By ANDY VIHSTADT
Ted Leo stopped by NPR’s soon-to-be-cancelled Bryant Park Project for a short solo set. Included in the interview and performance is a cover of the Waterboys’ “Fisherman’s Blues” and a new one. Tune in here.
By ANDY VIHSTADT
To rev up for this weekend’s festival in Chicago, Pitchfork TV has put together a highlight reel from last year’s proceedings. Included in the mix are live performances from Slint, Grizzly Bear, the New Pornos and plenty more. Watch here and stay tuned for more from the Pitchfork Music Festival.
By ANDY VIHSTADT
While we wait for Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek to finish up the sequel to 2000’s Reflection Eternal: Train of Thought, Okayplayer.com has posted a couple Kweli cuts that didn’t make it onto last year’s Ear Drum. Listen here.
By ANDY VIHSTADT
Stay Positive hits stores today and to keep things on the up and up, the Hold Steady popped into AOL’s Interface Studios for a live preview. Get it here in video or audio form. You can also listen to the album for free, along with the Black Kids’ debut, Partie Traumatic (out next week), right here.
By ANDY VIHSTADT
The Toadies parted ways in 2001 after only two albums, but Vaden Todd Lewis is back with most of his original lineup for another round of Texas-style rock. Hit up the band’s MySpace page to stream the title track from No Deliverance, due August 19 on Kirtland Records. In you’re in the St. Louis area, catch them live at the Pageant on July 30.
By ANDY VIHSTADT
L.A.’s Bodies of Water are joining forces with Secretly Canadian Records for its sophomore LP, A Certain Feeling. Grab the first single below and another new track at RCRD LBL, right here. The band also has a few MP3s from its debut posted here.
MP3: Bodies of Water, “Under the Pines”, A Certain Feeling (Secretly Canadian)
By ANDY VIHSTADT
Toronto’s Fucked Up is going with Matador for its sophomore LP, most likely leaving the label’s marketing department scratching their heads. The hardcore punk outfit (whose members go by 10,000 Marbles, Pink Eyes, Mustard Gas, Concentration Camp, Mr. Joe, along with a handful of aliases for their aliases) will be releasing The Chemistry of Common Life on October 7. Download the first single below.
MP3: Fucked Up, “No Epiphany”, The Chemistry of Common Life (Matador)
By ANDY VIHSTADT
On the heels of their recently released Bake Sale EP, Cool Kids’ Mikey Rocks and Chuck Inglish have finally dropped the mixtape they’ve been promising for the past couple of months. Twist your bass knob to the right and download "That’s Stupid" for free at their MySpace page. The six-track mix comes in at under twenty minutes, but as they put it, “Shit is epic.” Look out for the Chicago duo’s proper debut LP, When Fish Ride Bikes, on Chocolate Industries later this year.
By ANDY VIHSTADT
On the heels of its recent deluxe reissue of 1997’s Young Team, Mogwai is prepping its sixth studio album, The Hawk is Howling, for September 22. The Scottish post-rockers are even using the same producer, Andy Miller, as they did for their debut. Grab a preview below.
MP3: Mogwai, “The Sun Smells Too Loud”, The Hawk is Howling (Matador)
By ANDY VIHSTADT
Of Montreal announced it will be releasing its ninth LP, Skeletal Lamping, on October 9 via Polyvinyl. Kevin Barnes posted this disclaimer on his MySpace blog:
I wanted to make an album that was unpredictable and, at times, startling, yet always hummable and catchy. Some of the transitions are intentionally awkward. I did this to keep the listener off guard and to dismantle people's perception of how an album is supposed to be constructed.
Stream a preview of the upcoming LP here (click the play button on the video screen).
By ANDY VIHSTADT
James Lavelle (the man from UNKLE) is getting the word out on his upcoming fourth LP with a few free tracks. “Blade in the Back” should be available to download here, via RCRD LBL sometime today and “Synthetic Water” is promised to be available right here, on Friday. Check out a couple more tracks below. End Titles…Stories For Film goes digital on the 15th with a physical release in September.
Listen: UNKLE, "Chemical," End Titles…Stories For Film (Surrender All)
MP3: UNKLE, “Kane and Abel," End Titles…Stories For Film (Surrender All)
By ANDY VIHSTADT
Massive Attack opened its Friday night set at Glastonbury with the new song “All I Want,” which is expected to appear on the band’s forthcoming fifth LP, due early next year. Stream the entire show here, and check out more highlights from the festival, including sets from Hot Chip, Dizzee Rascal and Kings of Leon, right here.
By ANDY VIHSTADT
Next week, Saul Williams’ Niggy Tardust will see a physical release. No longer free to download, the CD will come with a handful of extras, including the song from that recent Nike commercial (link) and the track below (courtesy of Pitchfork).
MP3: Saul Williams, “World on Wheels”, The Inevitable Rise and Fall of Niggy Tardust! (Fader)
By ANDY VIHSTADT
Only July 29, Thirsty Ear Records and the Future of Music Coalition will bring the subject of Net Neutrality to the forefront with the Rock the Net compilation. The album will feature new and exclusive cuts from artists like the Wrens, Portastatic, and They Might Be Giants. Where the proceeds go isn’t quite clear, but you can stream the entire thing right here.
