SXSW: Good Bad & Queen, Mountain Goats, Mastodon
Also added: Beirut, Jandek, Thurston Moore, Blonde Redhead, Jesu, more

For some reason, the organizers of this year's SXSW haven't been too forthcoming about the bounty of bands that will perform at their music festival in Austin, Texas come March 14-18. But today in an email newsletter, they leaked a few more artists. Also, the Beggars Group, Barsuk, and Hydra Head revealed their showcases, we announced our party, and we received a few more confirmations.

So let's round up what we know so far.

Back at the end of February, SXSW announced Bloc Party, Interpol, Lily Allen, the Stooges, and many more performers, plus interviews and talks by David Byrne, Pete Townshend, Emmylou Harris, and others.

Earlier this week, we unleashed the lineup for the Pitchfork Music Festival party, taking place at Emo's and Emo's Jr. on Friday, March 16 from noon-6 p.m. [In case you forgot, we've got Girl Talk, Menomena, Rjd2, the Ponys, the Pipettes, Do Make Say Think, Deerhunter, Simian Mobile Disco, Fujiya & Miyagi, Beach House, Marnie Stern, and Crystal Castles.)

In various news stories, we reported that Voxtrot, 120 Days, Magik Markers, a Nick Drake panel and film, Jesse Sykes, Frog Eyes, YACHT, Badly Drawn Boy, Datarock, Pattern Is Movement, and many, many more would be heading to Austin in a month.

Today, SXSW announced the additions of performances by the Good, the Bad and the Queen, Thurston Moore, Reigning Sound, the Automatic, Mastodon, and Steve Earle, as well as a few more speakers, including Iggy Pop, David Cross, and Patton Oswalt.

There will also be a screening of the Jandek performance film Duality of Self, as well as a live show by the man himself, taking place Saturday, March 17 at the Central Presbyterian Church.

The Beggars Group showcase will take over Emo's and Emo's Jr on Wednesday, March 14, with sets by Blonde Redhead, Mountain Goats, Beirut, Emma Pollock (formerly of the Delgados), Wolf & Cub, Voxtrot, Calla, ILiKETRAiNS, Future of the Left, and the Early Years. Barsuk will occupy Buffalo Billiards on Thursday, March 15, bringing Menomena, Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter, Aqueduct, Viva Voce, and Rocky Votolato. That same night, Hydra Head will terrorize Emo's Annex, with sets by Pelican, Jesu, Big Business, Daughters, Oxbow, and Stephen Bordsky's Octave Museum.

Whew. My feet hurt just reading that.

Rah Bras Call It Quits
…Until 2037

Rah Bras are leaving us, and chances are, you missed them. The disco-noise spazztro trio were crazy and awesome and only a few people cared about them, but they kept at it for over ten years. In 2005, they released their last album, Whohm, which I loved and the rest of the site liked, um, slightly less than I did.

Tonight at the Richmond Renaissance Center in Rah Bras' hometown of Richmond, Virginia, the band will perform their last show. It is part of local community radio station WRIR's anniversary party, and "space suits [are] optional", according to the band.

After the show, Rah Bras will go "on sabbatical until 2037, when truth is revealed and your place on the new ark is secure."

So I'll see you at the reunion! I'll be the 55-year-old lady in the front row.

Video: Rah Bras: Live

Love Is All Release Single, Tour

Stream: Love Is All: Various Tracks

The Juan Maclean Kicks Off DJ Dates

The Juan Maclean has kept pretty quiet recently. That is, unless you count his MySpace blog, where he posted recent entries about the Gossip's "Standing in the Way of Control" and "What it means to be gay." The latter is pretty detailed and includes the line, "That one Top Gun dude is an example, not Goose but the other guy."

Hopefully this won't start any fights.

He has, however, finally peeled himself away from the computer to kick off a tour of DJ dates that begins tonight in Washington, D.C. Presumably, this means no more treatises on sexual orientation for a while, but we think his party-rocking will make up for it. [MORE...]

Stream: The Juan Maclean: Various Tracks

All Seven Sly and the Family Stone LPs Reissued
Sly Stone world tour to follow this summer, with special guests Thomas Pynchon and Jandek

Contrary to the accepted wisdom regarding pot smokers, Sly Stone was productive as hell in his heyday, releasing seven albums in as many years with his band the Family Stone. On March 20, Epic/Legacy will celebrate the 40-year anniversary of the release of the group's 1967 debut, A Whole New Thing, by reissuing it along with the rest of the band's seven pre-solo Sly or Family Stone "comeback" albums.

All seven albums (chronologically: A Whole New Thing, Dance to the Music, Life, Stand!, There's a Riot Goin' On, Fresh, Small Talk) will come as limited edition digipaks with bonus tracks, plenty of which are previously unreleased. According to a press release, they will also feature "restored and expanded packaging, including rare photos, memorabilia, and new liner notes by a diverse group of writers and artists."

The bonus tracks for each release are as follows. [MORE...]

Video: Sly and the Family Stone: Dance to the Music/I Wanna Take You Higher (live on the Ed Sullivan Show)

Ratatat, 120 Days Tour Together

Forecast for late March and early April: heavy synth-rock with a chance of hipster haircuts. Yup, Brooklyn bangers Ratatat and Norwegian kraut-dancers 120 Days are hitting North America this spring. Both bands also have several U.S. and European dates scheduled separately both before and after the trek. 120 Days will also hit up SXSW, though Ratatat have better things to do, like playing in Buffalo.

Ratatat have a second remix album on the way, creatively titled Mixtape Vol. 2. It boasts 14 new remixes of people like Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z, Young Jeezy, T.I., Beanie Sigel, Ludacris, Juvenile, and Kanye West, as well as exclusive tracks from tourmate (and Def Jux signee) Despot and former Anti-Pop Consortium MC Beans.

As previously reported, Ratatat's E*Vax contributes a remix to the Television Personalities remix EP due February 20 on Domino.

As for those who haven't yet picked up 120 Days' self-titled album that came out on Vice/Smalltown Supersound last fall...well, the early bird doesn't always get the worm. Fans purchasing the record from select independent record stores these days will receive a free limited-edition 7" with an exclusive Secret Machines reworking of 120 Days' track "Come Out, Come Down, Fade Out, Be Gone". According to a press release, it features new music and lyrics, which sort of makes it seem like it might be an entirely different song, but whatevs.

In other news, 120 Days walked away from last Saturday's Spellemannprisen (the Norwegian Grammys) with two awards in hand-- one for Best Rock Album, and one for Best New Artist. [MORE...]

Video: 120 Days: C-Musik [from the 120 Days LP]
MP3: Z-ro, Devin the Dude & Juvenile: The Mule (Ratatat remix)

Jesse Sykes Confesses Like, Love, Lust, Kicks Off Tour

Jesse Sykes will release her third album with her band the Sweet Hereafter via Barsuk on February 6. Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul features a guest appearance from Swedish songwriter Nicolai Dunger and production from Tucker Martine (the Decemberists, the Long Winters) and Martin Feveyear (Mark Lanegan, Kings of Leon).

Remember, Sykes isn't your average folkie-girl-with-guitar. The last time, we heard from her, she was singing on the Boris/Sunn0))) record. And just look a that photo up there! She's such a badass!

Sykes and her band kick off their previously reported tour with Sparklehorse tonight in Austin. [MORE...]

Stream: Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter: Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul (full album)

Exclusive: Ed Banger Delivers Second Comp, Tour
Plus stickers!

Stream: Various Ed Banger Artists: Various Tracks

Midlake Embark on Bi-Continental Tour

Tonight, Denton, Texas rockers Midlake embark on their first North American headlining tour since their The Trials of Van Occupanther LP landed on Bella Union last summer. After this tour ends in March, they're headed to Europe.

Midlake will spend Valentine's Day playing two shows here in Chicago at Schubas. We hope their significant others don't mind. [MORE...]

Video: Midlake: Roscoe [from the The Trials of Van Occupanther LP]

Goldfrapp Ride a White Horse on New EP

Goldfrapp are mining their 2005 album Supernature for yet another release, the Ride a White Horse EP, due this coming Tuesday, February 6 on CD and the Tuesday after that, February 13, digitally, both via Mute.

The Horse EP includes five versions of its title track, including remixes by Serge Santiágo, Ewan Pearson, and two from Francois K--solo and with Eric Kupper. It also features a cover of the Ordinary Boys' "Boys Will Be Boys".

In addition, the enhanced disc boasts the "Ride a White Horse" video, as well as London concert footage of the song.

For a sneak peek, check out this e-card. It comes complete with audio, video, and a carousel of bluish-white horses that look like they just left an ice sculpture exhibit. [MORE...]

Stream: Goldfrapp: Various Tracks

Sufjan, My Brightest Diamond to Play Music Now Fest
Also Clogs, Amiina, plus mad collaborations

As if he isn't busy enough playing in both the National and Clogs, Bryce Dessner has somehow found the time to curate the second annual Music Now festival in Cincinnati.

The event, which is scheduled to run from April 5-7 at Memorial Hall, features Sufjan Stevens, Clogs, My Brightest Diamond, Sigur Rós pals Amiina, Czech cellists/multi-instrumentalists Irena and Vojtech Havel, and the U.S. debut of Spanish flamenco guitarist Pedro Soler.

Now here's where things get interesting (and, at times, incestuous): Both Sufjan and Amiina's Maria Sigfúsdóttir are lined up to perform with separate string quartets. Sufjan will also play with some as-of-yet unannounced special guests. My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden will lend vocals to both Suf and Clogs. And finally, Clogs will, with the help of special guests Worden, Aaron Dessner (of the National), and percussionist David Cossin, premiere new material by their violinist/composer, Padma Newsome (also of the National). Whew!

Pitchfork Seeks Business Intern in Chicago

According to the Chicago Police Department, last month alone several incidents of kidnapping, prostitution, and arson took place within walking distance of Pitchfork World Headquarters.

If you haven't stopped reading by now, you're ballsy, one of the many desired qualities we look for in our internship candidates.

Business intern responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: Assisting our sales team with client contact and research, working on things that we think are important, helping with accounts receivable and payable, managing promotional materials, executing promotions, and providing overall help to streamline our business operations. All candidates must be excellent at almost everything. We need to make sure you'll be able to handle an office as unbelievably intense as ours. Candidates must reside in the Chicagoland area.

We prefer candidates who are able to obtain college credit for the internship, but this is not mandatory. If you're interested, please email us a cover letter and résumé. Also include your hours of availability and a potential start date. Deadline is Monday, February 5 at 5 p.m. CST.

Arcade Fire Involved in London Scuffle?
A.F. ain't nuthin t'fuck wit

Last night in London, at the end of their set at Porchester Hall, the Arcade Fire did what has become a tradition at their performances: they performed a brief acoustic set in the foyer of the venue. These sets are just one of the many reasons why this band is so loveable, offering fans who were stuck in the back for the entire main performance an opportunity to see the group up close and personal for a few songs.

But apparently, the Arcade Fire are not beloved by everybody. According to a reporter for the NME, as the band made their way to the back of Porchester Hall for the encore, they encountered a bit of trouble with a security guard.

"One of guards was literally manhandling Win, who was pretty pissed off and shouted 'Don't fucking touch me' before shrugging off the attention and defiantly placing his mic stand at the bottom of the foyer stairs," the reporter said.

"The rest of the band-- French horns, double bass and all-- then emerged from the startled crowd, most of whom hadn't realised exactly what was going on, to play a spine-tingling extended acoustic version of 'Wake Up'. After about a minute, Win disappeared to the back of the throng, leaving the lead vocals to be sung en masse by the audience! Butler then led the band back into the hall to play a brief rendition of the Clash song 'The Guns of Brixton'."

However, a Pitchfork reporter who also attended the performance, tells us that from his vantage point, things were a bit less dramatic than the NME may be letting on:

"It was kind of chaotic after they played their first encore. You could see the band head off through a side door with their instruments, and I guess enough people had read accounts of them playing post-show acoustic sets on steps of the St. John's earlier in the week to expect they might be planning something similar.

"The Porchester Hall isn't really a rock venue-- it's a rather ornate classical music venue, and isn't really designed for a huge surge of people all trying to leave at once. I'd been at the front near the stage during the show, and by the time I headed towards the foyer to see what was going on, there was a big scrum of people all trying to get down the steps at the same time.

"People were pushing through the door, trying to get out onto the balcony, even sarcastically shouting 'FIRE!' to get people moving. I didn't see any of the alleged trouble between Win and the guard, but I can't believe it was a big deal because nothing filtered back to my part of the crowd, and the band eventually came back into the hall and played a version of 'Guns of Brixton'. There was a good-humoured atmosphere-- certainly nothing rancorous as far as I could see."

NME posted amateur video of the event on YouTube, which can be seen below. Although "Wake Up" is indeed "spine-tingling", nothing much appears to happen before it.

Exclusive: Battles Reveal New Album Details

It's been awhile since we've heard new music from Battles, the titanic post-math-rock supergroup consisting of multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Tyondai Braxton, drummer John Stanier (Helmet, Tomahawk), guitarist/keyboardist Ian Williams (Don Caballero), and guitarist/bassist Dave Konopka (Lynx). But now, the drought is over.

On April 2, Battles will release the "Atlas" single digitally and on 12" vinyl, backed by a remix by DJ Koze. It's a teaser for the Mirrored LP, due May 15. Both come out on Warp, which re-released the band's EP C and B EP together last year.

The new music is the first time Battles have incorporated vocals into their sonic onslaught, and from what we've heard so far, it kind of sounds like the Knife sent through a post-hardcore meat grinder. In a good way.

Battles will hone their road-warrior skills on their upcoming North American tour, which kicks off in Baltimore on March 20. [MORE...]

Stream: Battles: Various Tracks

Elvis Perkins Supports XL Debut on Tour

Elvis Perkins' debut LP, Ash Wednesday, lands on February 20 via XL Recordings. Why does that name sound familiar (other than the fact that his first name is, um, Elvis)? Well, he happens to be the son of the late actor Anthony Perkins. Yes, the Psycho guy.

In support of the record, Elvis Perkins in Dearland (Perkins + his touring band) have a boatload of dates on the agenda. As previously reported, they'll spend the first half of February across the pond opening for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Once they return, Perkins and co. will embark on an extensive trek through North America, SXSW stop included. [MORE...]

Stream: Elvis Perkins: While You Were Sleeping [from the Ash Wednesday LP]

Mountain Goats, Annuals Head WKNC Benefit

North Carolina State University radio station WKNC will hold its forth annual Double Barrel Benefit tonight, February 2, and Saturday, February 3, at Raleigh King's Barcade club. And unlike your college radio station's lame fundraiser featuring terrible student bands, this one is actually good.

Mountain Goats, Megafaun, the Old Ceremony, and the Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers are lined up for Friday's sold-out performance, while Annuals, Future Islands, Tiger Bear Wolf, and the Nein will play Saturday.

Tickets cost an unbeatable $6 ($8 for those paying at the door), and all proceeds benefit the station.

Exclusive: Voxtrot's Ramesh Srivastava Talks Debut LP
Album set for release via Playlouder on May 22

Pitchfork's been crushing on Austin, Texas indie pop quintet Voxtrot for well over a year now, so it's hard to believe they've yet to actually release a full-length record. Oh, they've got EPs alright-- three thus far, including last fall's Your Biggest Fan. And they've got a pretty sweet record deal. So what's going on with that inaugural full-length foray?

Well, it won't be long now. With the band in New York City mixing their debut, Pitchfork caught up with Voxtrot frontman Ramesh Srivastava, who generously disclosed some of the album's dark secrets, shared his thoughts on the record-making process, considered the blogosphere, and revealed just what took so long with that record.

First, the essentials: Beggars Group imprint Playlouder will deliver the Voxtrot full-length worldwide on (or around, as the case may be) May 22. It was produced and mixed by Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Mojave 3) and recorded in December and January at Premier and Cacophony studios in Austin. To tide over fans in the UK, Beggars/Playlouder will release "Trouble" backed by "Your Biggest Fan" as a limited edition 7" and download single on February 26.

The album doesn't have a name yet, but Ramesh is leaning toward either a self-titled affair ("I guess it's the first time we're presenting ourselves to a lot of people, so maybe we'll just name it after us") or (said in jest) Remember Us From the Blogs? At least we think he's joking.

As an added treat to Voxtrot's biggest fans who've held their breath for nearly two years now anticipating the full-length, the record will contain "12 or 13" entirely new Voxtrot songs (i.e., nothing from the three EPs or the seven inches) drawn from a pool of 16 new jams. Among them, Ramesh's present favorites: "Kids Gloves", "Blood Red Blood", and "Firecracker".

In particular, Ramesh loves "Firecracker" because it sounds the least like his band's previous material. "It's kind of like an odd marriage of styles," he said. "Beats that we haven't used before. I just like the bigness of it, sonically."

The tune, as it turns out, is autobiographical. "In a way it's sort of about the intense experience we've had making a record for the first time with a record label, and what that's been like, and how it affects your self-confidence."

Srivastava and confidence, it seems, have an on-again/off-again thing going on-- and when the band released the Your Biggest Fan EP late last year, Ramesh and self-confidence were on the outs. "I like [the EP], and I like the songs on it, but I wasn't overjoyed with the way that it sounded, because it all had to be done in this very rushed environment. I think when that came out I was overly terrified of critical response, because I thought that we'd gone against ourselves-- because we didn't have time to do it right."

Fortunately, they made up: "In the end, it ended up not being that big of a deal. Now I like it, and I realize it's just songs. I like the songs, and it really doesn't matter that much, the sound of every instrument and every note." [MORE...]

MP3: Voxtrot: Trouble [from the Your Biggest Fan EP]

Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)