show in Newcastle. Usually one to play extensive sets, "he cut his set short two hours in” according to Scott Bradford of Newcastle's Digital.

Don't take it personal, Sasha! Just someone getting a little rowdy. Thank goodness the glass hit the booth, and not Sasha.

Bonnaroo Lineup Will Be Official On Valentine's Day; Police Reunion No Joke

So maybe the rumors about The Police reuniting at Bonnaroo or Coachella are a farce, maybe not. We'll find out February 14 when the lineup is announced officially.

But, while we wait for that, naysayers shall be silenced by the knowledge that a Police reunion, at Bonnaroo or not, is indeed true, if those Canucks who broke the story are right.

10,000 Lakes Festival Adds More Bands

10,000 Lakes Festival, held July 18 - 21 this year at the scenic Soo Pass Ranch in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, has just added some new artists to the lineup:

The Disco Biscuits (Philly represent!)
Keller Williams
New Riders of the Purple Sage
Pnuma Trio
God Johnson
GypsyFoot
Bump
Mr. Blotto
The Burnin' Smyrnans
The Heavy Pets

With dozens of bands still to be added in the coming months, the 10,000 Lakes Festival lineup also includes Bob Weir & RatDog, Trey Anastasio, Umphrey's McGee, moe., Gov't Mule, Little Feat, The Derek Trucks Band, Dumpstaphunk, Everyone Orchestra, Trampled By Turtles, WookieFoot, and Moses Mayes.

Last Of The Breed - Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Ray Price Collaborate On Album & Tour

Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price have joined together to collaborate on an album to be titled Last Of The Breed (to be released March 20), and will be touring together under the same name. All shows will be backed by Asleep At The Wheel.

The tour dates:

Fri 03/09/07 Prescott Valley, AZ Tim's Toyota Center
Sat 03/10/07 Las Vegas, NV Aladdin/Planet Hollywood Resort
Sun 03/11/07 Rio Rancho, NM Santa Ana Star Center
Mon 03/12/07 Loveland, CO Budweiser Events Center
Tue 03/13/07 Colorado Springs, CO Colorado Springs World Arena
Thu 03/15/07 Tulsa, OK Mabee Center Arena
Fri 03/16/07 Austin, TX The Backyard
Sat 03/17/07 Austin, TX The Backyard
Sun 03/18/07 Bossier City, LA Horseshoe Casino
Mon 03/19/07 Nashville, TN Grand Ole Opry House
Wed 03/21/07 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
Thu 03/22/07 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall (Buy Tickets)
Fri 03/23/07 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre
Sat 03/24/07 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater
Sun 03/25/07 Rosemont, IL Rosemont Theatre

Tickets are on sale for most, if not all venues, now.

Free MP3: Of Montreal - "Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse" from Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?

As you know, the new Of Montreal came out this past Tuesday. eMusic is allowing free downloads of the track "Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse". If you haven't picked it up on eMusic, download it here:

Of Montreal - "Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse" From Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?

If you like the track, click on the album cover to buy the CD.

Confirmed Dates For Spring 2007 Tool Tour

These dates have all been confirmed by management for Tool:

3/15 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl (on-sale Feb. 3)
3/16 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl (on-sale Feb. 3)
3/18 - Reno, NV @ Reno Events Center (on-sale Jan. 27)
3/20 - San Diego, CA @ Cox Arena (on-sale Feb. 2)
3/21 - Tucson, AZ @ TCC Arena (on-sale Jan. 27)
3/23 - Albuquerque, NM @ Tingley Coliseum (on-sale Jan. 27)
3/24 - El Paso, TX @ Don Haskins Center (on-sale Feb. 3)
3/26 - San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center (make-up show from last tour)
3/27 - Corpus Christi, TX @ American Bank Center (on-sale Feb. 3)

More dates to follow.

Reminder: Collect All Your 2007 Festival Dates Right Here

A service to all you festival types, to keep your dates straight and you calendars full: SXSW (March 14-18), Austin City Limits (September 14-16), Bonnaroo (June 14-17), Lollapalooza (August 3-5), Coachella (April 27-29....tix on sale Saturday), Wakarusa (June 7-10), 10000 Lakes (July 18-21), Summer Camp (May 25-27), All Good Festival (July 13-15). There's more, but that's a start. And that's the big ones on my mind. Just a reminder. These things slip your mind, and next thing you know, Tupac and Biggie have resurrected and are playing at a festival you were sleeping on.

SpiralFrog Not Ready To Rest On Its Lily Pad Yet, Names New Board Member; Plans To Launch Early '07

SpiralFrog, in a move to silence all the reports about the ad-supported download service being dead in the water, has named Jordan Levin (formerly of the WB Network) to the board. Levin's purpose is to help develop the site to meet the young adult portion of the market.

The plan is for the service to launch in early 2007. Source: Reuters UK

New Orleans Jazz Fest - April 27-29 and May 4-6, 2007: Harry Connick, Jr., Jerry Lee Lewis, Better Than Ezra. . .Just Look!

For two weekends in the spring, fans will descend upon New Orleans for the New Orleans Jazz Fest. The festival will again be held at the Fair Grounds Race Course and run from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. daily. Harry Connick, Jr. will be closing the fest on May 6. Tickets to the 2007 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival go on sale today at http://www.nojazzfest.com and Ticketmaster.

Just look at this artist listing:
Harry Connick Jr., Rod Stewart, Steely Dan, Norah Jones, ZZ Top, John Legend, Van Morrison, Brad Paisley, Jill Scott, Ludacris, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, New Edition, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Irma Thomas, Jerry Lee Lewis, Counting Crows, Allman Brothers Band, Allen Toussaint, George Benson, Pharoah Sanders, George Thorogood, Stephen Marley featuring Jr. Gong, Better Than Ezra, Joss Stone, Banda el Recodo, Calexico, Taj Mahal, Johnny Rivers, Lucinda Williams, Branford Marsalis, Richie Havens, Soulive, Cowboy Mouth, Percy Sledge, Tony Joe White, Gillian Welch, Bobby Jones & the Nashville Super Choir, T-Bone Burnett, Rebirth Brass Band, Galactic, Mose Allison, Marcia Ball, Roy Hargrove, Chuck Leavell, Arturo Sandoval, The Holmes Brothers, Snooks Eaglin, Dr. Lonnie Smith, The New Orleans Social Club, James Carter, The Radiators, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lucky Peterson, Darrell McFadden, Sonny Landreth, Danilo Perez, Ivan Neville, Dottie Peoples, Davell Crawford, Ba Cissoko of Guinea, George Porter, Jr., Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste, Tab Benoit, Les Amazones of Guinea, World Saxophone Group, John Mooney & Bluesiana, Buckwheat Zydeco, Anders Osborne, Elder Baab & the Madison Bumble Bees of Winnsboro, Eddie Bo, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Rosie Ledet, Amanda Shaw, The Iguanas, Marva Wright, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Deacon John, Donald Harrison, Nicholas Payton, Terence Blanchard, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews & Orleans Avenue, Bob French, Elysian Fieldz, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, Ellis Marsalis and over 500 more groups!

The biggest news to me is an appearance by The Killer himself, Jerry Lee Lewis, who is a rock and roll icon, and a hero in my eyes. Go the the festival's site for a more complete lineup.

Neko Case Tour Dates Aplenty

Neko Case returns stateside from an Australian tour in February, playing four shows with Merle Haggard:

2/09 Oakland, CA - Paramount Theatre
2/10 Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
2/11 Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
2/12 Spokane, WA - IMG Performing Arts Center

After partying hard with Merle, Neko goes on a headlining tour, where Eric Bachmann (Archers of Loaf, Crooked Fingers) will be opening:

2/13 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore
2/14 Bellingham, WA - WWU Performing Arts Center
2/15 Eugene, OR - McDonald Theatre
2/16 Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre
2/17 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
2/18 Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern

Some dates reported by Anti- Records:
2/23 New York, NY - Allen Room at Time Warner Center (early show)
2/23 New York, NY - Allen Room at Time Warner Center (late show)
3/29 Chicago, IL - Park West
3/30 Chicago, IL - Park West
3/31 Grand Rapids, MI - Calvin College Fine Arts Center
4/01 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
4/04 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater
4/05 Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre

And then there is the Stagecoach Festival, the country equivalent of Coachella, brought to us by Goldenvoice, the same people that deliver Coachella:
5/05 Indio, CA - Stagecoach Festival

And a show at the Gorge:
5/26 Quincy, WA - Gorge Amphitheatre

Bright Eyes Selling Out Within Seconds

Bright Eyes is already selling out, even though tickets went on sale just 20 minutes ago. Both DC's 9:30 Club and NY's Bowery Ballroom (2 shows) have sold out. If you were unable to get tickets, good luck on the aftermarket. I was lucky enough to get tickets to 9:30, I hope others had good fortune, too!

MSTRKRFT & John Digweed - First Annual DIAMONDS Tour

I've been searching for a reason to post about DJs and electronica, and here it is. John Digweed and MSTRKRFT are teaming up for the Diamonds Tour, presented by MTV Urge and Puma. The tour will hit 19 cities throughout March and will feature guest which have yet to be announced.

John Digweed is a highly technical dance DJ, well known for his work with Sasha as Sasha & Digweed.

MSTRKRFT is an electro-punk duo, the members being pseudonymous JFK and ALP, with as much success in creating their own unique house/grime/experimental/electro-punk sound as in remixing other artists' work.

This should make for a highly danceable show. The dates are:

3/1 Portland, OR - Rose Land Theatre
3/2 San Francisco, CA - Ruby Sky
3/3 Los Angeles, CA - The Vanguard
3/4 San Diego, CA - Belo
3/7 Phoenix, AZ - Axis / Radius
3/8 Las Vegas, NV - Jet
3/9 Minneapolis, MN - Myth
3/10 Denver, CO - Vinyl
3/13 St. Louis, MO - Dantes
3/15 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
3/16 Austin, TX – SPIN
3/17 Dallas, TX – Karma
3/18 New Orleans, LA - Ampersand
3/20 Miami, FL (WMC) - Pawn Shop
3/27 Atlanta, GA – Blue
3/28 Nashville, TN - Club Play
3/29 Charlotte, NC - The Forum
3/30 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
3/31 New York City, NY – Pacha

Wu-Tang Clan 8 Diagrams To Drop This Summer

After 6 years, during which each member has released a solo album, the Wu-Tang Clan has signed with a new label, SRC Records, and will be releasing a new album, 8 Diagrams, scheduled to drop this summer. According to The RZA, "How could hip-hop be dead if Wu-Tang is forever?" Eat that, Nas.

Deadlee The Gayngsta Rapper Kicks Off A Homorevolution

LA rapper Deadlee is prepared to kick off the Homorevolution with a tour. Deadlee, a gay rapper, who coined the phrase "gayngsta rapper" has created the Homorevolution Tour 2007 with these tentative dates:

March 29: San Diego, CA
March 30: Los Angeles, CA
March 31: Las Vegas, NV
April 1: Phoenix, AZ
April 2: Albuquerque, NM
April 3: El Paso, TX
April 5: San Antonio, TX
April 6: Houston, TX
April 7: Austin, TX
April 8: Dallas, TX

The tour will feature hip-hop artists from within the LGBT community including Johnny Dangerous, Delacruz, Melange Lavonne, Salvimex, Bigg Nugg and JFP.

Deadlee has boldly spoken out against homophobia in the hip-hop community, particularly from artists DMX, 50 Cent, and Eminem, often accusing the stars of having their own homosexual tendencies, hiding them with homophobic behavior.

Much respect due to Deadlee for speaking out on the obvious discrimination against the LGBT community in hip-hop. Wishing you best of luck with the tour. Source: All Hip-Hop

Bright Eyes Tickets For 9:30 Club In Washington, DC On Sale Tomorrow

Tickets to Bright Eyes at 9:30 Club go on sale tomorrow, January 25 at 10 AM.

Social Networking And "Priming The Pump": An Article From Stylus Magazine

Stylus Magazine posts an interesting article on what Steve Savoca of Domino Records (think Arctic Monkeys, a perfect example of this phenomenon) calls "priming the pump": a marketing technique that gets social networking sites and blogs (hi there!) to generate buzz.

By priming the pump, the goal is to get enough info out there so that the consumer becomes the one hyping the product (in this case, the band). Following the growth of things like blog tags and MySpace friend counts, both the marketing personnel and the general population can track how popular something is getting. The consumer jumps on the wagon, and the marketing personnel get more money behind the buzzing product to keep the train rolling. With music, this allows a band to become recognized before it even releases an album (hi there, Lily Allen, we're talking about you), and without the assistance of radio play.

So, to paraphrase the article, as the fan consumes, she promotes. As the fan promotes, the audience grows, and the band develops a following. May the Arctic Monkeys and Lily Allen be seen as case studies for "priming the pump."

Coming Soon To Recher Theatre

Coming to Recher Theatre:

Tonight - Vs. The Earth
Friday, 1/26 - Jimmie's Chicken Shack
Tuesday, 1/30 - Army of Anyone
Friday, 2/2 - Boys Like Girls
Tuesday, 2/27 - Against Me!
Thursday, 3/1 - The Slip
Friday, 3/2 - The Early November
Wednesday, 3/7 - Steel Pulse w/ Jah Works
Friday, 3/23 - Reverend Horton Heat
Wednesday, 4/4 - Tim Reynolds

Coming Soon To Fletcher's: The Autumn Defense

While Jeff Tweedy is off doing his solo thing, check out The Autumn Defense, featuring John Stirratt and Pat Sansone of Wilco, coming to Fletcher's on March 17.

This Week At Sidebar Tavern

The Sidebar is at 218 E. Lexington Street. This week, go see:

Tonight, 1/24 - Heroin UK

Friday, 1/26 - Two Man Advantage

Saturday, 1/27 - Landspeedrecord!, Up The Empire, The Mean Spirits

Next week:

Saturday, February 3 - Skatepark of Baltimore benefit

This Week And Thereafter At Ottobar

This week at Ottobar:

Wednesday, Jan. 24 - The Payola Reserve with Pontiak, Let's French.

Thursday, Jan. 25 - Even So with The Making, Full Minute of Mercury, Vote Quimby

Friday, Jan. 26 - The Dwarves w/ Turbo AC's, Tenwatch, Ramrod

Saturday, Jan. 27 - Girlfriend In A Coma (Smiths/Morrissey tribute) w/ The Heavycoats, The Opposite Sex, DJ Matt Walter

Friday, Feb. 2 - Big In Japan

In the not-too-distant future:

2/6 - Winger
2/14 - Under The Influence Of Giants
2/21 - The Lemonheads
2/25 - Deerhoof

The Decemberists - Buffalo Tickets Available! Tickets Go On Sale Saturday For Selected Shows, Including Bethesda, MD

Tickets for The Decemberists are on sale now for Buffalo, NY.

For tickets in North Bethesda, MD at Strathmore (still not announced on Ticketmaster or Strathmore's site), or Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL, go here on Saturday, January 27 at 10 AM.

For the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham, AL, go here Friday, February 2 at 10 AM.

For The Norva in Norfolk, VA, Raleigh, NC at Progress Energy Center, City Hall in Nashville, TN, Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, CO, or Orpheum Theatre in Madison, WI, go here Saturday, February 3 at 10 AM.

For Upper Darby, PA at Tower Theatre, go here on Friday, February 9 at 10 AM.

Bright Eyes Tickets Going On Sale For New York's Bowery Ballroom

The tickets for Bright Eyes at Bowery Ballroom in NYC go on sale tomorrow, Thursday, January 25 at 10 AM Eastern. Pick them up here.

Happy 66th Birthday To Neil Diamond!

Happy Birthday to Neil Diamond, the Jewish Elvis, who turns 66 today, and still rocks harder than Mick Jagger.

I love me some Neil Diamond.

79th Academy Awards: Oscar Nominees Announced

The Academy has spoken, now it's time for us to start speculating: Who's going to win? Take a look at the list, or take a look at the more friendly version here. I would note that "Dreamgirls", though it did not get the Best Picture nod, has received a number of nominations, including three for Best Original Song.

Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio - BLOOD DIAMOND
Ryan Gosling - HALF NELSON
Peter O'Toole - VENUS
Will Smith - THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Forest Whitaker - THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND


Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jackie Earle Haley - LITTLE CHILDREN
Djimon Hounsou - BLOOD DIAMOND
Eddie Murphy - DREAMGIRLS
Mark Wahlberg - THE DEPARTED


Best Actress
Penélope Cruz - VOLVER
Judi Dench - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Helen Mirren - THE QUEEN
Meryl Streep - THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Kate Winslet - LITTLE CHILDREN


Best Supporting Actress
Adriana Barraza - BABEL
Cate Blanchett - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Abigail Breslin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jennifer Hudson - DREAMGIRLS
Rinko Kikuchi - BABEL


Best Animated Feature Film
CARS
HAPPY FEET
MONSTER HOUSE


Best Art Direction
DREAMGIRLS
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
PAN'S LABYRINTH
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
THE PRESTIGE


Best Cinematography
THE BLACK DAHLIA
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE ILLUSIONIST
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE PRESTIGE


Best Costume Design
CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
DREAMGIRLS
MARIE ANTOINETTE
THE QUEEN


Best Director
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for BABEL
Martin Scorsese for THE DEPARTED
Clint Eastwood for LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
Stephen Frears for THE QUEEN
Paul Greengrass for UNITED 93


Best Documentary (Feature-length)
DELIVER US FROM EVIL
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS
JESUS CAMP
MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY


Best Documentary (Short-Subject)
THE BLOOD OF YINGZHOU DISTRICT
RECYCLED LIFE
REHEARSING A DREAM
TWO HANDS


Best Editing
BABEL
BLOOD DIAMOND
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED
UNITED 93


Best Foreign Language Film
AFTER THE WEDDING
DAYS OF GLORY (INDIGÈNES)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS
PAN'S LABYRINTH
WATER


Best Makeup
APOCALYPTO
CLICK
PAN'S LABYRINTH


Best Original Score
BABEL
THE GOOD GERMAN
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN


Best Original Song
"I Need to Wake Up" - AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
"Listen" - DREAMGIRLS
"Love You I Do" - DREAMGIRLS
"Our Town" - CARS
"Patience" - DREAMGIRLS


Best Picture
BABEL
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
THE QUEEN


Best animated short film
THE DANISH POET
LIFTED
THE LITTLE MATCHGIRL
MAESTRO
NO TIME FOR NUTS


Best live action short film
BINTA AND THE GREAT IDEA (BINTA Y LA GRAN IDEA)
ÉRAMOS POCOS (ONE TOO MANY)
HELMER & SON
THE SAVIOUR
WEST BANK STORY


Achievement in sound editing
APOCALYPTO
BLOOD DIAMOND
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST


Achievement in sound mixing
APOCALYPTO
BLOOD DIAMOND
DREAMGIRLS
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST


Achievement in visual effects
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
POSEIDON
SUPERMAN RETURNS


Best Adapted Screenplay
BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED
LITTLE CHILDREN
NOTES ON A SCANDAL


Best Original Screenplay
BABEL
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN

SpiralFrog Dead In The Water? Ad-Supported Downloading, Too?

HypeBot this morning reminded me of an early post on this site about ad-supported download service SpiralFrog. Sources indicate that "a half dozen top executives and almost as many board members have exited SpiralFrog since Christmas." Which lends to the belief that everyone is jumping ship and SpiralFrog is doomed. A projected December launch has come and gone, with not a sound. However, a January launch is still being touted, though content will be more limited than previously expected.

This may be the death knell for ad-supported downloads, at least for now.

Clipse Confirmed To Headline Seagram's Live 2007

Seagram's Live 2007 will hit 11 cities in one month, and Clipse will headline, as previously expected. DC gets represented, as the show will hit the 9:30 Club on 4/21.

The dates:
04/07 - Memphis, TN - Plush
04/08 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
04/12 - Atlanta, GA - Earthlink Live
04/13 - Birmingham, AL - Platinum Nightclub
04/14 - Jackson, MS - Free Lons Groove
04/20 - Detroit , MI - Club Visions
04/21 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
04/26 - New York, NY - BB King’s
04/27 - Fort Bragg, NC - Sports USA
04/28 - Tampa, FL - Club Skye
04/29 - Miami, FL – TBD

UPDATE: Tool Tickets On Sale For Reno and Tucson This Saturday

Ticketmaster lists the on-sale date for Reno Events Center in Reno, NV as Saturday, 1/27 at 10 AM.

Live Nation has the tickets for Tucson, AZ Saturday as well, 10 AM Mountain Time.

Today's New Release Picks: The Shins, Deerhoof, Of Montreal, Etc.

A couple releases worth noting today:


The Shins - Wincing The Night Away - getting buzz since "Garden State" and Natalie Portman, this album seems calculated to distance The Shins from people who fell in love with the Chutes Too Narrow sound.


The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen - Damon Albarn brushes aside The Gorillaz and joins forces with Simon Tong (of The Verve), Paul Simonon (The Clash), and Tony Allen (influential Afrobeat drummer).


Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity - Full of blogger buzz, let's see where it goes.


Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? - A different sound on virtually every album, this is their third release on Polyvinyl


Rob Crow (of Pinback) - Living Well - this one precedes an expected new album from Pinback this Spring.

Click the album cover to purchase online.

Decemberists Spring Tour Tickets Starting To Go On Sale

Another hot tour that tickets are going on sale for soon: The Decemberists. Tickets for the March 26 North Bethesda, MD show at The Music Center at Strathmore have not gone on sale, and the show is not even listed on Strathmore's site. And, seriously, is Colin Meloy that artsy and pretentious that they have to play in Bethesda at Strathmore?

Tickets for the Upper Darby, PA show at Tower Theatre, as well as Nashville, Orlando, and Denver will go on sale Saturday at 10 AM.

A presale for the Buffalo, NY show starts today at 10.

Tickets for The Norva in Norfolk, VA as well as the Madison, WI show go on sale Friday at 10.

Raleigh and Denver have to wait until Saturday, February 3.

Check for your tickets here.

Bright Eyes Tickets On Sale (If Not Now, Soon) For Certain Venues

Bright Eyes sale dates are starting to post for the coming tour. As of now, Ticketmaster lists sale dates for Chicago (on sale 1/27), Somerville MA (1/25), and Seattle (1/25). UPDATE: And for Toronto (1/25).

If you're going to shows on the west coast, tickets for San Francisco can be bought here.

Even More At Coachella: Jesus And Mary Chain!

Jesus, Mary, and. . .Chain! The Jesus And Mary Chain have been announced as playing Coachella! Hopefully they don't melt out there in the sunshine. I have a hard time picturing them outdoors, not to mention in the desert.

Bonnaroo UPDATE: Pearl Jam, The Police, Bob Dylan? Official Lineup Soon!

As good as the Coachella news is, there's more: Bonnaroo has allegedly confirmed Pearl Jam as well as a comeback of The Police, and even a showing by Bob Dylan.

The other names reported are Tom Waits, Willie Nelson, Umphrey's McGee, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, The Black Crowes, Ryan Adams, My Morning Jacket, Arcade Fire, Keller Williams, Hot Chip, America, TV On The Radio, Fountains of Wayne, Modest Mouse, Les Claypool, The Shins, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Toots and the Maytals, The Roots, The Decemberists, Of Montreal, Cat Power, Ozomatli, Perpetual Groove, Band of Horses, John Butler Trio, Nickel Creek, Medeski Martin and Wood, Lily Allen, Neko Case, The Hold Steady, Earl Scruggs, Charlie Louvin, Man Man, Grizzly Bear, Konono #1, The Slip, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Uncle Earl, Annuals, Beirut, M. Ward, Cold War Kids and Girl Talk.

The official lineup is expected on January 31 for the June 14-17 festival. Source: Stereogum

UPDATE: Stereogum indicates that representatives for a number of the artists, Big Hassle, claim there is no truth to the above. Right now, we'll have to stick to whether the artists are reporting the same or not.

UPDATE: Coachella 2007 - Rage Against The Machine Reunion (!!!), Bjork, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more!

Hold on to your seats, because Rage Against The Machine will be reuniting to headline at Coachella this April. Along with RATM, Bjork and Red Hot Chili Peppers have been confirmed, along with Crowded House as well as Arcade Fire, Sonic Youth, Air, The Roots, Willie Nelson, Interpol, and Fountains Of Wayne.

Expected to play but not yet confirmed are Jarvis Cocker, The Good, the Bad and the Queen, Hot Chip, Peeping Tom, The Decemberists, Arctic Monkeys, Tiesto, Kings Of Leon, Travis, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Lily Allen, Kaiser Chiefs, Silversun Pickups and LCD Soundsystem.

FURTHER UPDATE: Now listed as confirmed are Jarvis Cocker, Lily Allen, The Good The Bad and The Queen, Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon, Happy Mondays, Placebo, Hot Chip, Kaiser Chiefs, Travis, The Klaxons, The Fratellis, The Kooks, Amy Winehouse, and the Feeling, The New Pornographers, Ghostface Killah, Peter Bjorn & John, Junior Boys, Sparkle Horse, Tapes 'n Tapes, Rapture, DJ Shadow, Black Keys, Blond Redhead, Lupe Fiasco, !!!, Stephen Marley feat. Damien "Jr. Gong" Marley, Pharoahe Monch, MSTRKRFT, Spank Rock, Tokyo Police Club, Paul Van Dyk, Damien Rice, Amos Lee, Brazilian Girls, We Are Scientists, Circa Survive, and so so so so so much more. Source: Pitchfork

Tickets go on sale Saturday, January 27.

Tool Spring 2007 US Tour Rumors

Rumors abound inside the Tool fan club about the confirmed Spring tour with unconfirmed dates. Fan club members (myself included) are a bit incensed that there was no internal announcement of two dates, one of which tickets are already on sale for:
3/26 - AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX (buy tix)
3/27 - Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, NM

The rumored dates for the remainder of the tour (which will probably go on sale before the fan club finds out, too):

3.29 Nashville, TN Municipal Auditorium

4.01 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
4.02 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amphitheater
4.05 Ft. Lauderdale, FL National Car Rental Center
4.08 Tampa, FL USF Sundome
4.09 Orlando, FL Waterhouse Center
4.12 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena (Thursday)
4.13 Birmingham, AL Mountain Amphitheater (Friday!)
4.15 Sioux Falls, SD Sioux Falls Arena
4.16 Kansas City, MO Kemper Arena
4.18 Kalamazoo, MI Wings Stadium
4.19 Erie, PA Erie Civic Center
4.20 East Lansing, MI Breslin Center
4.21 Indianapolis, IN Conesco Fieldhouse
4.23 Toledo, OH Sports Arena
4.24 Binghamton, NY Broome County Arena
4.25 Amherst, MA Mullins Center
4.26 Augusta, ME Augusta Civic Center
4.28 Lowell, MA Tsongas Arena
4.29 Philadelphia, PA First Union Arena


5.01 University Park, PA Bryce Jordan Center
5.02 Winston-Salem, NC Lawrence Joel Coliseum
5.03 Roanoke, VA Civic Center
5.05 Knoxville, TN Knoxville Civic Coliseum (Saturday)- possibility
5.07 Tallahassee, FL Leon County Civic Center (Monday)
5.08 Baton Rouge, LA Centroplex (Tuesday)
5.09 Biloxi, MS Mississippi Coast Coliseum (Wednesday)
5.15 Beaumont, TX Montagne Center
5.16 Oklahoma City, OK Cox Convention Center
5.18 Albuquerque, NM Tingley Coliseum
5.19 Phoenix, AZ America West Arena
5.21 San Diego, CA Cox Arena
5.22 Fresno, CA Selland Arena
5.23 Reno, NV Lawlor Event Center
5.24 Long Beach, CA Long Beach Arena

Dillinger Escape Plan Album Teaser

The Clipse At Sonar February 28

Newly announced at Sonar, The Clipse will be dropping by on Wednesday, February 28. Tickets are $16 in advance, $20 at the door.

Also of note at Sonar:
2/3 - The Beatnuts - $15
2/9 - Yo La Tengo (Early Show) - $17/$20
2/9 - The Rapture - $10
3/10 - Gomez w/ Ben Kweller (previously announced) - $25
3/14 - Dieselboy - $10

Concert Review: Strhess Tour - Heavy Heavy Low Low, Fear Before The March of Flames, Murder By Death, Thursday - 9:30 Club, January 19, 2007

Myself and a dear friend who, like most, never reads this site, went to The 9:30 Club last night to catch the Strhess Tour featuring Heavy Heavy Low Low, Fear Before The March of Flames, Murder by Death, and the headlining Thursday.

Because I was being a hugely neurotic loser, we missed Heavy Heavy Low Low because I was panicking over a missing iTunes music folder at the time we meant to leave.

Fear Before The March of Flames, however, we were not lucky enough to miss. With a singer who thinks he is in the headlining band, from the nondescript tee to the flailing about on stage just like he is Thursday's Geoff Rickly (wanna bet he likes to be called Geoff in bed?), a guitarist/singer who is a mockery of Tom DeLonge from Blink-182, March of Flames is living proof that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but that obvious emulation of your idols will doom you to suck.

Murder by Death, with a severely juxtaposed name considering their sound, is an unassuming 4-piece with a drummer, bass player, singer/guitarist, and cellist. That's right. A bona fide, electric cello player. With a country swagger, singer Adam Turla might think he's more of a heavy metal Johnny Cash, but I'd put him somewhere around a Nick Cave meets Clutch type of guy with a band that knows just how to complement his sound. All in all, MBD is a pretty unique group, with songs that tell stories reminiscent of salt-of-the-earth country stars of yore.

When Thursday took the stage, launching into "At This Velocity" from A City by the Light Divided, it became apparent that I did not realize what I was in store for. This band lit the place on fire, with Rickly carrying on a healthy conversation with the audience (and even giving big ups to Katy Otto from Exotic Fever Records, a label previously mentioned here), and covering all the bases for their fans, with the commercial favorite "Signals Over The Air", a moving rendition of "Sugar In The Sacrament", "Division St.", "For The Workforce, Drowning" and the encore which closed with "Jet Black New Year". Rickly's stamina never wavered, as he managed to maintain quality vocals through the modest set (about one hour, with encore). Guitarist Tom Keeley was quite impressive, delivering what I thought to be a very pure performance, reproducing the album sounds very well. And fans of Circa Survive will appreciate the cameo by that band's singer, and the long, heartfelt embrace given to him by Rickly.

The Strhess Tour stops at The Norva in Norfolk, VA tonight, and continues through February.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Kelly Clarkson and NASCAR: Going Together Like Suits of Armor and Electrical Storms!

Kelly Clarkson (yeah, I love her. What of it?) is proud to have just inked the largest partnership contract ever between NASCAR and a musical artist. She will be "integrated into all aspects of NASCAR," according to a NASCAR statement.

Who's gonna drive the Kelly Clarkson Ford? Will it beDale Jarrett? Mark Martin? That's what I gotta know. (Alright, they won't emblazon a car with her face, but it's an amusing thought.)

Will Dale, Jr. be asking KC for her autograph on the infield before a race? Will anyone be catching my "Talladega Nights" references?

Source: AOL


Oh, and 29 days until the Daytona 500.

Magazine Coverage Shill Immortalized In Email Exchange

Amplifier Magazine should really kick Joe Joyce for an email exchange that makes it clear that, for a label to get its material covered, they gotta pay (by buying advertising space). Just ask Matthew Johnson of The Birdman Group.

Joyce emailed Johnson, hyping Birdman's material, and indicated that Amplifier would love to provide further coverage of Birdman, if only they'll pay for some advertisements.

Here's the exchange, courtesy of Idolator:

Joe writes:


"Hello Matthew,

Never heard back fro you on my last email....Anyway, A new year and a new philosophy for AMPLIFIER MAGAZINE. We're now in our 10th year of print publication, not to mention having added a fantastic new website to our enterprise just a short while ago. In that time I believe it's well within reason to estimate we've provided coverage to thousands of excellent bands through CD reviews, articles, features, live reviews, and on-line AMP3 Radio play lists.I believe without reservation that AMPLIFIER has become a highly influential force within the indie rock genre. We would like nothing better than to continue being that source of expertise and influence to our readers in both the print forum and through the internet.

Quick question.....is Birdman the type of label that sees AMPLIFIER as an advertising resource for its artists. There's a thousand and one minor reasons to make this seem unlike a simple yes or no answer. But really, truth be told, it boils down to one or the other. In the first ten years of publication I've wasted an obscene amount of time that was not really necessary, chasing myself in circles. I don't want to do that anymore. We like what you're putting out ( see Paula Frazer) and plan on providing coverage....but to save us time and effort on the advertising end of things, do you see Birdman making use of any advertising opportunities presented by either AMPLIFIER or AmplifierMagazine.com.

A cut and dried answer will me most greatly appreciated."

Matthew:


"Hey Joe. Thanks for the note. What I can tell you is this. In the 3+ years I've been here, my advertising budgets have gone from just about anything, to absolutely nothing. I really want to say that I believe things will turn around, but the honest truth is that we are cutting back more than ever. I have not taken an add in a publication in over 6 months. Revolver does some of that for me at times on their own, but I have no funds to do this. I really wish it were different. But...Please keep me posted on all of your doings though, I like getting those emails.

I truly appreciate your support and coverage for Birdman. You guys are great over there.

See ya,

MJ"

Joe:


"Bummer.....wish we could continue to support your artists, but I guess we can't. Best of luck.

Joe Joyce, Publisher & Dir. Advertising

AMPLIFIER MAGAZINE - AMPLIFIER ONLINE"

Matthew:


"Hey Joe. Wow, I'm very surprised by your reply. This saddens me greatly, but I guess it's all part of the business.

MJ"

Joe:


"Hey Sorry man.....my kids have to eat....if you're never going to advertise with us I can't justify the cost of covering your releases"

All the typos, I'm assuming, are from the author of the email. Matthew Johnson says "I am not saying they have done anything WRONG or ILLEGAL, but I do not choose to work with companies like this." I'm not surprised if every company does this, but they don't put it in writing.

Such behavior simply goes to show you, a self-described "highly influential force within the indie rock genre" is still about business, with their help-us-help-you mentality. It's a payola situation, plain and simple. Even worse, it's a shill. You want press? You want coverage? You have got to kick out the cash to get it. Put us on your payroll (by giving us ad revenue), and we'll hype your product. You want our magazine to write about your releases? We'll write a good review if you buy a 1/2 page ad. Oh, you want a full page? Well, for that, we'll interview your band and give them a headline on the bottom right of the cover. Two pages, you say? That's a cover story.

Beck Deluxe-ifies The Information

Beck is planning a Deluxe Edition of The Information to be released on February 27. Hey, Beck, are your album's numbers slowing down? Let's reissue! A few bonus tracks, some remixes, and increase the price!

UPDATE: Rocawear Removes The Fur

Following up on a previous report that Jay-Z's Rocawear line was using dog fur in a jacket from the clothing line, there is good news. No more fur, says Rocawear. Good move.

Timbaland Getting Beats On Five-Finger Discount? Free MP3 Of The Stolen Track, "Acid Jazzed Evening"

I've been hearing about this for a short time now, but as it gets more and more attention, it intrigues me to an even greater extent (which, I think, is called hype). The Nelly Furtado Track "Loose" on her latest album, sounds ridiculously like "Acid Jazzed Evening", a track released in 2000 by a Finnish dude named Janne "Tempest" Suni, who might be in line to get a fat royalty check (and is definitely going to get tons of buzz with this story). According to Tempest himself, he's already got a lawyer in his employ for this matter. And the track is available for download as an MP3

In the Rolling Stone piece on the story, you can even see a sound wave comparison of the two songs.

This is a story of interest, not only to anyone who creates music in electronic form, whether through loop-based sampling or, especially in cases like this one, recording sampling, but also to popular music fans, as the practice of sample-clearing gets harder and more expensive, making the face of sample-oriented music (hip-hop, electronica, and even some rock) change with the legal implications.

My own interest in this isn't necessarily vested, as I have dabbled over the years in electronica without expectation of fame or fortune, from old childhood yard sale Casio keyboards to PC-based digital audio workstations, but there is an element of surprise in finding out that a producer you respect just might be biting without asking. More intriguing is the penalty artists like Girl Talk will feel for mash-ups that haven't been cleared.

Bright Eyes Presale

Here's the presale link for fan club tickets. 9:30 Club is already sold out. Once the regular tickets go on sale, I will post it. Though it will probably sell out just as fast!!

And, as a side note (because I love asides so much), I'm fully aware that I have not reviewed a record in a while. If I don't come upon something good that I actually care to review soon, I'm just going to have to dig into the back catalog and write up something on, I don't know, 90's techno. Though I would like to dig up my Babes In Toyland collection. Oh, to get my hands on The Peel Sessions or the BBC Sessions.

Wilco Announce New Album

Thanks to Jeff Tweedy spilling the beans at a show in Nashville, we now know the next Wilco album will be called Sky Blue Sky and will release on May 15.

Jeff Tweedy's solo tour continues:
01-19 Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom
01-20 Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
01-21 Marfa, TX - Liberty Hall
01-23 Austin, TX - Hogg Auditorium at University of Texas
01-24 Austin, TX - Hogg Auditorium at University of Texas
01-26 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
01-27 Birmingham, AL - Alabama Theatre
01-29 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle
01-30 Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre
01-31 Charlottesville, VA - Paramount Theater

The Decemberists Announce 2007 Spring US Tour

Thanks to Pitchfork, you now know about The Decemberists' US Spring tour with My Brightest Diamond:

03-21 Jersey City, NJ - Loews Theater
03-22 Jersey City, NJ - Loews Theater
03-23 Boston, MA - Avalon
03-24 Boston, MA - Avalon
03-26 North Bethesda, MD - Strathmore Music Center
03-27 Upper Darby, PA - Tower Theatre
03-29 Wellesley, MA - Wellesley College (students only)
03-30 Buffalo, NY - Center for the Arts
03-31 Grantham, PA - Messiah College
04-01 Norfolk, VA - The Norva
04-02 Raleigh, NC - Meymendi Concert Hall
04-04 Knoxville, TN - Tennessee Theater (no MBD at this one)
04-05 Nashville, TN - City Hall (no MBD at this one)
04-06 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle (no MBD at this one)
04-08 Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
04-09 Tallahassee, FL - The Moon
04-10 Birmingham, AL - Alabama Theater
04-11 Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theater
04-13 Louisville, KY - Brown Theater
04-14 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
04-15 Champaign, IL - Foellinger Auditorium (University of Illinois)
04-16 Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
04-18 Chicago, IL - Riviera Theater
04-19 Chicago, IL - Riviera Theater
04-20 Madison, WI - Orpheum Theater
04-21 Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
04-22 Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium
04-25 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theater
04-26 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theater
05-03 Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
05-04 Seattle, WA - Paramount Theater
05-05 Bellingham, WA - Western Washington University

I'm Choking On Cash. . .Johnny Cash, That Is

March 6 denotes the release of yet another Johnny Cash collection. This one is called Cash: Ultimate Gospel and is a collection of JFC's gospel recordings. Bandwagon fans who love the Joaquin Phoenix version of Johnny Cash will probably not like this stuff. However, if you were raised on country music (real country music, not this pop-country Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson crap), you should like it. If not, I'm pulling your country card. I'll go ahead and say it: country music is cool. If you disagree, leave. That's that. I love me some country music.

With that being said, I am sick of all this Johnny Cash pop culture saturation. Rick Rubin has given us tons of Cash work to love (the American recordings, which is up to, what, American V: A Hundred Highways now?), late in Johnny's life, when his voice was a rickety old crap-box, but still Cash. But with Johnny releasing more posthumous material than Tupac, it's making me wonder if the dude is really dead. Granted, this is not new material, it's a compilation re-releasing already-heard material. I can live with this one.

But it won't stop! Not too long ago, Justin Timberlake conceptualized a new video for Johnny's "God's Gonna Cut You Down" with about eleven-teen celebrities in it.

American V: A Hundred Highways was #1 in the US during its week of release, and it was released 3 years after Cash died.

Last year, Personal File was released, after being "discovered" by his son. Discovered to be worth a ton of loot, so it just had to be released!

And, hey, while we're at it, there are plans for Johnny Cash: THE MUSICAL. Yeah, I'll go see that, right after Mamma Mia! and Wicked.

This wave has got to be crashing soon. In the meantime, I'll be checking out the gospel recordings, for sure. But after that, I'm shelving Johnny for a few years, because he's more overexposed than Britney Spears right now.

The Prodigy Make Their Own Label, Plan New Album

The Prodigy have built themselves a new home, establishing a new label called Ragged Flag (makes me recall "Ragged Old Flag" by Johnny Cash). Ragged Flag is a part of Cooking Vinyl, a UK label. This move severs The Prodigy's long-standing relationship (dating back to 1991) with XL Recordings.

The Prodigy enjoyed success in the UK with their most recent album, Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned, but haven't really had much going on here in the US since 1997's The Fat of the Land.

Ragged Flag will kick off by releasing the forthcoming Prodigy album, which has no established title or release date. Source: Billboard

Is Jay-Z Rockin' Dog Fur?

An investigation by the Humane Society of the United States finds that the $265 "Hunter" jacket from Hov's Rocawear clothing line contains real fur from the raccoon dog, although the jacket is advertised as using fake fur. According to the Humane Society, the animal is skinned alive to harvest its fur. Source: School of Hip-Hop

I'm going to get all crazy animal rights here and say that, if real fur is still being used in these jackets, it's got to stop. There is no reason whatsoever, in an age where synthetic fur is readily available, to be killing animals solely for their fur. Thanks to the Humane Society, and the School of Hip-Hop, for bringing this story to light.

Clipse Gets a Headlining Tour

Clipse is apparently headlining the 2007 Seagram's Gin Live Tour, and tickets are available for the April 26 show at the BB King Blues Bar & Grill in New York. Source: Soundslam

Speaking of Clipse, BrooklynVegan reports that their Webster Hall show in NYC has moved to the smaller Bowery Ballroom, "which is great for everyone in attendance, except maybe Clipse." True!

Slint To Perform "Spiderland" Live In Its Entirety

According to Pitchfork, Slint will be performing at Barcelona's Primavera Sound festival, along with Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, Low, Grizzly Bear, Dirty Three, the Durutti Column, Isis, Band of Horses, Brightblack Morning Light, Death Vessel, Oakley Hall, and Pelican. More bands TBA.

Slint will be playing Spiderland, the must-have album pictured (click to buy) above, in its entirety.

Slint broke up in the early '90's, but recently reformed. Get yourself to Spain, pronto. Wish I could say I'd be there!

Dispute Over James Brown's Will Gets Hairy

According to an NME report, the dispute over James Brown's will is far from over. Brown's marriage to Tomi Rae Hynie is being questioned for validity, as her prior marriage was not annulled at the time she married the Godfather of Soul. The will itself does not name Hynie, or Brown's son with Hynie, James Brown, Jr.
Georgia law provides that if a will names specific children of the decedent (the dead person), any children not named have no claim through the parent's estate. However, if Hynie can prove the validity of the marriage, she may be entitled to a portion of the estate (by taking an elective share) as Brown's widow, regardless of the contents of the will. Think she'll be sharing with baby James? I doubt it.

The lesson? Keep your affairs in order. If you have a significant life change, update your will. That's my personal finance tip for the day.

Oh, and the estate's attorney is Strom Thurmond, Jr.

Regional Shows of Note For January, February, and March

These dates are courtesy of Filter Magazine:

JANUARY
1/18 The Loved Ones @ Black Cat
1/19 Thursday, Murder by Death, Fear Before The March of Flames, heavyheavylowlow (Strhess Tour) @ 9:30 Club
1/20 Annuals, The Dears @ 9:30 Club
1/22 Camera Obscura, Essex Green, Blue October @ 9:30 Club
1/25 Gnarls Barkley, Red Hot Chili Peppers @ Verizon Center
1/26 Incubus, Albert Hammond Jr. @ 9:30 Club

FEBRUARY
2/5 Sufjan Stevens @ Kennedy Center
2/7 Midlake, St. Vincent @ Rock N Roll Hotel
2/11 Deerhoof @ Black Cat
2/13 Monsters Are Waiting, Stellastarr* @ Rock N Roll Hotel
2/16 Kevin Devine, Koufax, Pablo @ Rock N Roll Hotel
2/12 Oxford Collapse, Thunderbirds Are Now! @ Rock N Roll Hotel
2/21 The Lemonheads @ Ottobar
2/25 The One AM Radio @ Warehouse Next Door
2/28 Guster, Mason Jennings @ 9:30 Club

MARCH
3/1 Guster, Mason Jennings @ 9:30 Club
3/4 Scissor Sisters @ 9:30 Club
3/4 Grizzly Bear, Papercuts @ Black Cat
3/4 Rob Crow (of Pinback) @ Rock N Roll Hotel
3/6 Clinic @ Black Cat
3/8 The Roots @ Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (Filter left this one out, but it ain't slippin' by me!)
3/9 The Roots @ DAR Constitution Hall
3/16 Michael Franti & Spearhead @ 9:30 Club
3/20 Pete Yorn, Aqualung @ 9:30 Club
3/23 RJD2 @ 9:30 Club
3/23 Silversun Pickups, Snow Patrol, OK Go @ Bender Arena
3/23 The Walkmen @ Rock N Roll Hotel
3/28 Cold War Kids, Tokyo Police Club, The Delta Spirit @ 9:30 Club
3/31 Electric Six, Test Your Reflex @ Black Cat

Gomez and Ben Kweller Play Sonar March 10

Gomez is kicking off a co-headlining tour with Ben Kweller on February 15 in Seattle. The show will stop in Baltimore at Sonar on March 10. Tickets are $25, and go on sale this Wednesday, January 17 at 10 AM.

Bloc Party Album Release Party at Ottobar February 6

On February 6, Underground at Ottobar will be hosting a record release party for Bloc Party's Weekend in the City, which is to be released that day.

Girl Talk On The Rise, But Making A Pit Stop In Philadelphia; And, Two Free Girl Talk MP3s

Girl Talk, the mash-up artist of the moment, is making the rumor mill really whirl with talks of doing some remix work for major artists. While you're waiting to find out who he might be working with (he's doing a Vegas show with Kanye West, Gnarls Barkley, Lupe Fiasco, and Spank Rock, so one can only speculate) buy his albums over at Illegal Art. You can start by checking out two of Girl Talk's tracks, "Hold Up" and "Bounce That", from the Night Ripper album.

Girl Talk will be playing in Philadelphia on January 19 at Johnny Brenda's.

Tiny, Tender Morsels On Dillinger Escape Plan's Next Album

The most recent issue of Decibel Magazine reports that The Dillinger Escape Plan is in the works, slated for a September release on Relapse Records. The tentative song titles won't even be mentioned here, because they are so obviously tentative, it's ridiculous. You can see them at Lambgoat, which also picked up the story.

Nine Inch Nails Enter Final Stages Of Production For "Year Zero"

The latest album from Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails is to be called "Year Zero" and is slated for release sometime in April. Reznor confirms on the NIN website that the album is in final mixing stages.

Grammys Televised February 11, Announce Performers

Back in post #100, I shared the list of Grammy nominees for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. Well, make sure you make your calendar for February 11, because the Grammys will be on CBS that night at 8 PM Eastern and Pacific.

A press release this morning announced the first batch of performers: Beyoncé, the Dixie Chicks, Gnarls Barkley and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Justin Timberlake will be performing as well.

StubHub Acquired By eBay, Ticket Prices To Only Get Higher

StubHub, a ticket resale facilitator where ticket holders can post their tickets to sporting events, concerts, and the like and resell them (even at a huge markup) for a fee, has been acquired by eBay to the tune of $310 million. If you're not down with the eBay power conglomerate, try RazorGator. Another monster, but not eBay. Better yet, try craigslist and buy your hard-to-get tickets from the individual without paying a commission.

I'd venture to say that with eBay taking StubHub, traffic will only grow, increasing the market. eBay also likes to jack up commissions and fees, so expect ticket prices to climb. I bet those Justin Timberlake tickets just shot up to 400 bucks, kids.

You Know They're Reuniting, So Get This Free Sebadoh MP3: "The Freed Pig"

Sebadoh, whose reunion was covered within these hallowed halls last month, recently had their seminal album III reissued by Domino Records.

In honor of the re-release, Domino is allowing fans to download an MP3 of the album-opening track, "The Freed Pig".

Lily Allen Reschedules US Release of "Alright, Still"

Lily Allen (who, by the link, has moved beyond her MySpace foundings) is rescheduling the US release of Alright, Still, her ridiculously blogged-about (catch the irony of the fact that I'm doing it right now) record. It will now issue on January 30, Pitchfork reports.

So, if you crooks haven't already downloaded it, you'll get it in about two weeks, on the legit tip.

Thursday "A City By The Light Divided" For $7.99 On iTunes; Strhess Tour at 9:30 Club January 19, The Norva January 20

Kings of the screamo rubble pile Thursday are selling their current album, A City by the Light Divided (the link will take you to Amazon, for those who gotta have the physical CD, like me), for $7.99 on iTunes.

This takes place in light of the current Strhess Tour which hits 9:30 Club on January 19 (I'll be there!). If that's not a good day, try The Norva in Norfolk, VA on January 20. Tickets are under $20 for both shows. Joining Thursday for the tour are Murder by Death, Fear Before the March of Flames, and heavyheavylowlow.

Respira Calls It Quits

Long-standing Thousand Oaks, California band Respira have finally called it quits. After a two-year hiatus, the band played one final show at The Kung Fu Corner on December 30.

I wouldn't know they were breaking up, or that they existed in the first place, if it wasn't for College Park, MD label/distro team extraordinaire Exotic Fever Records.

A while back (like a couple years) I ordered some records from Exotic Fever, including the then-new Van Johnson self-titled release. I think I got it for 8 bucks for pre-ordering, but it's still only 10, and worth a listen if you're into screamo/post-hardcore type stuff from Canadians. I remember a short chain of emails from Katy, the mail order guru for the biz (and a real-deal feminist, which, even in 2007, still matters), wherein I was turned on to a number of other bands (I remember digging Del Cielo, who Katy is a part of, as well as Respira and 1905).

So, a couple years late, and encouraged by the bad news relating to Respira that I discovered on the Exotic Fever site (albeit late), this is my plug for Exotic Fever. Super funky, fresh and fly, it's good music, good prices, and good people. Check it!

And, Respira, thanks for rockin'! Best of luck to you all in the future.

Arctic Monkeys To Follow Wu-Tang, Eminem, Good Charlotte, 50 Cent, And More Into Fashion

Looks like Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders desires to follow in the footsteps of other music franchises who step into the world of clothing lines by designing a line for Supremebeing, a UK clothier. The line consists of three t-shirts, a jacket, and a zip-front hoodie. Look for a "Matt Helder Thanks: Supremebeing Clothing" in the liner notes of the next 12-minute "full-length" LP from the Arctic Monkeys. Source: NME

New Albums January 9, 2007

Here are the new and noteworthy albums for today, January 9, 2007. Click on the title to buy:

Apples In Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder

Ron Sexsmith - Time Being

Sloan - Never Hear the End of It

Bloc Party Announce 2007 Tour Dates, New Album, Frontman Outed?

UK's The Guardian reports that Bloc Party might have a gay/bi frontman. Asked about his preference, Kele Okereke states, "It's not something that I'd be inclined to talk...It isn't black and white. It isn't clear-cut." Is he uncomfortable discussing? Could he just enjoy the ambiguity and speculation?

Regardless of preference, here's the upcoming tour dates:

03-11 Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
03-12 Vancouver, British Columbia - Orpheum Theatre
03-13 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
03-15 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-17 San Francisco, CA - Concourse Exhibition
03-19 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theatre
03-20 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theatre
03-23 Chicago, IL - Congress Theatre
03-24 Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Theatre
03-25 Toronto, Ontario - Kool Haus
03-27 Montreal, Ontario - Metropolis
03-28 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
03-30 New York, NY - United Palace Theatre
03-31 New York, NY - United Palace Theatre

Good luck getting tickets. Brooklyn Vegan reports that tickets to the NY shows are gone, and non-transferable.

Bloc Party's new album, A Weekend in the City, drops March 6.

Mastodon Brings Us "The Quest For Blood Mountain" With Plenty of Blood and Thunder!

Click the above link to play The Quest For Blood Mountain in all its 8-bit glory. A Mastodon video game featuring tracks from Blood Mountain, you're bound to be totally amped for their show at 9:30 Club on February 17. Tickets haven't been announced, but it's coming.

Bright Eyes Hits The Road

Conor Oberst, better known as Bright Eyes hits the road in February, starting in Chicago. Local hotspot 9:30 Club gets a visit on March 5:

02-25 Chicago, IL - Metro
02-27 Toronto, Ontario - Opera House
02-28 Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
03-02 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
03-03 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
03-05 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
03-07 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey
03-08 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey
03-09 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
03-10 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
03-11 Seattle, WA - Showbox

NY and DC are the only east coast stops. Get in while you can!

Animal Collective Change Labels, Announce Tour

Former Baltimore homeboys Animal Collective are movin' on up to a new label, Domino Records, joining Arctic Monkeys, among other mammal bands. In light of their new home, they will be launching a tour in February, including these dates (notice the too-big-for-their-breeches boys left out Baltimore):


**EDITED FOR CORRECTNESS**
05-14 Columbus, OH - Wexner Center
05-15 Newport, KY - Southgate House
05-16 Lexington, KY - The Dame
05-17 Chicago, IL - Metro
05-18 Iowa City, IA - Picador
05-19 Omaha, NE - Sokol
05-21 Denver, CO - Cervantes
05-22 Salt Lake City, UT - In the Venue
05-24 Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
05-25 Marfa, TX - The Marfa Ballroom
05-26 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room
05-27 Austin, TX - Antone's
05-29 Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre

Thanks to Pitchfork for the scoop. And thanks to Animal Collective's agency, Windish Agency, for screaming at me for posting old dates. That Google alert must move fast. Why don't you pass along the word that they should stop back in Baltimore sometime?

Key Highlights From Steve Jobs at MacWorld Expo 2007 Keynote Address: Apple TV, iPhone

The wonderful people at Engagdet were at MacWorld for Steve Jobs' keynote address this morning, and were kind enough to blog the experience. Some highlights, with Steve Jobs quoted:

Apple TV




Even though this product was introduced in September, Steve had a lot to offer:

"Apple TV. You can buy great content on iTunes... and you can put that content on your iPod. Now you can buy a widescreen TV and hook up an Apple TV to it, and wireless transmit that content to your bigscreen TV. It's that simple. Let's look at the back to refresh ourselves. USB 2, Ethernet, WiFi, HDMI, component, audio, and optical out." Just like we knew in September, but. . .

"Let me tell you more about what this box does. 720p high def video. It's got a 40GB hard drive, which comes in handy for something I'm about to show you... and 802.11b/g/n, and an Intel processor. It's a really cool box. It works with video, music, and photos. You can auto-sync content from your PC, and you can stream content from up to 5 computers.

"Apple TV... it turns out it's awesome for listening to music on your home theater system. Let me go down into playlists here, I've got a favorites playlist, I'll just shuffle some songs to show you what it's like playing some music."

And the image moves on-screen. "It does that so it doesn't burn a hole in your plasma TV."

So Apple TV will let audiophiles blow up their home theater with their iTunes library. Wireless. Sweet. Price point? $299.

iPhone




"In 2001 we introduced the first iPod, and it didn't just change the way we all listened to music, it changed the entire music industry." Can you believe it's been 6 years since iPod entered our lives?

"Well today, we're introducing THREE revolutionary new products. The first one is a widescreen ipod with touch controls. The second is a revolutionary new mobile phone. "And the third is a breakthrough internet communications device." .... these are NOT three separate devices!

"And we are calling it iPhone!" There it is. The cat's out of the bag, iPhone is here. "iPhone runs OS X!" Oh, do tell!

"People know how to sync all their media with their iPod. iTunes is going to sync all your media to your iPhone -- but also a ton of data. Contacts, calendars, photos, notes, bookmarks, email accounts..."

A rough look at physical specs:

"It's really thin, thinner than any smartphone. 11.6mm, thinner than the Q and the BlackJack, all of them. Ring and silent, volume up and down. We have a 2 megapixel camera built right in, let's take a look at the top. A headset jack, 3.5mm, SIM tray, and a sleep-wake switch. Let's look at the bottom, we've got a speaker, mic input, and an iPod connector."

And more on usability:

". . .we're going to use the best pointing device in the world -- our fingers. We have invented a new technology called multi-touch. It works like magic, you don't need a stylus, far more accurate than any interface ever shipped, it ignores touches, mutli-finger gestures, and BOY have we patented it!

"We've also got some stuff you can't see -- 3 advanced sensors. It's got a proximity sensor, bring the iPhone to your ear and your display shuts off and toushccreen shuts down. Ambient light sensor -- adjusts brightness, saves power. Third thing is an accellerometer, it can tell whether you're in landscape and portrait. Let's turn it on."

Cingular is the service provider.

"The killer app is making calls! It's amazing how hard it is to make calls on most phones. We want to let you use contacts like never before -- sync your iPhone with your PC or mac. Visual voicemail -- wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to listen to five of them to list to the sixth? Just like email you can go directly to the voicemails that interest you. iPhone is a quad-band GSM + EDGE phone." No 3G! "We have WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0"

And the most important, music-related stuff:

"[Just after powering on the phone] Here's the home screen -- simple icons. Push this icon -- boom, I'm in the iPod. How do i scroll through my list of artists? I just take my finger and I just scroll."

And even a taste of the Beatles playing from the iPhone. How long until those albums are on iTunes?

"It's unbelievable. Here's some album art... no matter what you like, it looks pretty doggone gorgeous. ... with onscreen controls. I was giving the demo to someone a little while ago, and I finished the demo and I said what do you think? They said 'You had me at scrolling.'"

All that, and it holds photos, lets you browse the net (with full version Safari, no less), send email (in push-email, just like on a Blackberry), and you can use Google maps! At a starting price of $499, or $599 for the 8GB version. Pricey, but the idea is that it's $200 for the iPod, and $300 for a smart phone. Put the two together in one iPhone, and you're right where you started.

So that's MacWorld for today. You can stay posted to Engagdet for more.

Minimalist Electronic Duo Air Premiere New Single, "Once Upon A Time", Plan US Tour

Cruise on over to Air's MySpace page and check out the streaming song "Once Upon A Time" from their forthcoming album Pocket Symphony.

US tour dates in April and May are to be announced soon.

Mos Def "True Magic" To Be Pulled? Or A Pre-Release? Huh?

The recent release of Mos Def's True Magic in a jewel case sans art and containing nothing more than a CD with Mos' mug on it baffled many shoppers, as did the release date. Some copies were reportedly available on Tuesday, December 19, but the 'official' release was December 29, a Friday. Apparently there is a logical explanation for all of this.

As MTV News reports, the album leaked in December (Mos, was that you?), so Geffen and, purportedly, Mos Def, decided to pull the physical album release forward and get the album in stores. That's why the CD was naked. But then, they wanted to hold off and tried to postpone. Wait, too late! The album was already shipped, and stores are not obligated to pull their stock in this case. As a result of the helter-skelter release of True Magic, sales only hit 11,000 in its week of official release.

Geffen's solution? Calling this a "limited edition" pre-release and planning to reissue the album later this year with a slightly modified track listing (read: in a different order) and some artwork, or at least a tray liner.

The more subtle and more likely answer to why this reissue is going down is that, this being Mos' last contractual obligation to Geffen, he was slightly uncooperative and wanted the album out, forgoing the drawn out art discussions and releasing the ridiculously bare (and by some reviews, ridiculously lame) product you see on shelves now. A logical guess is that the scheduled reissue is a loophole of sorts that allows Geffen to keep Mos bound to use his best efforts to promote the album by making media appearances and otherwise plugging the album, Geffen being unhappy with the album sales and blaming it on the silly state of its (pre)release.

Even if the leak was the impetus for the quick release, rumors abound that Mos Def is dying to get out of this contract, and here he is stuck for this much longer. Hang in there, Mos!

And if you want to get a hold of one of these albums while they're around, click on the CD. Limited edition, yeah, right. 11,000 sold, and you can still find it. The edition is limited to as many as they can sell, folks.

2007 Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

*

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its inductees for 2007 just over an hour ago. Those getting the nod are, in photo order, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, R.E.M., The Ronettes, Patti Smith, and Van Halen.

There will be an induction ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City on March 12. The presenters and performers at the induction will be announced next month.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, to my knowledge, mark the first hip-hop group to hit the Hall. This being R.E.M.'s first nomination, they made it in, and mark the first of the indie bands as we know them today to make it into the Hall. Patti Smith, having just turned 60 in December, just got her belated birthday present.

Personally, I find The Ronettes to be a ridiculous inductee. Their career began in 1961, and was essentially over by 1966. Other than the group performing backing vocals on The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling", and three recognizable singles, including "Be My Baby", "Baby I Love You", and "Walking In The Rain", the group had nothing more than Phil Spector and his "Wall of Sound" to thank for producing them and making them famous (not to mention Veronica Bennett, AKA Ronnie Spector, marrying Phil in 1968).

Van Halen will be an interesting sight at the induction. With Eddie looking like Death incarnate and recently firing Michael Anthony, followed up by the obvious David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar situation, this should be a circus sideshow.





*Pardon the Van Halen logo. I couldn't put a picture with just David Lee Roth or just Sammy Hagar. . .that would display my personal bias.

REM Makes Surprise Appearance In Oxford; 2007 Hall Of Fame Inductees Announced Today

REM made a surprise appearance in Oxford, UK last night at a Robyn Hitchcock show. Peter Buck has been performing with Hitchcock and his group The Venus 3 (whose lastest album you can read about here), and Michael Stipe and Mike Mills joined the party onstage, performing "Electrolyte" and an unreleased, as-yet unidentified song. Don't believe me? Ask Thom Yorke of Radiohead, he was there. Source: NME

The word is that REM began working on their next album this past September. Their nomination to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame may turn into an induction very soon, as the inductees are to be named by press release sometime today.

NPR All Songs Considered for January 5, 2007

On this week's All Songs Considered, host Bob Boilen delivers stuff you've probably already heard, but even so: The Arcade Fire - "Intervention", Of Montreal - "We Were Born The Mutants Again With Leafling", yesterday's AGT MP3 from The Shins - "Phantom Limb", and more.

You can subscribe to All Songs Considered as a podcast at the link above. I can't stress enough how wonderful this program is for all you indie hipsters who think The Shins are indeed "music that will change your life." Thanks, Zach Braff, for Garden State and that now-overused line.

Shows At Sonar and 9:30; Free MP3: The Shins - "Phantom Limb"

A couple worthwhile shows coming to Sonar in February:

2/2 - Red Jump Suit Apparatus
2/9 - Yo La Tengo


And a number of winners coming to 9:30

2/20 - 2nd night just added w/ Slayer

Upcoming shows at 9:30 that have yet to be formally announced:
2/17 - Mastodon
2/21 - Gym Class Heroes
2/23 - Anberlin w/ Bayside, Meg & Dia, Jonzetta
2/28 and 3/1 - Guster w/ Mason Jennings
3/6 - Badly Drawn Boy
3/11 - Isis w/ Jesu & Torche
3/16 - Michael Franti & Spearhead
3/18 - Cartel w/ Cobra Starship, Boys Like Girls, New Atlantic
3/20 - Pete Yorn
4/7 - Anti-Flag w/ Alexisonfire, Bid D and the Kids Table, Set Your Goals
4/18 - TV On The Radio

And to top it off, here's the free MP3 of the day:
The Shins - "Phantom Limb"

Is Joel Madden From Good Charlotte Packin'?

As Rolling Stone reports, Joel Madden apparently ain't afraid of no stalker, because "I own a lot of guns. I’m ready." And as the post mentions, Hilary Duff, Madden's ex-girlfriend, once said she liked him because he's from a "really ghetto area in Maryland[.]" Ummmmmm....he's from Waldorf. Charles County. Southern Maryland. Population 22,312. It's essentially a D.C. suburb. Without getting into the baggage of Hil-D's comment, according to 2000 census statistics, Waldorf is a town where 58.58% of families are married couples, less than 3% of housing in Waldord is vacant, and over 77% of houses are owner-occupied. Yeah, sounds like a real economically depressed town. Median household income of $68,869, and 4.4% of population under the poverty line? Yeah, Waldorf, you're hurting.

Just to see where Hilary Duff is coming from, her hometown of Houston, Texas has census data reporting 43.2% of families as married couples, 8.2% vacant housing, and 45.8% homeowner occupancy. Not to mention median income of $36,616 and 16% of families living below the poverty line. Interesting opinion, Hilary.

Lily Allen Finds Her Lost Puppy Dog

If you read yesterday's post about summer festivals (I left out my personal standard, Ozzfest, what a severe oversight!), you may have noticed that Lily Allen recently had her dog stolen. Well, it's back. Her dog is named Maggie May. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess she named the dog after the Rod Stewart song. Well, Lily, those giant, ridiculous earrings might be getting to you, because if I am correct about the dog's namesake, it's spelled Maggie Mae. Poor animal.

Source: GigWise

The Future Of Radio: The Internet; Plus, Apple iPod Cell Phone In The Works, Sirius/XM Merger?

Bridge Ratings measures performance for the radio format, and predicts that while traditional analog radio listening will drop as audiences move to satellite and internet radio formats. Bridge predicts that audiences will not flock to small-screen media formats such as cell phone and iPod video until the screens are larger and of higher quality.



There is also a prediction (most likely based on recent patent filings by Apple) that a iPod cell phone will hit the streets in the next 90 days that is made out of titanium, that (obviously) digital music sales will move closer to catching up and eventually taking over physical CD sales, and that Sirius and XM merger talks will continue to heat up.



There is no denying that digital music will overtake the CD market. And an iPod cell phone, yeah, that's coming. As for the Sirius/XM merger, say it ain't so! Eliminating competition, that's like cable and telephone service! How much will satellite radio be, seeing how expensive cable is?

Source: HypeBot

New Album, Tour by Smashing Pumpkins (or what's left of them)

As stated in a MySpace posting by Billy Corgan, "This year for us will see a new album of songs and a world tour of tears, and we truly look forward to playing again for fans young, old, and missed," meaning a new album in the spring or summer and a tour in support thereof.

Only Corgan and original drummer Jimmy Chamberlin are confirmed to take part in this Smashing Pumpkins rehash. One only hopes for the (unlikely) return of D'Arcy on bass, but I can't imagine James Iha coming along, especially if A Perfect Circle is up to anything now that Tool is done with its tour.

Corgan's posting is full of silly verbosity, as evidenced by this quote:

"For many years there were private laments about opportunities missed and hearts so broken, but no more ... we have turned the page and moved on, from places and faces, names and games," Corgan said. "This age calls for resolve and certitude, and the fire within to burn ever bright. If that fire should be connected to absolutely deafening guitars, thundering drums and the melodies of snakes, then so be it!"

Melodies of snakes? Dude, what is going on in that misshapen, bald head of yours?

Luscious Jackson To Release Greatest Hits, Children's Album, Solo Album

The fabulous women of Luscious Jackson have been hard at work since parting ways in 2000, as Jill Cunniff plans to release a solo album called City Beach (the link will get you to an import released on January 30) on February 20, the same day that Luscious Jackson's Greatest Hits will drop.

And, as Billboard reports, three of the four members of LJ are working on an album of children's music, "due sometime this year."

The track listing for Luscious Jackson's Greatest Hits:

"Naked Eye"
"Under Your Skin"
"Citysong"
"Deep Shag"
"Ladyfingers"
"Christine"
"Let Yourself Get Down"
"Why Do I Lie?"
"Nervous Breakdown"
"Strong Man"
"Beloved"
"Friends"
"Love Is Here"
"69 Annee Erotique"
"Here"
"Ladyfingers" (Kut Mastra Kurt remix)
"Naked Eye" (Tony Mangurian remix)
"Why Do I Lie?" (Pants On Fire remix) - Pants On Fire remix by Beastie Boys' Mike D
"Nervous Breakdown" (Thievery Corporation remix)

New Releases In Music For January

Outside of Nas' Hip Hop Is Dead there isn't much to speak of in new releases yet for 2007. In fact, not until January 23 is there much to report, with Deerhoof's Friend Opportunity, and The Shins' Wincing The Night Away. Then, on January 30, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's Some Loud Thunder, Norah Jones' Not Too Late (I like some of her stuff, alright?), and the yet-to-be-proven-not-to-be-overrated Lily Allen's Alright, Still.

Definitely some winners coming down the road in February, but hey, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, click on the above links to see more about the albums and to pre-order them at Amazon, if that's your thing.

Free MP3 EP of Talib Kweli & Madlib Collaborative Effort "Liberation"

Get your free (legit MP3 Zip folder download) of the Talib Kweli & Madlib collaboration "Liberation" here, courtesy of Rappcats.com. Source: Brooklyn Vegan.

Bonnaroo, Wakarusa, South By Southwest, Etc. 2007 Lineups Revealed; Info on Coachella, Lollapalooza, and more

Confirmed for June 7, 8, 9, and 10 in Lawrence, Kansas, with VIP and 4-day tickets going on sale Friday, January 12 at 10AM Central Time, Wakarusa 2007 will feature the following bands:

Widespread Panic
Yonder Mountain String Band
North Mississippi Allstars
Alejandro Escovedo
The Mutaytor
Railroad Earth
Tea Leaf Green
The Slip
Little Feat
New Mastersounds
Perpetual Groove
ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra)

. . .with many more to be announced later, meeting the website's promise of "70+ bands." The Slip is an interesting summer circuit addition, and I would suggest Alejandro Escovedo as the wildcard selection, not typically found on crunchy granola festival lineups. But a good choice.





The great state of Illinois will host both Lollapalooza in Chicago's Grant Park from August 3 to August 5 (no lineup there yet) and Summer Camp Festival in Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe from May 25 to May 27! Summer Camp is a total crunch-fest, featuring "three nights with Moe" as well as Umphrey's Mcgee and Keller Williams.



As for the current summer jamfest titan, Bonnaroo 2007 doesn't have entirely verifiable confirmations, but rumors both solid and flimsy abound. The reputable sources (being the bands themselves, so try here and here) give The Cold War Kids and the John Butler Trio as confirmed members of the lineup. Lilly Allen lists herself as a maybe for both Bonnaroo and Coachella, but says she's definitely doing SXSW.



Speaking of Coachella, no lineup announcements, but as AGT has stated before, the festival will be from April 27 to April 29 in Indio, CA.



South by Southwest 2007 will hold its music festival from March 14 through March 18. Confirmed speakers for the conference are Pete Townshend as the keynote, Rickie Lee Jones, Booker T, and Joe Boyd. Confirmed performers according to a SXSW brochure linked to on Pitchfork include Lilly Allen, Bloc Party, Devin the Dude, Cold War Kids, Hoodoo Gurus, The Stooges, Turbonegro, Interpol, Matt & Kim, Ghostland Observatory, The Watson Twins, Stax 50th Anniversary Soul Review, and Ozomatli, so far. The brochure also promises interviews with Emmylou Harris, David Byrne, Gilberto Gil, and Terry McBride.

New Year, New Look, Same Location

It's a new year, Any Given Tuesday is getting a new look. Trying to go for something more simple. The web address will remain http://www.anygiventuesday.info. Let me know if there are any viewing problems in your browser, so that I may correct them. In fact, maybe you should tell me how to correct them. Making sure all my customizations to the template remained intact and then sizing in IE (all while at work, no less) were painstaking enough.

And, as always, Any Given Tuesday (AGT) appreciates your support when you view the site, subscribe to the RSS feed, add the RSS feed to your personal aggregator, and even moreso when you click on ads and links in the site, or refer to AGT with a link on your own page! Thanks for sticking around so far!

Bury Your Dead Singer Quits

Reports indicate that Bury Your Dead frontman Matt Bruso has left the group. This just after a stint on the second stage at Ozzfest 2005, a spot on the recent Killswitch Engage tour that I reviewed in an earlier post after its stop at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, and their latest album Beauty and the Breakdown. No word on any plans to replace the (I'm quite comfortable saying) smashingly handsome singer.

AGT's imaginary quote from Bruso: "They are dead to me. Bury them. But do it yourself, because I can't stand those guys."*

*Note: Not really Matt Bruso's quote. That's just what he says in my head.

Today's New Release Pick In Music: Nas "Hip Hop Is Dead"

Today's pick of the litter in new releases is Nas - Hip Hop Is Dead. While I haven't been a huge fan of Nas since Illmatic, he is one of the best MCs out there, and sometimes has something relevant and almost positive to say.

New Release in Books: "Love Is A Mix Tape: Life And Loss, One Song at a Time" by Rob Sheffield

New today is a book by Rolling Stone contributing editor Rob Sheffield, "Love Is A Mix Tape: Life And Loss, One Song at a Time".

Here is the publisher's description:
"What Is love? Great minds have been grappling with this question throughout the ages, and in the modern era, they have come up with many different answers. According to Western philosopher Pat Benatar, love is a battlefield. Her paisan Frank Sinatra would add the corollary that love is a tender trap. Love hurts. Love stinks. Love bites, love bleeds, love is the drug. The troubadours of our times agree: They want to know what love is, and they want you to show them. But the answer is simple: Love is a mix tape.

In the 1990s, when “alternative” was suddenly mainstream, bands like Pearl Jam and Pavement, Nirvana and R.E.M.—bands that a year before would have been too weird for MTV- were MTV. It was the decade of Kurt Cobain and Shania Twain and Taylor Dayne, a time that ended all too soon. The boundaries of American culture were exploding, and music was leading the way.

It was also when a shy music geek named Rob Sheffield met a hell-raising Appalachian punk-rock girl named Renée, who was way too cool for him but fell in love with him anyway. He was tall. She was short. He was shy. She was a social butterfly. She was the only one who laughed at his jokes when they were so bad, and they were always bad. They had nothing in common except that they both loved music. Music brought them together and kept them together. And it was music that would help Rob through a sudden, unfathomable loss.

In Love Is a Mix Tape, Rob, now a writer for Rolling Stone, uses the songs on fifteen mix tapes to tell the story of his brief time with Renée. From Elvis to Missy Elliott, the Rolling Stones to Yo La Tengo, the songs on these tapes make up the soundtrack to their lives.

Rob Sheffield isn’t a musician, he’s a writer, and Love Is a Mix Tape isn’t a love song- but it might as well be. This is Rob’s tribute to music, to the decade that shaped him, but most of all to one unforgettable woman."

GQ magazine features an excerpt from the book in its January issue, and it is a promising snippet about the author's loss of his wife to a pulmonary embolysm in her mid-20's, and his struggle to comprehend life as a widower.

This is my pick for book club! Click the picture to buy the book at Amazon.com. Any of you who have read it or are planning to, let me know what you think!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone! Here's to a wonderful 2007! Talk to you tomorrow!