Built to Spill Tour, Avoid Recording, Wage War On The Sippy Cups

By Emceegreg on

Built to Spill are going on tour, and again without a new album to support. Fans and sphincter-looking music writers alike may speculate various reasons for the band putting off recording the follow-up to 2005's You In Reverse. Some may be more optimistic (that they are focused on producing poignant material), and some pessimistic (that Doug Martsch and company are "fraidy cats" after the resonating diatribes of 2001's Ancient Melodies of the Future), but I know what's really going on here.

After a few alcoholic beverages, several porn clips featuring the ex-stars of Wild & Crazy Kids, and much typical TMT fact-finding, I came across a little known band that makes psychedelic jams for kids, appropriately called The Sippy Cups. You see, it is my belief that everyone has an arch enemy in the universe, and The Sippy Cups (named after drinking cups built NOT to spill) aren't exactly best buds with Built to Spill.

Generally moving at antipodal points in order to keep the earth balanced on its axis, BTS are now looking to fuck things up by chasing down The Sippy Cups ("Sissy" Cups, as Martsch likes to say) on a tour of the U.S. Once defeated, only then will BTS be psychologically ready to record a new album.

For now, the plot to take down The Sippy Cups is on!

North America to Find Out Exactly What Atlas Sounds Like

By Judy Berman on Dec 10 2007

I don't know about you, but I always assumed Atlas didn't make much noise. As anyone who ever took high school English will remember, this is the guy who had to carry the entire weight of the world on his shoulders. (And you thought you had it rough.) I can't imagine that such a task would allow much time for chitchat. So, I guess it stands to reason that Atlas Sound, Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox's solo project, is being billed as a "bedroom album." While that isn't quite a genre, it seems like we can expect something a bit quieter and more meditative than Cryptograms (TMT Review).

In keeping with the sensory motif, the album, which is due February 19, will be called Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel (Kranky). Add the band name, and Cox has three of the five senses covered.

Perhaps Atlas Sound's upcoming North American tour will provide inspiration for an EP that addresses smell and taste. You can never go wrong with a song about the odor of Vancouver (weed) or Brooklyn (really good Caribbean food mixed with garbage, at least in my neighborhood). And how about a little ditty about cheesesteak in Philly?

Smells like tourdates with Kranky artists White Rainbow and Valet:

MTV Freelancers Plan To Walk Out At 3 PM Today

By Scout Leader Kyle on Dec 10 2007

The following information was taken from a flyer that was distributed by freelancers writing for MTV:

WALK OUT
MONDAY 3PM

This year, MTV Networks decided to deliver your holiday party invite
with an announcement of a new plan for Freelancers that includes
reduced inferior health benefits, no 401K plan, no paid holidays, and
more.

What do we do? Suck it up and deal? Leave the company? There is a
third option- 50% of the company stands up and says "WE DO NOT ACCEPT
THESE TERMS."

USE YOUR VOICE. BE HEARD. Join us and WALK OUT Monday 3pm.

Needless to say, freelancers have it rough. They don't have much say in a company as they'd like to -- just ask some of my fellow TMT co-workers. It's easy to exploit writers when their position of power is minimal, isn't it Mr P? Anyway, who knows if this MTV walkout will have any effect on the new plan, but at least they're trying.

Now walk it out.

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Stereogum Swaps Shares for Buzznet Stake in an Estimated $5 Million Deal, Worried Stereogum Reader Writes In to TMT

By Elzee on Dec 10 2007

Dear Tiny Mix Tapes,

After coming home from a long day working at my local independent record shop, I opened up my web browser to find that my favorite music news website Stereogum is going to be involved in some sort of deal. Could you tell me what this is about? Should I find a new source for music news?

- Shaking in Vintage Cowboy Boots

----

Dear Loser (Chris),

You heard right! Stereogum’s owners (founder Scott Lapatine and former executives from AOL and MTV) have decided to swap their shares in Stereogum for stakes in social networking site Buzznet. Estimated at $5 million, the deal does not mean they’re cashing out of Stereogum, only that they’re moving equity stakes to Buzznet. Translation: Stereogum is corporately owned, and the corporate owners are talking about BORING LEGAL CRAP.

As for your second question: does God hate you or something? Is that why you’re reading sites other than TMT? You need no other source but here. We can assure you we don't have executives from AOL and MTV.

Love,

Tiny Mix Tapes

Matador to Release a CD of Prank Calls; Can’t Be Any More of a Joke Than Whatever Recent Matador Release You Were Disappointed With

By Joe B. on Dec 10 2007

At this point in your life, you’re probably either ready to buy a double album of prank calls or you’re not. No amount of art by Devendra Banhart or forewords by Neil Hamburger, Gerard Cosloy, and Neal Pollack will grease those steely, set-in-their-ways wheels. The fact remains that, for the past week and a half, I have been too busy quoting Earles & Jensen’s “My Friends Call Me Ditchweed, Don’t Ask, OK, Go Ahead and Ask” (MP3) to complete this story.

I can all but guarantee that this album will inspire a spat of drunken, horrible phone calls from the Matador-listening public. Kids: Prank phone calls -- like cooking eggs, heart surgery, Doors covers, and blogging -- are something best left in the hands of talented professionals. If you’re not sure whether or not you’re good at any of those things, you’re better off not wasting my time and yours.

Earles & Jensen's Just Farr A Laugh Vol. 1 and 2 will be released February 19, 2008. Check the Matablog for more info on the album.

The Super, Furry, And Welsh Animals Are Coming!

By Josh Fenderman on Dec 10 2007

Everybody's favorite easy-listening, techno, fuzz-rock, psychedelic, super, Welsh, freakout, furry, sunshine pop band will tour the states come January in support of their eighth full-length, Hey Venus!. That Super Furry Animals have been pumping out a signature brand of kitchen-sink pop for more than 10 years is impressive in itself, but even more so is that their collected output has maintained such a high quality level. Each SFA album, including the Welsh-only LP (Mwng), sounds exactly like an SFA album. Having much to do with the alternating bored-lounge-singer-croon/daydream-pop-falsetto of Gruff Ryhs -- who is distinctively super furry -- Super Furry Animals are one one of those bands that can completely eclipse influences and come out sounding like nothing else.

With all that said, however -- here's the real question on everyone's minds: Where exactly is Wales? Answer: It's the southwest corner of the island that makes up England.

Tourdates:

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