From Belle and Sebastian's official website:
[Thanks to Fausto Koerich for the tip!]
Belle and Sebastian Hint at New Album
To all those hardcore TMT fans out there wild applause], you probably already know how a lot of us here love Graham Lambkin (ex-Shadow Ring, Tart, Elklink, etc.). Last year, he released The Breadwinner ([TMT Review) with Jason Lescalleet, and the year before he self-released Salmon Run (TMT Review) on his own label, Kye. This year? Well, it looks like he's taking a stab at musique concrète with another self-release, Softly Softly Copy Copy.
Featuring two 20-minute tracks, Softly Softly was described by Scott Foust (who recently released his own solid album, Jungle Fever) as "very disorienting, like a long exhausted train journey where you awake once in a while for a few minutes to a new, beautiful, and odd situation." Sound good to you? If so, make your way to Swill Radio and order a copy (FYI: Kye has a collection from Moniek Darge available too).
Meanwhile, Lambkin is also set to release a limited-edition book + CD. According to Penultimate Press, "'Dumb Answer to Miracles is the first official publication of writings by Graham Lambkin. Previously 20 copies of a signed private edition entitled Tomb of Speed were circulated amongst friends, collegues and mail order customers. This collection gathers all the Tomb of Speed writings, a handful of Lambkin's lyrics he wrote for the band Shadow Ring and many unpublished works." You can pre-order the book here. You know, IF YOU WANT TO.
[Artwork: Graham Lambkin]
This week, Dev Hynes from Lightspeed Champion announced the follow-up album to his 2008 debut, Falling Off the Lavender Bridge. The new album is happily titled Life Is Sweet! Nice to Meet You and is due out on Domino February 1. According to the press release, the new album contains 12 songs, two instrumental intermissions, and even one piano étude (which is “a short composition for a solo instrument; intended as an exercise or to demonstrate technical virtuosity” according to The Free Dictionary). None of that is really as important as the artwork, though. It’s time to start placing bets on if Hynes can top the ridiculousness of his 2008 album artwork. Maybe this time he’ll be holding a kitten and wearing a different-colored sweater. The possibilities are endless!
Tracklisting:
1. Dead Head Blues
2. Marlene
3. There’s Nothing Underwater
4. Intermission
5. Faculty of Fears
6. The Big Guns of Highsmith
7. Romart
8. I Don't Want to Wake Up Alone
9. Madame Van Damme
10. Smooth Day (At the Library)
11. Intermission 2
12. Sweetheart
13. Étude Op.3 ‘Goodnight Michalek’
14. Middle of the Dark
15. A Bridge and a Goodbye
It’s Almost 2010! Enjoy 704 Sweet Days of Listening to the New Clipd Beaks Album Before the Horror and Devastation of 2012
If you’re either (a) one of those extremely Type A people who really likes making lists/getting a ridiculously huge head start on things or (b) have heard any of the tracks for Clipd Beaks’ forthcoming album To Realize, you might want to start making your Top 10 Records of the Year list early. But like, 2010 early, because the album hits stores on January 26 via Lovepump United Records, home to HEALTH, AIDS Wolf, Indian Jewelry, and others. The Oakland-based group has previously released two fantastic albums of post-punk noise, and if you’ll give me a second, I’ll show you someone with two thumbs and a really big desire to put this record on loud and on repeat: this lady! I’m not alone, either — Time Out and Stereogum are also talking up these guys.
To Realize tracklisting:
1. Strangler
2. Blood
3. Broke Life
4. Visions
5. Home
6. Atoms
7. Dust
8. Desert Highway Music
9. Jamn
10. On One
11. Shot on a Horse
RIAA Copyright Notices Being Tested by Verizon
Verizon, the last bastion of hope for aggrieved file-sharers, has begun issuing copyright notices. Internet users who illegally download songs may receive a letter on behalf of the RIAA warning them “that such activity is illegal.”
Many liberal web surfers will be disheartened at this move to the dark side by America’s second-largest phone company. Previously, Verizon “opposed antipiracy legislation important to the film and music sectors.” They also stood up for an alleged file-sharer when they refused to disclose their name to the RIAA.
A Verizon spokesman said “We recognize the importance of copyright and the need to enforce those copyrights.”
This all fits in with the global move to greater enforcement of intellectual property over the internet. Indeed, an Iron Curtain is spreading over the interwebz -- ironic considering the recent anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall!
All Reunites for East Coast Tour; Milo Getting Seventh College Degree, I Guess
Who are The Descendents?
Legendary punk rock band fronted by super-nerd Milo Aukerman.
Who are The Descendents without Milo Aukerman?
Slightly less legendary (but still pretty legendary) punk rock band All fronted by Dave Smalley. And then fronted by Scott Reynolds. And then fronted by Chad Price.
Are All reuniting for a short East Coast tour in January?
They sure are.
Who exactly is fronting All this time around?
That’d be Scott Reynolds.
All?
No, All!
All tourdates:
01.06.10 - Cambridge, MA - The Middle East (downstairs)
01.07.10 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
01.08.10 - Baltimore, MD - The Ottobar
01.09.10 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
