Morrissey to Release B-Sides Album, Has Severe West Coast Bias
By Matt Lundy on Sep 25 2009
Somewhere near the beginning of High Fidelity, John Cusack’s character Rob Gordon says his record store survives on the fandom of young men “who spend a disproportionate amount of their time looking for deleted Smiths singles.” The line was pretty preposterous, considering the sheer amount of unreleased material from The Smiths that was collected on greatest hits collections and compilations.
Apparently, Morrissey wants to ensure that Rob and other future name-droppers refrain from over-fetishizing out-of-print music with his upcoming release, Swords, a collection of 18 B-sides culled from singles from his past four albums. The album is due October 26 in the U.K. and November 3 in the U.S. and (might) come with a limited-edition bonus disc.
The Swords tracklist:
1. Good Looking Man About Town
2. Don't Make Fun Of Daddy's Voice
3. If You Don't Like Me, Don't Look At Me
4. Ganglord
5. My Dearest Love
6. The Never-Played Symphonies
7. Sweetie-Pie
8. Christian Dior
9. Shame Is The Name
10. Munich Air Disaster 1958
11. I Knew I Was Next
12. It's Hard To Walk Tall When You're Small
13. Teenage Dad On His Estate
14. Children In Pieces
15. Friday Mourning
16. My Life Is A Succession Of People Saying Goodbye
17. Drive-In Saturday
18. Because Of My Poor Education
You can also catch Morrissey on a little nine-date tour of the West Coast:
11.29.09 - Seattle, WA - Paramount
11.30.09 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theatre
12.02.09 - Oakland, CA - Paramount
12.04.09 - Indio, CA - Fantasy Springs
12.05.09 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint
12.07.09 - Pomona, CA - Fox Theatre
12.08.09 - San Diego, CA - Copley Symphony Hall
12.10.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre
12.11.09 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Theatre
Like Bon Jovi and The Boss Before Them, Screaming Females Get the Fuck Out of Jersey and Hit the Road on Their First Headlining Tour
By Mike McHugh on Sep 25 2009
I really need to get my ass to New Jersey real soon, if only to halt the corrosive ooze of pop culture from further seeping its odious lies about the Garden State into my skull. Much like a Nazi prison or fat camp, Jersey is a smelly, coal-mine ridden hell-hole worth only escaping from, or at least that’s what waaaaay to many post-midnight viewings of Zoolander and Coyote Ugly have taught me. For all I know, the only people who actually stay in New Jersey are hairy-bodied-but-still-bald-on-top mobsters like Tony Soprano and those depressing-as-fuck fry cooks who work at the Howard Johnson on the Jersey Shore in that one ridiculous episode of No Reservations where Anthony Bourdain tries to reconcile with his Jersey roots. Good lord, pop culture, you’ve certainly taken a toll on that poor state.
Luckily, New Brunswick’s own Screaming Females stand as yet another reminder that, while Jersey may be known only as a flea-ridden stinkhole to the rest of America, it can still pump out some goddamn good music. And Screaming Females have had quite a year, going from schlepping around self-booked house shows to joining Jack White’s ever dubious list of “bands I like want to put under my wing because I like them.” But you know what separates Screaming Females from other Jack White-sanctioned acts like The Greenhornes or Whirlwind Heat? Screaming Females are actually good! So check out Screaming Females on their first ever headlining national (and hey, there’s even a couple dates for our friends to the north!) tour, or if you’re a Jerseyite, wait for them to come back home to what I’m sure is a lovely, lovely state.
09.25.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Pi Lam House
09.26.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Death By Audio
09.27.09 - Providence, RI - AS220
09.28.09 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East
09.29.09 - Portland, ME - SPACE Gallery
10.01.09 - Montreal, QC - POP MONTREAL
10.02.09 - Toronto, ON - The Garrison
10.03.09 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Cafe
10.04.09 - Oberlin, OH - Oberlin College
10.05.09 - Chicago, IL - The Hideout
10.06.09 - Saint Louis, MO - The Gargoyle
10.07.09 - Beloit, WI - Beloit College
10.08.09 - Chicago, IL - Ronnie's
10.09.09 - Grinnell, IA - Grinnell College
10.10.09 - Richmond, IN - Earlham College
10.21.09 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
10.24.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Don Pedro's
[Photo: Jimmy @ Legion of Doom in Columbus, OH]
McPhun, Phun, Phun in the Sun! Ruby Suns Venture to North America for a Dodo of a Tour
By David Nadelle on Sep 25 2009
The great Irish band A House had it right with the title track from their classic I Am the Greatest album. In it, the band rants about the "small music dictatorship" and loss of the individual, how most people "wouldn't recognize a new idea if it spat in their face and screamed out," how the music industry reers "big-mouthed rock stars with opinions on everything and answers to nothing" and society reveres "bandwagons full of bands with sycophantic fans with no lives of their own". A House was expounding the truth back in 1991 but the track is a sign of all times, including ours right now and our childrens' in the future.
Indeed, the more things change, the more they stay the same, so thank gawd for alternatives and exceptions, even in the most orderly and predictable music realm of pop. For instance, you won't find New Zealand adventure seekers Ruby Suns in your "Indie Rock for Dummies" and you will certainly not see them "pouncing on any third rate trend, milking it to death, once again putting money where the music is not." Revolutionary pop music is a true rarity, and although the Ryan McPhun-led trio didn't exactly change the world with their last record, Sea Lion (TMT Review) was like a fresh shovel to the head on a cold winter's day for forward-thinking pop fans.
While some new material would be better than a really good biscuit, North American folk will have to make do with the feel-good live pairing of The Ruby Suns with San Francisco's thoughtful folk-pop darlings The Dodos for a bunch of dates starting this weekend in California.
They are the greatest:
09.26.09 - Big Sur, CA - Henry Miller Library #
09.27.09 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater #
09.28.09 - San Diego, CA - Casbah #
09.29.09 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress #
09.30.09 - Phoenix, AZ - Modified Arts #
10.02.09 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues, Pontiac Garage #
10.03.09 - Houston, TX - The Orange Show #
10.06.09 - Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder #
10.07.09 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl #
10.08.09 - Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle Tavern #
10.09.09 - Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel #
10.10.09 - Baltimore, MD - Talking Head #
10.12.09 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church #
10.13.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg #
10.14.09 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
10.15.09 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East (downstairs) #
10.16.09 - Montréal, QC - La Sala Rossa #
10.17.09 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace #
10.19.09 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge #
10.20.09 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club #
10.22.09 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater #
10.24.09 - Boise, ID - Neurolux #
10.25.09 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theatre #
10.26.09 - Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret #
10.27.09 - Seattle, WA - Neumo's #
10.29.09 - San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's #
# The Dodos
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Ready Triple-Disc DVD/CD Set, Evoking Fond Memories of The Effects of 333
By Matt Lundy on Sep 25 2009
On September 21, a young gentleman with the username “Harry” left a message on Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s MySpace page, which read: “If The Beatles still made music it would sound like this. Keep it up.” You mean the current Beatles lineup of Paul and Ringo would make mid-'80s Jesus and Mary Chain-style music if they got back together? Or maybe latter-BRMC Americana? Does Ringo look good in a black leather jacket? This “Harry” character really took my head for a spin, and I think he has no idea what he’s talking about.
Regardless, there are some developments in the BRMC camp. Years removed from the hangover of hyperbolic praise from the NME, and barely removed from their universally-panned instrumental album The Effects of 333, BRMC has teamed up with Vagrant to release a 3-disc DVD/CD set. The DVD features live performances from shows in Dublin, Glasgow, and Berlin while supporting their fourth studio album, Baby 81 (TMT Review). The bonus DVD captures “intimate, behind-the-scenes footage” (whatever that means), while the CD has live recordings from the aforementioned concerts. The whole package will be available on November 10.
BRMC are currently putting the final touches on their fifth studio album at The Station House studio in Hollywood. In the meantime, you can download a remix of “Not What You Wanted” off their website, or wait until October 20, when a new song entitled “Done All Wrong” will be featured on the upcoming New Moon soundtrack.
Ted Leo Runs With the Bulls and Signs to Matador Records
By Kid Midnight on Sep 24 2009
I’m sorry, was that “runs with the bulls” joke too obvious? Did it make you chuckle? Or groan? Did it make you think that Mr. Leo signed with the NBA team in hopes of topping Michael Jordan’s legacy? In any case, you should be happy that Ted Leo, and his talented Pharmacists, has found a new home for their music.
Having already issued several releases for Lookout and Touch and Go, Ted Leo is set to release his next album on Matador, hoping the label won't breach his contract over unpaid royalties or drastically downsize due to the economy. Ahem... Anyway: he's recording the new album at Brooklyn’s Seaside Lounge and plans to release it sometime in 2010, and I can't wait!
In other news, Ted Leo is actually scheduled to participate in Pamplona's annual running with the bulls event/festival.
No, not really.
![the artist’s] music on iTunes.” The rapper in question, who apparently goes by the name of [Eminem](http://bossip.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/whiteboyafricanamerican.jpg){kind=link}
