Modest Mouse Unveil Dead Tracklist, Release Date

Already fond of long-ass album titles and long-ass tracklists, America's favorite humble rodents-- Modest Mouse-- have finally revealed the long-ass details behind their latest LP after a, um, extensive delay.

According to Billboard.com and verified by a publicist, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank-- boasting guitar-work from new recruit Johnny Marr, guest appearances from the Shins' James Mercer, and that sunny first single "Dashboard"-- hits stores via Epic on March 20. It has 14 tracks, including the not-so-smartly-titled "Steam Engenius".

The digitally-inclined may preorder We Were Dead from iTunes beginning January 30, thereby ensuring themselves access to a "Dashboard" download and some swank behind-the-scenes video shoot footage. Actually we have no idea if it's truly swank, we just like saying swank a lot. Swank? Swank. We hope it's more than this, though.

Modest Mouse will hop in their humble tour stretch-Hummers this spring for a presumably long-ass TBA jaunt in support of their new collection of songs, including previously reported stops at the ATP vs. the Fans festival and Barcelona's Primavera Sound. [MORE...]

The Good, the Bad and the Queen Kick Off Tour

The Good, the Bad and the Queen will begin their first tour since the release of their self-titled debut Saturday night in Bristol, England. Most of the group's dates are in the UK, in fact, except for four at the end. The last of those is their appearance at Coachella on April 28.

Those of us who can't make it out to California shouldn't worry, though, since Damon Albarn is sure to start 50 new bands by summertime. [MORE...]

Tapes 'n Tapes Schedule North American Tour

Tapes 'n Tapes are resting up with "old friends (...our buddies, our peeps, season three of Lost, the NFL playoffs, and our record collections)" after a very busy 2006, ending with last month's trek through Japan and Australia (and a robbery).

But pretty soon, they'll soon take their show back on the road.

The band has announced a tour surrounding their previously reported Coachella performance, taking them across North America in April and May. But before that, they have two isolated dates scheduled; one at a festival in Mexico, and one in St. Paul, Minnesota as part of public radio station 89.3 the Current's Current Fakebook series. The project unites writers with their favorite musicians. For this show, pop culture obsessive Chuck Klosterman appears along with the band. (Wouldn't have pegged him for a Tapes 'n Tapes fan, honestly. They don't seem cheesy enough for him.) [MORE...]

Animal Collective's Avey Tare Records With ex-Múm Gal

Watching Animal Collective open for FatCat labelmates Múm a few years back, you wouldn't think the boys' tribal melee would jell terribly well with the Icelandic troupe's snowflake-delicate compositions-- but that hasn't stopped Avey Tare from joining forces with Kria Brekkan (aka Storsveit Nix Noltes lady and former Múmmer Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir) for a new Paw Tracks LP. (And in marriage, incidentally.)

In their respective bands, Tare and Brekkan do seem to share a love for all things childlike, whimsical, and subconscious, so perhaps its this unifying thread that runs through Pullhair Rubeye's eight songs. They all have poetic/wacked-out titles and lots of accent marks, at least.

Pullhair Rubeye, sibling squabbling-evocative title and all, arrives April 24 in CD, LP, and digital formats. It presumably includes tunes penned in Paris in August 2005 and "vocals, piano and guitars [recorded] on an 8-track and mixed them down on a cheap 2-track," as previously reported.

While Tare and Brekkan are mulling the possibility of some East Coast happenings this spring, the latest addition to Domino's mighty roster-- Tare's main gig Animal Collective-- hits the tour trail in May.

Fellow Animal Collective member Panda Bear's Person Pitch, meanwhile, arrives via Paw Tracks on March 20, as you know. Be sure to check out album track "Bros" and some more multimedia goodies over in Forkcast. [MORE...]

Brian Eno Producing New Coldplay Album
He will try to fix them

In an interview with Kristy Lang on BBC Radio 4's Front Row program today, producer/musician/artist/god Brian Eno revealed that he is producing the next Coldplay album. "I think [the album] will be very original and very different from what they've done before," Eno said.

Well, that's good to know.

Lang and Eno had been discussing the Talking Heads' influence on current pop music, so Lang had to ask if the new Coldplay album will sound at all like that band.

Eno laughed and replied, "Funnily enough, I mentioned to David Byrne the other day that we are trying very hard to stay clear of Talking Heads."

Whew. If there's anything worse than Coldplay trying to sound like Coldplay, it's Coldplay trying to sound like the Talking Heads.

To hear the full interview, in which Eno talks about his current art exhibits, his views on spirituality, and his take on the state of the music industry, go here.

Kaiser Chief Wilson Chats Album, Na's, No's, Hit'n'Run
Wilson on the hit-and-run driver: "He was probably an Arctic Monkeys fan or something."

They predicted a riot, and now they've got an Angry Mob. As previously reported, Brit buzz band Kaiser Chiefs return with Yours Truly, Angry Mob-- out March 27 on Universal in North America, and February 26 everywhere else-- and a continent-spanning tour.

As the UK press darlings brace for fan reception to their sophomore outing, Pitchfork caught up with genial lead vocalist Ricky Wilson for a chat about leaps in songwriting, onstage leaps, and a certain life-saving leap over a speeding vehicle last spring.

First and foremost, however, just how many "na"s can fans of 2005 debut Employment expect from Yours Truly, Angry Mob? "I don't do any 'na's, I think. Nick [Hodgson, drummer] might, but it's because he doesn't bother learning the lyrics! He goes in and does these backing vocals, and he just makes it up as he goes along.

"The thing is, with the first [record], we needed that, because we were always a support band. We needed to get the audience to sing along, and that was the best way of doing it: having no lyrics and having big bits that went, "oooh," like that. We don't need them anymore. We've got one song that's got a big 'la la la' in it, but that's about it, I think."

In addition to the move away from catchy playground taunts, Wilson's confident that Angry Mob marks a step forward for the band on the whole. "I would say the album, if it wasn't better than the first one, would never be released. We don't want to be one of those bands that just get worse. We think it's better and it's the best we can do at this moment in time. So if it's not good enough, then we're in the wrong job. But I think it's fucking great, so I'm happy.

"The record is worth hearing," the Kaiser Chief continued. "I know all bands say that, but if they didn't, I'd be worried."

If Wilson sounds proud, maybe he has a right to be. Apart from the touch of producer/mixer Stephen Street and mixer Cenzo Townshend, the Kaisers pretty much went it alone on Angry Mob. "We made a conscious decision not to have any other musicians involved on it...everything that's played on it is played by us, because we've got no reason to hide behind anyone else. If we want something to sound big, surely we should be able to do that on our own." [MORE...]

Mastodon Kick Off Winter Tour

We're still waiting for the third installment of our favorite mind-melting Southerners' (duh, Mastodon!) video tour diary, and if anything will inspire them to future YouTube greatness, it's hitting the road again.

The Blood Mountain climbers kick things off tonight in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with tourmates Priestess and Converge before snaking around the eastern U.S. Then in March, they'll get international, with stops in Ireland, England, and the United Arab Emirates.

Mastodon also announced their first summer festival date recently. It's in June at Norway's Hovefestival, where one of the bands with whom they will share the bill is... Slayer!

We could have guessed it, but since they went out of their way to list "w/Slayer" in the tour section of their website, it's obvious that Mastodon are beyond psyched. And so are we, especially if they upload a video document of the occasion for all the internet to see. [MORE...]

Pattern Is Movement Tour With David Bazan

Philly trio Pattern Is Movement will hit the road with prickly Pedro-no-more David Bazan in February, and they're bringing producer Scott Solter along with them to play guitar.

Solter produced the band's last album and the corresponding remix record, Stowaway and Canonic: Scott Solter Plays Pattern Is Movement. Solter will return to the studio with Pattern Is Movement this summer to record their third album for release early next year on Hometapes.

The tour begins at Kenyon College on February 9 and includes an appearance at Hometapes' SXSW showcase. Bazan has two dates of his own, one tonight with Damien Jurado and another February 10 with Iron & Wine's Sam Beam. [MORE...]

Smashing Pumpkins Announce First Reunion Shows

Last month, we told you that the Smashing Pumpkins were slated to play "some European festivals" in the summer of 2007. Well, they've finally announced exactly where and when fans can, for the first time in over six years, catch the band live.

The Pumpkins will play Germany's Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals, taking place in Nuremburg on June 2 at Nürburgring and June 3 at Zeppelinfeld, respectively.

They're sharing rosters with the likes of Linkin Park, Korn, Evanescence, Dave Matthews Band, Slayer, and My Chemical Romance. Muse, the Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, the Kooks, Wolfmother, and Mando Diao are lined up to perform as well.

Who, exactly, is in Smashing Pumpkins? We still don't know.

Secretly Canadian Artists Cover Each Other for Comp
Jens Lekman does Scout Niblett, Danielson do Dave Fischoff, Songs: Ohia do Nikki Sudden

After 11 years of existence, Secretly Canadian is finally celebrating itself. The Indiana label that brought us everybody from Antony and Jens Lekman to Danielson/Br. Danielson/Danielson Famile and Songs:Ohia/Magnolia Electric Company/Jason Molina will release the retrospective compilation SC100 on April 10.

And what better way to document Secretly Canadian's history than with a big ol' song swap? SC100 features 18 SC artists covering other SC artists. Jens Lekman covers Scout Niblett, Danielson does Dave Fischoff, Songs: Ohia take on Nikki Sudden, Nikki Sudden does June Panic, June Panic do Danielson, Marmoset do Jens, Suzanne Langille does Songs:Ohia... Yup, it's a big ol' orgy.

Although Secretly Canadian has put out over 150 records by now, SC100 is still a technically correct title, since it's been in the works since it was the label's hundreth release. Therefore, the compilation only includes artists from SC's first 99 records. So no Antony or I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness or Frida Hyvönen, sorry. [MORE...]

Shins, Lily Allen, Cold War Kids Play KCRW Fundraiser

Southern California NPR affiliate radio station (and adult-alternative mecca) KCRW has unveiled the details of its sixth annual A Sounds Eclectic Evening fundraiser.

This year, the event is scheduled for April 14 at Universal City, California's Gibson Amphitheater. The Shins, Lily Allen, the Cold War Kids, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and Bitter: Sweet will perform, and the Pinker Tones will rock the after-party.

Additional artists have yet to be announced, but "surprise special guests" are promised. Ooh, we hope it's James Blunt and Corinne Bailey Rae!

Proceeds will assist the station in digitizing its massive (60,000+ albums!) music library.

Danny! = Next Def Jux Artist

Following through on a two-month promise, the heads at Def Jux-- in collaboration with mtvU and its college student viewership-- have selected Danny! to be the newest member of their family. The 23 year-old Savannah College of Art and Design student, born Danny Swain, will record a digital EP for the label and collaborate with Def Jukie Mr. Lif on a single and music video, the latter of which will exclusively premiere on mtvU and mtvU.com later this year.

Danny! is just the first winner of the college-only network's "Best Music on Campus" monthly contests to hook up independent college-enrolled artists with record contracts. In his profile on the site, he claims to sound like "a cross between Björn Borg and a vacuum cleaner", with A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Gang Starr, EPMD, and, um, Barry Manilow as his influences.

What we wouldn't give to hear Mr. Lif on a version of "Copacabana"!

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