Stream: Modest Mouse: "Dashboard"
James Mercer guests on LP

Modest Mouse will release "Dashboard", the first single from the forthcoming We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, on January 16, but you can stream it today from their MySpace page. UPDATE: AVOID RUPERT MURDOCH BY CLICKING HERE.

Though Isaac Brock is still writing half-nonsense witticisms like "We talked about nothing, which was more than I wanted you to know," the band are at their bounciest and most hi-fi on "Dashboard". The echoey electro passage a little over halfway through is especially good, though the rest of the track's bright horns, steady four-to-the-floor beat, and occasional touch of disco strings almost had us convinced this was a Franz Ferdinand song.

Brock doesn't seem content to have just one star collaborator in new Modest Mouse member Johnny Marr. The Shins' James Mercer guests on three We Were Dead tracks: "We've Got Everything", "Florida", and "Missed the Boat". Other song titles include "Fire It Up", "Steaming Genius", "Parting of the Sensories", and "Spitting Venom".

Modest Mouse wrap up their mini-tour of Australia with a January 6 date at the Southbound Festival in Busselton's Sir Stewart Bovell Park.

BONUS: CHECK OUT THIS PHOTO FROM THE "DASHBOARD" VIDEO SHOOT:

Stream: Modest Mouse: Dashboard [from the forthcoming We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank LP]

Stax Returns!
Isaac Hayes, Angie Stone are first signings

Stax Records is back. Concord Music Group, the company that acquired the legendary Memphis soul label in 2004, will reactivate Stax this year in coordination with the label's 50th anniversary.

Former Stax-ster Isaac Hayes and nü-soul singer Angie Stone are the reincarnated label's first signings, though its first releases will come in the form of compilations.

Interpretations is a tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire songwriter/bandleader Maurice White. ?uestlove (listed as the Randy Watson Experience), Meshell N'degeocello, gospel-hopper Kirk Franklin ("Do you want a revolution? Whoop! Whoop!"), and Chaka Khan all contribute covers of EW&F songs to the album.

The other release currently planned for the label is a double-disc, 50-track anthology titled Stax 50: A 50th Anniversary Celebration and featuring original Stax hits by Otis Redding, Booker T. & the MGs, Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers, and Sam & Dave, among others.

Stax plans to release over 20 CDs and DVDs this year, including digital releases and remixes, and there are also plans for a feature-length documentary on the label and its history. Of his own re-signing, Isaac Hayes said, "Stax always has been and always will be Soul Music. I am coming back to Stax because there is still so much to do. It's like coming home."

Welcome back, Stax.

The Knife Remixed by Dave Sitek, Booka Shade
Cutlery item of choice for the discerning gift-giver

"Marble House", a duet between Karin Dreijer and guest co-writer Jay-Jay Johanson-- and perhaps Silent Shout's most accessible offering-- arrives February 19 in the UK courtesy of Brille Records. It's a significantly more beefed-up version of the "Marble House" singles issued in Sweden last year (via the Knife's own Rabid Records), collecting the previously released Booka Shade, Rex the Dog, and Planningtorock remixes of the song along with reworkings from the Emperor Machine and TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek. 

UPDATE: The EP will be out in the U.S. on February 20. 

Last but certainly not least, Brille has designs on a deluxe re-release of Silent Shout in the near future. Details forthcoming. [MORE...]

Video: The Knife: Marble House [from the Silent Shout LP]

Sparklehorse Announce North American Tour
Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter to open

February 2 will mark the start of Sparklehorse's first full-blown U.S. tour in five years. And it's a big one, covering sea to shining sea for a month straight. Seattle's Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter are tagging along for the entire ride.

The trek is in support of Sparklehorse's Dreamt for Lightyears in the Belly of a Mountain, which landed last fall via Astralwerks. Danger Mouse (who helped produce the album) and head horsie Mark Linkous recently began recording together again in Los Angeles. According to Sparklehorse's website, "When asked just what kind of sound they're going for, [Linkous and Danger Mouse] replied 'hummmmmmmmmmm.'"

Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter have some new material in store themselves. Their forthcoming LP, Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul, will land on Barsuk in all of its mouthful-of-a-title'd glory come February 6. [MORE...]

Stream: Sparklehorse: Don't Take My Sunshine Away [from the Dreamt for Lightyears in the Belly of a Mountain LP]

Video: Jarvis: "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time"
New single out January 8

That advice, of course, is "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time", which not-at-all-coincidentally happens to be the latest single from Jarvis' self-titled solo debut. Leave it to the Brits to stretch our wallets thin, however: "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" comes in three exciting formats, one CD and two different seven-inches, each with different B-sides. The CD version even includes one of Jarvis' charming storytelling podcasts, several more of which are presently streaming at the man's Jarvspace. Rough Trade delivers all three singles on January 8.

[MORE...]

Clap Your Hands, Wrens Play NYC Benefit Shows
...Separately

New York City is full of feminist indie rock do-gooders these days. On January 23, the Bowery Ballroom will host the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls' second annual benefit concert, featuring performances from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and camper bands.

A live auction will precede the concert, featuring items like a private party at the Brooklyn Brewery, a guitar and lessons in how to play it, celeb autographs, Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui threads, and more.

At the Knitting Factory on January 19, the Wrens, Takka Takka, and the World Without Magic will team up with Planned Parenthood of New York City to celebrate the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Now, we know all you women have the right to choose whether or not to attend so we won't use force or anything, but please note that all proceeds go to Planned Parenthood.

MP3: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Love Song No. 7 [from the forthcoming Some Loud Thunder LP]

Video: Kleerup [ft. Robyn]: "With Every Heartbeat"

We do know, however, that it's a crying shame about the video. The Fredrik Skogkvist-directed clip follows a mustachioed hipster type in a Dark Side of the Moon t-shirt (aka Andreas Kleerup) around the gritty streets and trams of some urban environs, all hand-held jitters and navel-gazing via camcorder lens. It's not unlike a (mostly) daytime companion piece to David Holmes' "Don't Die Just Yet"-- except that where Holmes served up a moody, grounded instrumental, Kleerup and Robyn are reaching for the stars with "With Every Heartbeat", or at least the luster of the disco lights. In the bland light of day, however, everything feels frustratingly dulled.



Low budget, sure, but you can do a lot more with a little-- and especially with a song that's priceless.

Blur Not Reuniting With Coxon

MP3: Graham Coxon: Standing on My Own [from the Love Travels at Illegal Speeds LP]
Stream: The Good, the Bad and the Queen: History Song [from the forthcoming The Good, the Bad and the Queen LP]

Stooges, Interpol, Bloc Party, Lily Allen Play SXSW
Matt & Kim, Cold War Kids, the Watson Twins also on board

The Stooges, Interpol, Bloc Party, Lily Allen, Matt & Kim, the Watson Twins, Cold War Kids, Devin the Dude, Hoodoo Gurus, Ghostland Observatory, Stax 50th Anniversary Soul Review, Ozomatli, and Turbonegro are slated to play the music portion of the mega-event, which runs from March 14-18 (the full extravaganza, including film and "interactive" festivals, runs from March 9-18). As previously reported, Under Byen are also scheduled to perform.

Following the announcement is a line of small italic text reading, "everything subject to change," and while we hope nothing changes, we're letting you know anyway.

In addition, Pete Townshend will appear as the keynote speaker for SXSW's Music Conference. Following the keynote, which takes place on March 14, Townshend and "Attic Jam" partner Rachel Fuller will put on a March 15 show featuring some special guests. Other SXSW speakers and interviewees include David Byrne (with his presentation "Record Labels: Who Needs Them?"), Emmylou Harris, Gilberto Gil, Terry McBride, Rickie Lee Jones, Booker T, and Joe Boyd.

Video: Mastodon Tour Diary, Part Two

Mastodon don't get anyone fired in this second installment of their video tour diary, but they do make full use of their fake British accents. They also freak out over being interviewed by Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson for his BBC Radio 2 show and get excited when they see the place where they say Anchorman cologne Sex Panther is made.

Though not an official entry in their video tour diary, they have also made available a clip wishing fans a happy New Year, complete with attempts at speaking Spanish and drummer Brann Dailor talking about his New Year's resolution: to shave the palm hair he acquired from "fiddling" with himself as a kid every single day.

Mastodon have finished their European tour with Tool, but they will pick back up again January 26 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL for their U.S. dates and then head back to the UK in March.

Video Diary, Part Two:



"Feliz Año Nuevo España del Mastodon":


[MORE...]

Modest Mouse Confirm New Single

As is the nature of music nowadays, "Dashboard" has apparently leaked, which means the mammerjammers are mammerjammering. According to Rolling Stone blog commenter "Vari", "Dashboard" is "not nearly as impressive as their earlier work" and "lacks integrity and emotion", while "right said fred" claims it "sounds like early XTC." So there you have it! Now move along, people.

The Marr-ified Modest Mouse, last we heard, will drop We Were Dead in "early 2007", a rather broad umbrella under which even this very moment falls. Catch them Down Under this week-- though we hope they've opted for travel by air. [MORE...]

Video: Modest Mouse: Ocean Breathes Salty [from the Good News for People Who Love Bad News LP]

Morrissey, Shins, Air, Les Savy Fav Say "Cheese"

The first exhibit opens tomorrow, January 4, at New York's Team Gallery and runs through February 10. "Irregular Regulars" showcases the work of 29-year-old Ryan McGinley, who's spent the past two years indulging in all things Morrissey. McGinley's photographs seek to capture just how rapturous and passionate worshippers in the church of Moz can be, and appropriately his candid snapshots of fans and crowds have a fuzzy, dreamy quality, as though Moz himself were emanating holy light, and not just the rig above the stage. Cool stuff. Scope some examples here.

Then hop a train and catch "Past Perfect" at Philadelphia's Space 1026, which opens the following day, January 5, and runs through the 27. This exhibition collects a shit-ton of Polaroids from UK-based pair Pat Graham and Melanie Standage, including candid and pre-fame portraits of pretty much every band on your iTunes playlist: Elliott Smith, Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse), Les Savy Fav, the Shins, Ian MacKaye (Fugazi/The Evens), Ted Leo/Pharmacists, Tortoise, the Sea and Cake, June of 44, At the Drive-In, Air, Sarah Cracknell (Saint Etienne), Brett Anderson (Suede), and more.

"Past Perfect" is actually but one-third of the Pat & Melanie "Retrospect" exhibit, which also includes an "allegorical photo installation" called "The Wildebeest" and another photo installation inspired by-- and sharing its name with-- the Cure's "A Forest". Details here.

Oh, and make that 1,000,284.

Sufjan, Björk, Prince Line Up for Joni Mitchell Tribute

Prior to this moment, only in our wildest and sauciest dreams could we picture Sufjan Stevens, Björk, and Prince rolling around together.

Nonesuch Records, however, has made our dreams a reality; the label recently announced that the three aforementioned artists-- along with Sarah McLachlan, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, James Taylor, and tasteful others-- will be featured on a forthcoming Joni Mitchell tribute record, aptly titled A Tribute to Joni Mitchell. It's due out this spring.

In addition, Billboard.com reports that Mitchell recently spent a few weeks recording new material in Los Angeles, though exactly what she plans to do with the new tunes has not been confirmed. [MORE...]

Video: Joni Mitchell: Free Man in Paris [live; from the Court and Spark LP]

Nick Cave Live DVD, Grinderman LP Revealed
I pledge allegiance to the grind

Lock up your daughters! Nick Cave is back on the prowl. The notorious Australian lothario is gearing up to make 2007 his bitch, with a live DVD/CD set and a new album from a sorta-new band in the works.

On January 29, Mute UK will release The Abattoir Blues Tour, a live double DVD of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds in all their, er, seedy glory. The first disc captures a performance at London's Brixton Academy on November 11, 2004, when the band was supporting the 2004 double album Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus. The second, from London's Hammersmith Apollo on June 7, 2003, comes from the Nocturama tour. The set is rounded out by a bunch of music videos and a "behind the scenes" film by guitarist Mick Harvey.

The 2xDVD is available on its own and as a limited edition "deluxe" box set which also includes a 2xCD set of 2004 live songs. Those songs can also be purchased as downloads or as a double CD set from Mute's online store.

As previously reported, Cave and Bad Seeds Warren Ellis (also of Dirty Three), Martyn Casey, and Jim Sclavunos have a new band, Grinderman. The horny scuzz-punk group features Cave back on electric guitar (as well as vocals, organ, and piano), with Ellis on guitar, viola, violin, and, why not, electric bouzouki, Casey on bass and guitar, and Sclavunos on drums.

Grinderman's self-titled debut is out on Mute UK on March 5 and in North America on Anti- on April 10. The band's first single, "Get It On", comes out on Mute on February 8 on vinyl and download. The limited-to-1000-copies 7" is a one-sided dealie featuring cover art and a b-side etching by Cave himself. You can hear "Get It On", as well as the charming "No Pussy Blues", on Grinderman's MySpace page now.

As previously reported, both Grinderman and Cave solo will perform at the Dirty Three-curated All Tomorrow's Parties festival in April. [MORE...]

Stream: Grinderman:

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