New Radiohead.

I first caught wind through BrooklynVegan. Then I read the news from Jonny. There's more at Pitchfork. I understand I can pay what I want for the download. The question is...is the extra $81 the price I want to pay?



MP3: Radiohead - "Cuttooth"

Boris: Roaring Silence Revue

It was one of those things I dreamed of. I'm sure I mentioned it to people. More than likely mentioned it to Frat somewhere in Illinois when we hit traffic for the first time on our cross country trip. Needing a little something to keep our minds off the distance we fired up the DFA '79 debut cover to cover and then Rainbow, the classic collaboration that still hasn't been knocked off the top spot for album of the year honors. So somewhere in Illinois. As the sun set and the traffic thinned. One of us might have said..."fuck, that'd be great if Michio joined Boris on their next US tour."

Ask and you shall receive.

    

MP3: Boris - "Hama"
MP3: Boris - "Ibitsu"
MP3: Boris w. Michio Kurihara - "Shine"
MP3: Damon & Naomi - "Beautiful Close Double"
MP3: Damon & Naomi w. Michio Kurihara - "My Flower"

Dates:

Boris / Damon & Naomi
US Tour 2007
Both Bands Play with Michio Kurihara

9.30 Empty Bottle (Chicago, IL)
10.2 First Unitarian Church (Philadelphia, PA)
10.3 Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn, NY)
10.4 Kelly-Strayhorn Theater (Pittsburgh, PA)
10.5 Wexner Center For The Arts (Columbus, OH)
10.6 Mad Planet (Milwaukee, WI)
10.7 Triple Rock Social Club (Minneapolis, MN)
10.10 The Nightlight (Bellingham, WA)
10.11 Chop Suey (Seattle, WA)
10.12 Dante's (Portland, OR)
10.14 The Independent (San Francisco, CA)
10.15 Echoplex (Los Angeles, CA)
10.16 The Brickhouse (Phoenix, AZ)
10.18 The Ballroom (Marfa, TX)
10.19 Scoot's Inn (Austin, TX)
10.20 The Spanish Moon (Baton Rouge, LA)
10.21 Bottletree (Birmingham, AL)
10.22 The Earl (Atlanta, GA)
10.23 40 Watt (Athens, GA)
10.24 The Cat's Cradle (Carrboro, NC)
10.25 Satellite Ballroom (Charlottesville, VA)
10.26 Black Cat (Washington, DC)
10.27 Bard College Chapel (Annandale-On-Hudson, NY)
10.28 Bowery Ballroom (New York, NY)
10.29 Middle East Downstairs (Cambridge, MA)

Back Catalog: Boris @ Ottobar, 6.4.06
Back Catalog: Boris @ The Orange Peel, 9.8.06

Back.

It's been too long. Great tracks from JK below. LA is the City of Angels. For real. And the Sox have the East. Back tomorrow with some beats, stories and news.

Finally, Some New Bands; 4-Spot Friday

It's definitely been a good year for new releases but I've either been paying less attention lately or the best albums came out in the first half of the year. I'm enjoying new releases from Jose Gonzalez, Eddie Vedder, Band of Horses, etc. but I haven't been truly excited about anything in what feels like months (in reality it's probably just a couple weeks but that's life in the internet age). Almost on cue, I was introduced to 3 new bands over the last week and I've hardly listened to anything since.

Division Day: These guys have been around for awhile and I have no idea how I've missed them. Beartrap Island, I believe, is their debut full length and was released this month on iTunes with hard copies out in stores next Tuesday (Oct. 2). It's easily one of my favorite albums of the year and it's exactly the kind of refreshing new sound that I've been looking for. The songs are fairly evenly split between rock and mellow and there's not a bad song on the album.

MP3: Division Day - "Tigers"

Dragons of Zynth: Another one that I'm not sure how I've missed. Yes, there are obvious influences from TV on the Radio. Yes, their album was produced by Dave Sitek. And yes, this is seriously some good shit. They've received a lot of good buzz from their live shows here in NYC but for some reason their album was released without much fanfare. Prefix gave the album an outstanding 9 out of 10. Others need to take note.

MP3: Dragons of Zynth - "Get Off"

Destroy Cowboy: This is a rare instance of receiving random music in our mailbox that I actually really like. They are an unsigned band out of Birmingham, UK and their songs contain everything that I love about British rock today - an excellent combination of keyboards, guitars and drums. You can stream 4 songs on their MySpace page. The below mp3, although about 45 seconds too long, is my favorite.

MP3: Destroy Cowboy - "1000 Candles"

The XYZ Affair: This unsigned band got some good publicity this summer when Insound named their debut the best album of the year, so far. I've been listening to their songs for awhile but haven't had a chance to post a song yet. Reminds me of the good ol' days with Weezer back in '94.

MP3: The XYZ Affair: "Ideals"

amazonmp3 Launches in Beta

amazonmp3 has finally launched its ipod compatible beta site. I haven't downloaded anything and probably won't but from what I can see on the surface, there are a few things that offer an advantage over iTunes. All tracks are DRM free, encoded at 256kbs. Pricing is slightly cheaper, although still not low enough, at $.89 for songs and full albums ranging from $4.99 to $9.00 and up (with several different price points in between). The obvious downside, at least for mass audiences, is that EMI is the only major that's currently on board (that leaves 3 others out). UPDATE: I just read that Universal has also signed on.

In a related note, is it just me or have the prices at Insound gone up recently? As one of the last remaining cd buyers out there, I'd like to support the little guys but with the increase to $50 for free shipping and far cheaper prices at Amazon, I just can't justify it right now.

Editors on The Tonight Show

I was on vacation during Editors last stop through NYC at Webster Hall. My boy JD was in attendance and while he didn't have the kindest words for the somewhat lethargic crowd I can only assume Tom Smith and co. still brought the intensity that first blew me away in January of last year. They recently performed "An End Has a Start," one of my favorite tracks from their latest album of the same name, on The Tonight Show.

PEARL JAM - IMMAGINE IN CORNICE Screening

The World Famous Ziegfeld Theatre, NYC. 2 tickets. You better believe I'll be there. Full list of screenings can be found here.

Band of Horses Tour Dates

I think some people have been a bit harsh on Cease to Begin. It took me awhile to get into Everything All the Time and this one is no different. I like it quite a bit and "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands" stands up pretty tall against "The Funeral." Here are the dates:

10/30, Charlottesville, VA (Satellite Ballroom)
11/1, Raleigh, NC (Lincoln Theatre)
11/2, Washington, DC (9:30 Club)
11/3, Providence, RI (Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel)
11/4, New York, NY (Terminal 5)
11/6, New Haven, CT (Toad's Place)
11/7, Northampton, MA (Pearl Street)
11/8, Montreal, QC (La Tulipe)
11/9, Toronto, ON (Phoenix Concert Theatre)
11/10, Pontiac, MI (Crofoot Ballroom)
11/12, Chicago, IL (Metro)
11/14, Minneapolis, MN (First Avenue)
11/15, Fargo, ND (The Aquarium/Dempsey's Upstairs)
11/17, Bozeman, MT (The Filling Station)
11/18, Boise, ID (Neurolux)
11/19, Seattle, WA (Showbox)
11/20, Seattle, WA (Showbox)
11/21, Portland, OR (Crystal Ballroom)
11/23, San Francisco, CA (Mezzanine)
11/24, Los Angeles, CA (Avalon LA)
11/26, Pomona, CA (Glass House)

Tickets are available here.

New Kasabian

Kasabian may have let me down with their second effort, Empire, but I haven't closed the book on them yet. I'll still make every effort to see them when they're stateside and I'm digging the title track of their new two song EP. It's got Serge on vocals and I like that it's a bit more stripped down; with a sound more in line with their debut.

MP3: Kasabian - "Fast Fuse"

Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals @ Radio City 9/15/07

There's something about Ben that brings the best out of everyone. With a setlist heavy on Lifeline tunes, it doesn't matter whether you're a die hard fan or this is the first time hearing these songs, it's impossible not to leave happy. BHIC aren't playing their more traditional live songs on this tour but then again, we knew that. And the crowd at Radio City? Nothing short of amazing - far better than what I witnessed earlier this summer for Arcade Fire. What caught me completely off guard was a brief moment of emotion I don't think I've ever felt from a live performance, during Ben's no mic verse and subsequent crowd eruption on "Where Could I Go." Previous audiences during this tour will know exactly what I'm talking about. Future ticket holders will know soon enough. Hearing "Masters of War" was an obvious highlight. Although not with Eddie, opener Piers Faccini more than held his own during his verses.

MP3: Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals - Masters of War (with Eddie Vedder), Lollapalooza 8/3/07

Set I:

1. 11th Commandment >
2. Well Well Well
3. Fight Outta You
4. Picture In A Frame
5. Fool For A Lonesome Train
6. In The Colors
7. Gold To Me
8. Whipping Boy
9. Younger Than Today
10. Having Wings
11. Two Hands Of A Prayer
12. There Will Be A Light
13. Needed You Tonight
14. Put It On Me
15. Say You Will
16. Use Me
17. Where Could I Go

Encore I:

18. Paris Sunrise #7 >
19. Lifeline
20. Masters Of War w/ Piers Faccini
    
21. Like A King / I'll Rise

Because it's Maynard

Got to love his sense of humor...

V is for Vagina is out October 30th. First single is available for pre-order on Sept. 24th from puscifer.com. Out on 10/2.

Stream the INTO THE WILD Soundtrack

I have no idea how this happened by 96.3 WROV: The Rock of Virginia (!) is streaming the album on its web site. Listen to the soundtrack here. It's short and with my first listen, it's a tad bit disappointing but hell, it's still Eddie. "Far Behind," "Long Nights," "Hard Sun" and "Guaranteed" are the standouts thus far.

The End of Sound Team

News of the Sound Team break-up was unfortunate to say the least. This band has been in the minds of many over the last couple years and while some may be quick to blame this on the Pitchfork effect; I'd wager that it's far great than that. This one reeks of major label mismanagement. Capitol's mistreatment of the band was blatantly obvious as we noted a couple times last year. The label subsequently dropped the band shortly after their release of Movie Monster. In the end, it's a classic case study for a Lefsetz letter. Sad and just one more reason why we should be weary when indie bands we love make that leap to a major.