McDonald’s Trials New Media Concept; McRib Cries and McDiarrhea Ensues

By Mr Emo on Sep 29 2006

So, the Album Leaf are apparently a band from whom we can expect pretty much the same thing on every album, right? Well, apparently not. Word has it that their new release, Into the Blue Again — simultaneously a reference to Talking Heads' classic "Once in a Lifetime" and an admission of a failure to innovate — is in fact their most daring piece of work yet.

With instrumental duties on the album turned over almost exclusively to the band's only real member, James Lavelle, the sounds found on their new slice of shellac are unlike anything we've come to expect. Gone are the soft keyboard tones and rock-solid drum loops found on the Sigur Ros-aided In a Safe Place. In come collaborations with Richard Ashcroft, Mike D, Badly Drawn Boy, and Thom Yorke, amongst others. The album flits from song-to-song, in a schizophrenic but increasingly measured way, culminating in the moody "Bunny in Your Flashers," featuring one of Yorke's most affecting vocals. It certainly puts The Eraser in its place.

The Album Leaf will be falling all over the place this autumn:

10.05.06 – San Diego, CA – Museum of Contemporary Art
10.08.06 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
10.18.06 – Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room
10.20.06 – Austin, TX – Parish
10.21.06 – Houston, TX – Proletariat
10.22.06 – Denton, TX – Hailey’s
10.23.06 – Baton Rouge, LA – Chelsea’s
10.24.06 – Birmingham, AL – BottleTree
10.25.06 – Tallahassee, FL – Club Downunder (FSU)
10.26.06 – W. Palm Beach, FL – Respectable Street
10.27.06 – Orlando, FL – Social
10.28.06 – Tampa, FL – Orpheum
10.29.06 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
10.30.06 – Charlotte, NC – The Neighborhood Theater
11.01.06 – Philadelphia, PA – Jonny Brenda’s
11.02.06 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom (CMJ)
11.03.06 – Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
11.06.06 – Brooklyn, NY – North Six
11.07.06 – Cambridge, MA – Middle East Downstairs
11.08.06 – Montreal, PQ – Main Hall
11.09.06 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
11.10.06 – Buffalo, NY – Big Orbit’s Soundlab
11.11.06 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig
11.12.06 – Chicago, IL – Lakeshore Theater
11.13.06 – Minneapolis, MN – 400 Bar
11.16.06 – Seattle, WA – Chop Suey
11.17.06 – Vancouver, BC – Plaza Club
11.18.06 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
11.19.06 – Euguene, OR – W.O.W. Hall
11.21.06 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent

By RRRachel on Sep 29 2006

You know those puzzles where you turn one word into another? Y'know, cat to dog is cat, cot, cog, dog? Watch Matt turn to Pond:

MATT

PATT

POTT

PONT

POND

That's not the only solution! This works as well:

MATT

MATD

MAND

MOND

POND

If you're supersmart, you can do it in only one move:

MATT

POND

There's a new album too called Several Hours Later, but there's nothing fun to do with that. Onto the tour!

10.07.06 - Fredericksburg, VA - Mary Washington University
10.08.06 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts
10.10.06 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
10.11.06 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
10.12.06 - Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall
10.13.06 - Covington, KY - Mad Hatter
10.14.06 - St. Louis, MO - Mississippi Nights
10.15.06 - Madison, WI - The Annex
10.16.06 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Café
10.19.06 - Calgary, AB - MacEwan Ballroom
10.21.06 - Vancouver, BC - The Center in Vancouver for the Arts
10.22.06 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre
10.23.06 - Portland - Wonder Ballroom
10.24.06 - Sacramento, CA - Harlows
10.25.06 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre
10.26.06 - Los Angeles - Spaceland
10.27.06 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre