The Eternal

[Rob Gretton (center) with New Order]

NME.com announced today that the notebooks belonging to Rob Gretton -- manager to Joy Division and New Order manager -- will be published Tuesday, October 7th.

Entitled 1 Top Class Manager, the collection will include posters, letters, diaries and studio notes, dating from August 1978 to late 1980. Gretton's widow, Lesley Gilbert, culled the book from over 20 notebooks of material. The first print run will consist of 1,500 copies available to order only through the 1 Top Class Manager website. Get it now! It will surely sell out.

Some of the info inside? Who knew that New Order almost named themselves Man Ray? Radical Jesuits, Arab Legion and Sons Of God were also considered as names upon the loss of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis.

For more on Gretton, Joy Division, and New Order, check out the fantastic Joy Division documentary from The Miriam Collection. English actor Paddy Considine also did a great job portraying Gretton in 2002's 24 Hour Party People. Gretton died of a heart attack May 15, 1999 at age 46. RIP.

You Came to See a Rock Show

When you're at a show ... you know how it is. Look familiar?

The Twilight Singers on Kimmel TONIGHT!

Greg Dulli will forever kill me with his unhinged kind of sexy rock & roll! Catch Dulli and his band,the Twilight Singers, on Jimmy Kimmel Live, TONIGHT, Wednesday, January 3. The raucous group of players, which also includes Mark Lanegan (vocals), Scott Ford (bass), Dave Rosser (guitar), Jeff Klein (guitar/piano), and Bobby MacIntyre (drums), will perform a song from their current masterpiece, Powder Burns. Jimmy Kimmel Live airs weeknights on ABC at 12:05 AM.


For your added pleasure, check out the band's video for "Live With Me," their Massive Attack cover that appears on their 2006 EP, A Stitch in Time.

A Journey From A to B: Badly Drawn Boy Tour Dates

Mancunian songsmith Damon Gough, a.k.a. Badly Drawn Boy, is taking to the road this spring in support of his fifth outing, 2006's Born the in U.K. It wasn't until I heard the lovely aches of "Silent Sigh" from About A Boy that I truly understood the understated beauty that is Badly Drawn Boy. His latest jaunt nothing less than lovely, and the Los Angeles agrees, calling it "Wistful, vulnerable, not averse to facing the dark side, Born in the UK is welcome because it restores some focus and direction to the one thing Gough has never lacked: heart."


MARCH
03 Philadelphia PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
05 Somerville MA @ Somerville Theatre
06 Washington DC @ 9.30 Club
07 New York NY @ Webster Hall
09 Detroit MI @ Majestic Theatre
10 Chicago IL @ Metro
11 Minneapolis MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe
13 Nashville TN @ Exit/In
14 Atlanta GA @ The Loft
16 Austin TX @ Stubbs Bar-B-Q (outdoors-SXSW)
18 Boulder CO @ Fox Theatre
19 Salt Lake City UT @ Urban Lounge
21 San Diego CA @ House of Blues
22 Los Angeles CA @ El Rey Theatre
23 San Francisco CA @ Great American Music Hall
25 Portland OR @ Aladdin Theatre
26 Seattle WA @ Neumo's
27 Vancouver BC @ Richards on Richards

words.music.words.music.

Here comes another shameless plug! Latest scribing from yours truly.

Joanna Newsom - Ys [Metro Times]
Deftones - Saturday Night Wrist [Metro Times]
The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home [All Music Guide]
*Also appearing in this week's "Artist Spotlight" on AMG!

Thanks for reading. xo

We Heart Thom Yorke

Earlier this summer Thom Yorke collected his best ticks, bleeps, werps, and pops for his XL Recordings debut, The Eraser. Via his blog, Yorke announced yesterday that "The Clock" (remixed by Surgeon) and "Analyse" (by Various) will be available for free download for the next seven days. From Monday, December 11th to Monday, December 18th, get ur freak on with some phat new mixes from Mr. Radiohead.

Via Thom's site:

For anyone who has heard The Eraser, there are some remixes coming.

Yes.

I got excited. I've been listening through. I mean. There's some freaky shit.
They may start appearing soon. Gradually. Briefly. Just a taste. And then gone.
On www.theeraser.net.

First there is Surgeon's Rmx of The Clock.
This was the one that made me think, we got to start getting these out
I was chuffed he wanted to do it as think he is a MASTER.
He has turned it into something really hard. And disco.
Well what i call disco anyhow.
It made me very proud.

I hope it gets played in a club somewhere.
Not that i get out much nowadays.

Peace to us all during the festive season.

Thm
X

Holiday Mix Tape

I love mix tapes, er... mix CDs... mp3 mixes. I blogged about Halloween, so here I am again, bloggin' about rad holiday songs. If that makes me a total twenty-something destined for yuppiehood, so be it. So, now that that's settled, it's time for some holiday mix action. Whether or not you dig the O.C.'s jukebox of indie rock faves or prefer a collection of timeless standards, 'tis the season of Comfort & Joy, fools.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Christmas Time Is Here - Vince Guaraldi
Merry Christmas Baby - Bruce Springsteen & the E. Street Band
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - U2
Christmas in Hollis - Run DMC
Last Christmas - Wham!
The Christmas Party - The Walkmen
Donna & Blitzen - Badly Drawn Boy
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon
Baby It's Cold Outside - Dean Martin
The Christmas Song - The Raveonettes
Christmas With You is the Best - The Long Winters
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams
The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You) - Nat King Cole
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
Misty Mountain Hop - Fleming & John
Wonderful Christmas Time - Wings
Do They Know It's Christmas - Band-Aid

Also, to spread the holiday cheer, the Little Ones have created a special Holiday screen saver as their Christmas gift to you! Once it's installed, your countdown to Christmas Day is ON! Plus, there's a crap ton of holiday trivia and fun facts! But the best prezzie of all is that on Christmas Eve, fans will be able to access a free download of an exclusive track from the Little Ones. It will only be available for those who download the screen saver and accessible for ONE day--December 24th!

THE LITTLE ONES CHRISTMAS SCREEN SAVER:
Mac
PC

M. Ward Tour Dates

J'adore M. Ward. The Portland, OR singer/songwriter hits the road next month for a few intimate solo shows. Be there or be square because these select dates are in support of his new EP and single, To Go Home, which is out in February! Tickets goon sale Friday, December 15th! More pre-sale info is available at M. Ward's official site.

JANUARY
26 New York NY @ Town Hall
27 Toronto ONT @ Mod Club
29 Chicago IL @ Park West

FEBRUARY
02 Los Angeles CA @ El Rey
04 San Francisco CA @ Bimbos 365

The Organ Break Up

Vancouver indie rock band the Organ have decided to call it a day after a tumultuous year on the road. An announcement was made today via the band's MySpace page and official site.

"The Organ are breaking up. We want to thank our friends, fans, and family for all the support you gave to us. Thank you. Shelby, Jenny, Katie, Debora, and Shmoo."

2002's Sinking Hearts EP, and their 2004 full-length player, Grab That Gun, appeared like a promising start for the Organ. It's sad to see them go.

Lavender Diamond Broke My Heart

The tender-hearted chanteuse, Becky Stark, had dreams of making a record that sounded like Linda Ronstadt. Endearing, sweet, and incredibly gifted, Stark, and her band, Lavender Diamond, are surely on their way to making some of the most thoughtful music the pop/rock genre has seen in decades.

Having already wowed audiences at this year's SXSW, ArthurFest, and CMJ festivals, Lavender Diamond are fresh off the road from touring with the Decemberists this past November. They're also the latest act added to the Matador roster (Rough Trade in Europe), thus their 2005 debut, The Calvary of Light EP will be receiving the royal reissue treatment January 30, 2007!

Lavender Diamond is: Stark on vocals, pianist Steve Gregoropoulos (W.A.C.O.), drummer Ron Regé Jr. (The Swirlies), and guitarist Jeff Rosenberg (Pink and Brown, Tarentel, the Young People). When not playing with her band, Stark and songstress Eleni Mandell perform as the folk duo, The Living Sisters. Stark is also working on a musical variety show with Miranda July and Jim Drain, and has a side-project called The Mystical Unionists with Regé.

MP3s:
You Broke My Heart
Rise in the Springtime

2007 Grammy Noms!

Highlights & Stuff:

Best Alternative Music Album
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
Thom Yorke - The Eraser

Song of the Year
Mary J. Blige – “Be Without You”
Carrie Underwood – “Jesus, Take The Wheel”
Dixie Chicks – “Not Ready To Make Nice”
Corinne Bailey Rae – “Put Your Records On”
James Blunt – “You're Beautiful”

Album of the Year
Dixie Chicks – Taking The Long Way
Gnarls Barkley – St. Elsewhere
John Mayer – Continuum
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium
Justin Timberlake – FutureSex/LoveSounds

Record of the Year
Mary J. Blige – “Be Without You”
James Blunt – “You’re Beautiful”
Dixie Chicks – “Not Ready To Make Nice”
Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy”
Corinne Bailey Rae – “Put Your Records On”

My personal favorite: Best Rock Instrumental Performance, which finds the Arctic Monkeys, the Flaming Lips, Peter Frampton, David Gilmour, and Joe Satriani up against one another. Very prog couture.

Ex-Detroiter Jack White and his mates in the Raconteurs have earned two Grammy nominations! Their debut album, Broken Boy Soldiers is nominated for Best Rock Album and the single "Steady, As She Goes" is nominated for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group.



The 49th Annual Grammy Awards take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 11th 2007. For a full list, click on to Grammy.com

Ready to Visit with Clinic?

They're not real doctors, but they look like it on stage. Liverpool's Clinic takes to the road this spring in support of their fourth album, Visitations. Out in the U.S. on January 23 on Domino, Visitations was solely recorded and produced by Clinic at their own studio, The Cooker. U.K. fans got their hands on the album last week, and the music press is already going mad for Clinic's shape-shifting art-punk madness. NME gave the record an 8 out of 10 calling it, "a stunning return to form," while Time Out London called Clinic, "The Fall of their generation."

Making their first U.S. live appearances since 2004, these are Clinic's only scheduled American performances for 2007. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, December 7th.

MARCH
02 Los Angeles CA @ Troubadour
03 San Francisco CA @ The Independent (Noise Pop)
06 Washington DC @ Black Cat
07 Philadelphia PA @ Johnny Brendas
09 New York NY @ The Gramercy
10 Cambridge MA @ Middle East
11 Montreal QC @ La Sala Rossa
12 Toronto ON @ Lee’s Palace

Morrissey Just Wants to See the Boy Happy

"I Just Want To See The Boy Happy," the fourth single from Morrissey's 2006 stunner, Ringleader of the Tormentors, hit the U.K. yesterday. The new single is available on Maxi CD, limited edition gatefold 7" vinyl, limited edition picture disc 7" vinyl, AND digital download (via iTunes). All formats will feature previously unreleased b-sides, including live recordings. Live versions of "Speedway" and "Late Night, Maudlin Street?" KILLER!

The U.K. Maxi CD single:
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
Sweetie-Pie
I Want The One I Can't Have (recorded live at The Royal Albert Hall 2002)
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy (enhanced video)

The U.K. limited edition gatefold 7" vinyl single:
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
Speedway (recorded live at The Royal Albert Hall 2002)

The U.K. limited edition picture disc 7" vinyl single:
I Just Want To See The Boy Happy
Late Night, Maudlin Street (recorded live at The Royal Albert Hall 2002)

MP3: Sweetie Pie Thanks Torr!

Lily Allen Hates NME, Ready to Break America in 2007

I absolutely adore Lily Allen. The cheeky cutie-pie made quite a splash in her native U.K. this year with her own stylish brand of saucy pop, and she's readying herself to do the same in the New Year when her chart-topping debut Alright, Still... finally arrives stateside in January 30th!

Upon the release of NME's Cool List last week, Allen had a few choice words for the veteran music mag. I give mad props to the mouthy Brit for telling it like it is. They nominate a bunch of cool rock women, yet the polished boyish faces of Muse land on the front cover? Psssh. But cheers to NME, too, for giving the #1 spot to the Gossip's Beth Ditto. Talk about a surprise, hello? Ditto's surefire kind of soul is undoubtedly out of this world, and it's great to see the Gossip take top honors. Their latest, Standing the Way of Control is a must have!

But getting back to Miss Lily Allen. Here's what she had to say about NME and how cool they really are. [via her official blog]

Current mood: aggravated

I probably shouldn't be writing this , but I have to get it off my chest . I am not a big fan of the NME , as they sold me down the river when I last talked to them , I did and interview and made a sarcastic joke using the word "gak" which is slang for cocaine . They glorified my joke and used it out of context , then their public relations dept , contacted the tabloids in a shameful attempt to sell more copies . And , I have ever since been known as " Lily Allen , Pint sized potty mouth popstar who once admitted she would celebrate her no 1 single by taking cocaine ! " .

Thanks NME . Now , I have read many articles in the NME , where male band members freely admit to, or associate themselves with the taking of drugs , and I havent seen many of them ending up in the tabloids . Take Klaxons for example, and the ongoing MDMA references. " MDMAZING " I believe was the title of a recent article ( how responsible! ) .

The only reason I can think of , for recieving such a different form of treatment , is because I am a woman . I did recieve a written apology from Conor Mcnicholas ( the editor) . But i vowed never to work with the NME agian . As I thought, if there was one publication I could trust and be frank with , it would be the theirs .

Anyway , I was aproached by them again , with regards to the "Cool List Issue 2006" , five women had made it into the top 10 and , subsequently we (the women) were asked to pose for photos to be the main feature for the cover . As I said before , I vowed not to work with them again , but as the context was so important ie; a a strong female presence in music . I thought i might aswell put aside my differences and do it . Now i don't care for " the cool list " , and I said this to them in the interview , which is probably why they didn't print it . I don't really think the NME are in any position to tell us who is cool and who isn't , personally I don't think a bunch of people sitting in an office drinking tea , inventing musical genres , and watching Nathan Barley DVD's are leading any kind of cool brigade , do you ? But i did find it interesting that they wanted to put five women on the cover , and wanted to name 2006 , our year .

I went to get a copy yesterday , and this is what we ( the women ) got . Another fuckin MUSE cover . I like Muse , infact , Black Holes and Revelations , is one of my favourite albums of this year . But the NME have covered them so much this year already .

Now usually you might expect a call , just out of courtousy telling us we had been pulled off the cover , but we recieved nothing .

This is Conors ( the editors) comments on this issue , He has obviusly put out some press release , stating how supportive the NME is to women in music

Conor McNicholas, the editor of NME, said he was pleased that the Cool List was full of women who had brought "new energy" to the music world.

"This year's Cool List is a testament to the raft of hugely talented women who have taken hold of the music scene in 2006," he said. "From Beth to Lily to Karen, they've brought new energy to a scene dominated by men. They're also living proof that you can still rock a crowd when you're wearing stilettos."

I mean how fucking patronising " you can still rock a crowd wearing stilletos "

Is that all we are , stilleto wearing people , is that all he could say ,that we brought a " new energy" to the music scene . Don't make me sick , wev'e always been here you arrogant prick , this was your chance to actually show you meant it . And instead you put Muse on the cover . Cause you thought that your readers might not buy a magazine with an overweight lesbian and a not particularly attractive looking me , on the front . Wankers .

You should take your heads out of you New Rave arses , and actually think about your responsibilities to youth culture , and to women in general .

Oh and by the way , theres not enough RAVE in New Rave .

MP3:
Smile (Windows Media)
Smile (Real Player)

A Sunny Day in December

I've raved about them before, but A Sunny Day in Glasgow is one of my favorite finds for 2006. Their glossy dream pop sound is classic, and if you haven't already checked out the blissful arrangements of their debut EP, do it ASAP! As of December 10, the The Sunniest Day Ever will be officially out of print. If you like Lush, My Bloody Valentine, Mahogany, and the harmonies of Velocity Girl, order one now!

In related news, the band has signed with Notenuf Records. Scribble Mural Comic Journal will be out February 13th! Be sure to check out "The Horn Song," a new song that's currently available via the band's myspace page.


MP3: The Best Summer Ever

Ys is Coming to Your Town!

Indie rock's reigning princess Joanna Newsom takes to the road this winter in support of her second album, Ys. Her beau Bill Callahan will also be sharing the stage through the Austin gig while Newsom will end the year with a handful of solo shows on the West Coast. The Northern Sinfonia and the London Symphony Orchestra will also join Newsom on select UK dates in January.

NOVEMBER
29 Malibu CA @ the Malibu Performing Arts Center
30 Los Angeles CA @ the El Rey Theater

DECEMBER
01 Santa Cruz CA @ The Rio Theatre
02 Eugene OR @ WOW Hall
03 Portland OR @ the Aladdin Theater
04 Seattle WA @ Showbox
05 Vancouver BC @ St. Andrew's-Wesley Church
08 Minneapolis MN @ the 400 Bar
09 Madison WI @ Great Hall/Memorial Union
10 Lawrence KS @ Granada
11 Norman OK @ Meacham Theater/University of Oklahoma
12 Houston TX @ Orange Show
13 Austin TX @ The Parish
14 Marfa TX @ Ballroom Marfa
15 Albuquerque NM @ Launchpad
17 San Diego CA @ Casbah
19 San Francisco CA @ Great American Music Hall
20 San Francisco CA @ Great American Music Hall

TKO x 3: Jesse Malin Has Glitter in His Eyes

Singer/songwriter Jesse Malin returns to the rock & roll fray in the New Year with his third offering, Glitter in the Gutter. Recorded over the summer in Millbrook, NY, North Hollywood, CA, and Jesse's hometown of Queens, Glitter in the Gutter features performances by Ryan Adams, the Foo Fighters' Chris Shifflett, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, and Bruce Springsteen. A killer acoustic version of The Replacements' classic, "Bastards of Young" is also included. Glitter in the Gutter will be available February 26th via One Little Indian Records in Europe and Adeline Records in North America. "Don't Let Them Take You Down" and "In the Modern World" are currently streaming on Malin's MySpace page.

Editors: Album News

Say what you want about Editors. I freaking adore the band. Since making their stateside debut this past spring with the release of The Back Room (those of us snobs got the double-disc import in summer '05), Editors slayed audiences at SXSW, Coachella and Lollapalooza. With a late summer run through North America behind them, Editors are beginning work on their sophomore LP. Frontman Tom Smith shared such info via the band's official site, and myspace profile.


A message from Tom (Editors)
Body: Hello everyone,

How are you all?...good I hope. Thought I’d drop you a line to let you know what we’ve been up to and more importantly what we’re about to start. Today is Tuesday the 21st November 2006 and tomorrow we’re all off to Ireland for a month to record the bulk of our second record.

We finished touring The Back Room in Istanbul of all places on the 3rd September. My last moments on stage, of what from start to finish was a 20 month tour, were spent on my back. On the last note of Fingers I slipped clean over, on the beer I threw around earlier on in the show (so no one to blame but myself). I picked my sorry arse up from the stage and in my embarrassed confusion threw my guitar into the surprisingly rapturous Turkish audience. I’m an idiot but it’s all fun and games I suppose, and a memorable end of the tour for me at least. The rest of the band just shook their heads in disapproval.

Since then we’ve been doing a lot of writing, a fair bit of relaxing, some of us have been trying to find new places to live and we’ve seen a load of shows and even reared our heads djing a couple of times. If any of you came to Brixton or more recently Bristol and enjoyed what Ed or Russ spun then nice one, me and Chris tend to just mince about at these things, maybe offer a polite suggestion into their ears but mainly let them get on with it. Bristol the other night was particularly enjoyable; starting with The Boss (Born in the USA!) into Cold War Kids, followed by the new Bloc Party single (slapped hands! Naughty!...it’s very very good) from there on other highlights included NWA, The Twang and Kate Bush.

As some of you know, the week before the show in Turkey we recorded the two new songs we had managed to write (or re-write in the case of TWOTW) whilst on the road. Bones and The Weight Of The World both sound great, they’re not totally finished yet but I’d be very surprised if they don’t make the cut when we’re picking the record next year. More importantly that week made us realise that we could work with Garret Lee, it’s so important we move forward and don’t just make The Back Room part 2. I think we all realised that week that Garret was the man to help us.

So this week we head off to Ireland with around 12 new songs and a host of other ideas floating around. I can’t explain in words how excited we all are about the new songs; they’re without doubt the best songs we’ve ever written. To get your imagination / juices flowing here are some of the titles being thrown around at this point in time:

Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors
The Racing Rats
An End Has A Start
When Anger Shows
Push Your Head Towards The Air
A Thousand Pieces
An Eye For An Eye

The album won’t be finished before Christmas but the break will give us chance to see our families, eat mince pies, get drunk and say hi to Santa, then maybe some more writing before we start recording again in the new year.

That’s it from me for now, just saying hello really and letting you know what we’re up to. Whilst typing this I’ve been listening to the new Joanna Newsom record, Ys, it’s incredible and you can blame any spelling or grammar mistakes on her!

Bye for now,

Take care and be good,

Tom xxxx


MP3: Fingers in the Factories [XFM Session: 04.18.05]

In other Editors news: the FADER Label recently released the Editors Remix EP, which is exclusively available for download via iTunes ($3.96). In addition, bonus tracks not included on the EP (remixes by Shy Child, Pase Rock, Rubber Bullets, Trackademicks, Phones and Dr. Rocktheknobs) will debut on various websites the week of December 4th.


EDITORS REMIX EP tracklisting:
Camera (Sebastian Remix)
Munich (Ghislain Porier Remix)
All Sparks (Prince Language Remix)
Blood (P Nice Remix)

¡Forward, Russia! vs. America

Having already wowed American audiences at this year's CMJ Music Marathon, and fresh off the MTV2 Europe tour with Aussie garage rock ruffians Wolfmother, ¡Forward, Russia! returns to American shores for second round of dates in support of their debut album, Give Me a Wall. The tour launches tonight in Boston.

Decked with a pair of exclamation points and the shirts to prove it, Tom Woodhead (vocals, synth), Rob Canning (bass), Katie Nicholls (drums) and Whiskas (guitar) hail from the bustling English metropolis of Leeds, the same town that brought us the Gang of Four, Sisters of Mercy, and the Wedding Present. Give Me a Wall packs a shouty punk punch that's suitable for dancing (pogoing, slamming, moshing, whatever). Obviously ¡Forward, Russia! is doing something right: both the frenzied passion of "Nine" and the aching guitar riffs of "Twelve" landed in the UK Top 40 earlier this year, and their manic ecstatic fourth single, "Eighteen" debuted at #1 on the UK indie charts in August. With such stardom brewing overseas, ¡Forward, Russia! frontman Tom Woodhead says new fans should brace themselves for quite a show, for performing live is really the band's forte. "People should just expect something with a massive amount of energy. We try and give absolutely everything every night. While that can be hard, you're short-changing the people who've come to see you if you give anything else."

And the story behind the shirts? "It just gives the band a bit more of an identity," says Woodhead. "We are a bit of a motley bunch, and having that unifying symbol brings us together visually. Within the context of the name the exclamation marks give the impression that the words are enclosed in a shout: it's a strong, commanding name."

¡Forward, Russia! keeps a heathly dose of power ballad compilations around while on the road (Woodhead says they are always a must!), but the band has also been enjoying the Mastodon album. "Sometimes we just end up listening to each other's music as there is always a communal stereo in the bus."

Woodhead also battled a throat infection earlier this fall, forcing ¡Forward, Russia! to cancel a few West Coast dates in late October. "To be honest, it was less a break in touring and more an extra day off in the middle of a massive, never-ending tour," Woodhead explains. "When you tour as much as we have you're bound to have vocal problems once in a while. I've never had them quite that severe though. I think it was something to do with all the flying we had been doing. Ridiculous rules regarding taking liquids onto planes don't exactly help."

¡Forward, Russia! vs. crazy America: Woodhead says they nearly got assaulted by a Polish bum in New York. "He accused us of being Russian bastards who belong in the garbage!"

Catch ¡Forward, Russia! this winter with Atlanta's brooding balladeers, Snowden.

NOVEMBER
27 Boston MA @ Great Scott
28 New York NY @ the Bowery Ballroom (plus Meneguar)
29 Philadelphia PA @ Johnny Brenda's
30 Montreal QE @ the Mile End Cultural Centre

DECEMBER
01 Toronto ON @ the Horseshoe Tavern
02 Detroit MI @ the Magic Stick
04 Cleveland OH @ the Grog Shop
05 Chicago IL @ the Empty Bottle
06 Minneapolis MN @ Triple Rock
08 Kansas City MO @ The Record Bar
09 Oklahoma City OK @ the Conservatory
10 Dallas TX @ the Gypsy Ballroom
11 Austin TX @ Stubbs
12 Houston TX @ Walters
14 Atlanta GA @ the Earl
15 Chapel Hill NC @ The Local 506
16 Washington DC @ the Black Cat

Bring Me Down Again

I absolutely adore Blood Red Shoes. The London duo is made up of vocalist/guitarist Laura-Mary Carter and drummer Steven Ansell, and together they make garage rock cool again (and no, they're not dating). I heart Blood Red Shoes so much that I'm writing about 'em second time, praising their latest single, the rioutous disco-punk attack entitled "You Bring Me Down." The limited 7" vinyl was issued on Tuesday, November 20th, and it's also available as a digital download via Drowned In Sound. For more on Blood Red Shoes, check out their live session with Steve Lamacq on BBC Radio 1.

For those who missed out on their earlier releases, Blood Red Shoes have plans to reissue their first three singles on one CD, out early 2007 as a split release for Jonson Family/Try Harder! The video for "You Bring Me Down" is featured below!

Eighteen Eighteen Eighteen Eighteen and I Like It

Out today! U218 Singles includes two new songs, "The Saints Are Coming" with Green Day and "Window in the Skies." For those who know me best know how much this band means to me. If that deems me uncool, boo ya!

Tuesday's Jibber Jabber

Seinfeld's Michael Richards, aka Kramer, goes apeshit. [MSNBC]

Democrat Charles Rangel goes ape, too. He wants to reinstate the draft. [Washington Post]

Why oh why? As if the original version wasn't bad enough? Johnny Marr and David Cross do the Bank of America. [Stereogum]

Bill O'Reilly says iPods are killing America. Pssssh. [Game Politics]

I hope I'm as cool at 92 as this guy is. [Boing Boing]

A UCLA student is tasered for forgetting his ID. How come "Iranian-American" is missing from America's headlines? Horrible. [ABC]

Chan Marshall sings: Cat Power live on the radio tonight! [NPR]

OMG! An American Idol + a Minuteman = Sweet Music [Pitchfork]

Save What You Can + Steve Keene

Following the deluxe edition release of Born Sandy Devotional, the Triffids get the royal reissue treatment once again this January when Domino Records releases their 1987 masterpiece, Calenture. The Aussie pop group, which featured future Bad Seed Martyn P. Casey, was one of the few alternative acts that really didn't get their due in America. But their haunting country/blues mixture was beautiful, and albums like Born Sandy Devotional, Calenture, and In the Pines (which is also being reissued in January) deserve a second chance, so bravo to Domino for introducing the Triffids to a new generation.

Get your fix with the video for "Save What You Can." Featuring New York pop art painter Steve Keene, the video was directed by Braden King, and filmed at Keene's Brooklyn studio in August 2006.



The video also features a blip of Keene's plywood nativity scene, which can be found here.

Grrrl Rawk

Here's some rad music that's currently striking my fancy:


Von Iva: With the departure of bassist Elizabeth Davis earlier this summer, the San Francisco girl group continues as a trio. If you didn't already embrace your inner Tina Turner with their 2005 self-titled EP, get your dance on with the "Tug O' War" and "Do It!" demos currently playing on their myspace page. Electro-soul is where it's at!

New Young Pony Club: Sick of that Intel Core 2 Duo commercial? If not, get hip to the New Young Pony Club, an electro/new wave collective hailing from London. The snotty dance style of "Ice Cream" claims to be "the source you crave," "chocolate flavored love theme" and all. Trashy and very New York à la mode, these English kids do something right.

New Bloods: The art rock girl group, New Bloods, combines punk rock aesthetic with muddy worldbeat rhythms that would make the Slits proud. Thank you Tobi!

the bird and the bee: The all lowercase the bird and the bee features vocalist Inara George and multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin (he produced Lily Allen's 2006 debut, Alright, Still...), and they pick up where Everything But the Girl left off for their own stylish brand of sophisti-pop. A new millennium Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz perhaps?

Annuals

Raleigh's merry popsters, Annuals, is this week's featured artist on the All Music Guide's "Artist Spotlight." Their debut album, Be He Me is a joyous occasion, full of rich instrumentation and Adam Baker's wild imagination. The 20-year-old singer/songwriter is hot on the heels of Conor Oberst, Margot & the Nuclear So and So's Richard Edwards, and the Shins as far as writing anthem-ready, emotionally-charged songs. The only catch? There's cheer all over the place, and songs such as "Brother," "Complete or Completing," and "Carry Around" yank indie rock's sourpuss off the floor for some fun. Join the jamboree--Annuals are waiting!

NOVEMBER (with Evangelicals)
15 Cambridge MA @ TT the Bears
16 New York NY @ the Mercury Lounge

DECEMBER (with Calexico)
02 Tuscon AZ @ the Rialto Theatre
03 Albuquerque NM @ Launchpad
04 Flagstaff AZ @ the Orpheum Theatre
05 Tempe AZ @ the Clubhouse
06 Los Angeles CA @ Spaceland
07 San Francisco CA @ Bottom of the Hill
09 Seattle WA @ Neumos

Saving the World With a T-Shirt

Australian scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) have created the "wearable instrument shirt." Does that sound insane or what? First Guitar Hero, now this? With the unstoppable popularity of MySpace and You Tube, now everyone can be a rockstar. Thanks to Corey for passing this along!

Wide Awake with Canon

For those who discovered Coldplay before their coming of age, and cherished the sounds of their Blue Room EP could very easily fall for Canon. Led by the haunting delivery of vocalist Jason Turbin (think Thom Yorke and King Crimson's Adrian Belew) and rounded out by the fine craftmanship of bassist Benji Pope, drummer Cassidy Turbin, and guitarist Tieg Johnson, Canon adds a welcomed twist to indie rock's current Neutral Milk Hotel/Bright Eyes homage. Canon's meticulous touch is pristine in song and production, thus the Hollywood foursome create some of the most elegant songs heard ("Alive," "Don't Trust the Teachers") since Radiohead's earliest b-sides. Produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck, Ima Robot), Wide Awake is slated for a February 27, 2007 release on Mercy Records. It's time to trip the light fantastic with Canon.

Listen Up!
Wide Awake
Master

Jersey Loverboy Daniel Smith Goes to the Movies

Before there was Sufjan Stevens there was Daniel Smith, indie rock's resident weirdo, and his family band, Danielson. The forthcoming documentary, Danielson: A Family Movie, takes a look at Smith, Danielson Famile, and how Smith's peculiar place and quirky vision has touched the indie rock community. JL Aronson produced and directed the film, and some of indie rock's finest such as producer/engineer Steve Albini, author/musician Rick Moody, eccentric singer/songwriter Daniel Johnston, and Low guitarist Alan Sparhawk also appear in the 105-minute flipbook, which is scheduled for a limited run through major markets this winter.

Hailing from the historical New Jersey farm town of Clarksboro, Danielson--Smith and his siblings Megan Smith, David Smith, Rachel Smith, Andrew Smith, Elin K. Smith, and Chris X. Smith--came together in 1994 when the youngest member was just 10 years old. With their old-fashioned nurse costumes symbolizing the healing power of the Good News, Danielson's indie pop breath of fresh air landed in the pages of Rolling Stone, Spin, and the New York Times. Their first two albums--1995's A Prayer for Every Hour and 1997's Tell Another Joke at the Ol' Choppin' Block--became instant favorites among fans of the Pixies and Peter and the Wolf. With a successful run with Tooth & Nail and finding a new record label home at Secretly Canadian, Danielson went through a series of changes in the late 1990s. Band members came and went, many went on to work with the likes of Deerhoof, Half-Handed Cloud, Damien Jurado, Jens Lekman, and the Curtains while others finished school. Throughout these transitions, Smith was forced to face a solo career. He befriended Sufjan Stevens during this time, and became a mentor of sorts, a musical confidante for Stevens. And to think this all started out as a thesis project during Smith's senior year at Rutgers University?

DECEMBER
10-14: Chicago IL @ the Siskel Center
15-21: New York NY @ Cinema Village
11, 20, and 28: Austin TX @ the Alamo Downtown
15-21: Seattle WA @ NW Film Forum
*Late December (Dates TBA): Bloomington IN @ the Cinemat

JANUARY
25-27: San Francisco CA @ Red Vic
*Late January (Dates TBA): Portland OR @ the NW Film Center

Dates TBA: Boston, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and Toronto

Nick Cave, the Astonishing: Grinderman

Nick Cave is a man that needs no introduction. The nearly 50-year-old troubadour continues to rip apart rock & roll with his surly, sooty, and sexy bravado (Blixa, eat your heart out!), and he does it again with his new project, Grinderman. Some of his fellow Bad Seeds--Jim Sclavunos (drums), Martyn Casey (bass), and Warren Ellis (violin)--join him (with Nick on GUITAR!!!), and it's everything you'd expect and more. The song "No Pussy Blues" is solid blues-soaked swagger douced in gasoline and lust. It's classic Cave, really. The Aussie foursome have been playing together under Grinderman moniker since the release of Nocturama, and have plans to release an album next March. In the meantime, Ellis and the Dirty Three are curating the 2007 edition of All Tomorrow's Parties, which will feature a solo performance from Cave as well as Grinderman.

Faith Hill: Just Another Diva?

I always wondered if Faith Hill was a diva. With her perfect marriage, perfect husband, and perfect face, could Hill really be that perfect? Gotta figure the sweet and beautiful Mississippi girl would let the fame and celebrity go to her heard since it happens to everyone anymore. (Jessica Simpson? Check.) Notice her smug-turned-bitchy behavior from Monday night's CMA's--Hill throws her hands in the air in disbelief, shouting "WHAT?!" as American Idol sweetheart Carrie Underwood takes home the award for Female Vocalist of the Year. Today, Hill does some serious damage control, and says it was all a joke. A joke? If anyone happens to see the humor in this, please comment. I didn't laugh. To me, Faith made herself look incredibly stupid in front of her fans and colleagues.

Put A Smile Upon Your Face

Stop Smiling magazine is hands down one of the best! Staunch wit, thought-provoking commentary (rawk and politics), and a pristine layout (killer multiple covers!) comes to us six times a year. Their 28th issue, "20 Interviews," is on newsstands now, and it's another stellar installment from the Chicago-based publication. Get your hands on one of four rad covers featuring Tom Waits, Cat Power, Questlove, and the Rza. Inside, read up on the New Yorker's David Remnick, American writer Joan Didion, indie rock's resident kewpie doll, Joanna Newsom, and more!

My Bloody Valentine's Loveless Turns 15!

Fifteen years ago today, the epic sounds of My Bloody Valentine's Loveless was released. The band hasn't issued an album since, however MBV mastermind Kevin Shields has come out of hiding in recent years to get his hands on music once again; he's toured with Primal Scream, contributed solo tracks for the Sofia Coppola movie, Lost in Translation, and remixed tracks for the Go! Team and Bow Wow Wow. Last year, Shields also appeared alongside Patti Smith at London's Meltdown Festival, adding his genius guitar work to her reading of her book, The Coral Sea.



A decade and a half later, the undeniable influence of My Bloody Valentine can be heard in acts such as Giant Drag, Gemma Hayes, the Helio Sequence, and the Early Day Miners. Despite the horrid rumors of Shields being an incredibly difficult person to work with, let alone being blamed for the financial downfall of Creation Records, Shields is finally setting the record straight. I had the opportunity to speak very candidly with the warm, soft-spoken Shields last fall. We discussed his relationship with Creation Records founder, Alan McGee, the recording of Loveless, and those pesky rumors of a long-awaited My Bloody Valentine box set. Catch my interview with Kevin Shields this winter in Magnet!


In the meantime, enjoy the killer sounds of "Only Shallow."

Birthday Shakedown

Happy Birthday to the crazy and loveable rock & roll genius, Ryan Adams, who turns 32 today.

Gnarly

2006 definitely belongs to Gnarls Barkley. The Atlanta, Georgia-based collaboration featuring DJ and producer Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) and rapper/singer Cee-Lo (Thomas Callaway) totally wowed both the US and the UK with their debut album, the double-platinum smash, St. Elsewhere earlier this year. "Crazy" became a crazy worldwide hit, earning the duo a handful of MTV moonmen on top of countless cheers from the music press, thus it's only right that Gnarls Barkley share St. Elsewhere with us again.

Out Tuesday, November 7th, the limited edition CD/DVD reissue features the double-platinum-selling album in its entirety, as well as an the deluxe o-card adorned with a 3-D lenticular rendition of the album art! The brand-spanking new package for St. Elsewhere will also include a 92-page booklet, which showcases expanded album artwork and a special flip book with images from the killer "Crazy" video. Additional videos for their Violent Femmes cover of "Gone Daddy Gone," and the never-before-seen "Go Go Gadget Gospel" are there, AND television performances from Top of the Pops and Later with Jools Holland are too.

Gnarls Barkley recently announced that they will be embarking on a US tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers this January. Dates are TBA.

Pimp!

Shawn Carter is back! "Show Me What You Got" KILLS! Single of the year! The new issue of LIFE appears in newspapers nationwide Friday, November 3rd.

Surprise! It's Syd Straw

For those who are unfamiliar with the remarkable vocals and charm of Syd Straw, do yourself a favor and check out her 1989 debut album, Surprise. She is an American songwriting classic! In the early 199