Merge Releases Details on Covers Record

By Jon Lorenz on

What better way to celebrate an anniversary than to reinterpret the past through song. Merge Records, which began 20 years ago, will be releasing THE COVERS! on April 7 in a very limited edition of 7,500, with profits going to charities chosen by the curators of Merge's super-huge subscription series Score!

THE COVERS! will include 20 tracks from some of today's biggest names and will cover past and present Merge artists. Highlights include the cleanest-sounding Times New Viking cover of The Arcade Fire's "Neighborhood #1," the premiere of Calvin Johnson's new band The Hive Dweller's on their oddball cover of Superchunk's "My Noise," and The Mountain Goats' stripped down cover of East River Pipe's "Drug Life."

To celebrate their 20th anniversary Merge will also be hosting XX MERGE (TMT News), "five days of live music from Merge artists past and present taking place in the label's native North Carolina July 22-26." Lineup and ticket info should be announced shortly.

THE COVERS! tracklist:

1. Quasi – Beautiful Things (3Ds)
2. Les Savy Fav – Precision Auto (Superchunk)
3. The Shins – Plenty Is Never Enough (Tenement Halls)
4. St. Vincent and The National – Sleep All Summer (Crooked Fingers)
5. Broken Social Scene – Complications (The Clean)
6. Ryan Adams – Like a Fool (Superchunk)
7. Bright Eyes – Papa Was a Rodeo (The Magnetic Fields)
8. Lavender Diamond – New Ways of Living (Destroyer)
9. The Apples in Stereo – King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 3 (Neutral Milk Hotel)
10. Laura Cantrell – Cowboy on the Moon (Lambchop)
11. Bill Callahan – Santa Maria (Versus)
12. Barbara Manning – Through With People (Portastatic)
13. The Mountain Goats – Drug Life (East River Pipe)
14. The New Pornographers – Don’t Destroy This Night (The Rock*A*Teens)
15. Tracey Thorn & Jens Lekman – Yeah! Oh, Yeah! (The Magnetic Fields)
16. The Hive Dwellers – My Noise (Superchunk)
17. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – The Numbered Head (Robert Pollard)
18. Okkervil River – All You Little Suckers (East River Pipe)
19. Death Cab for Cutie – Kicked In (Superchunk)
20. Times New Viking – Neighborhood #1 (Arcade Fire)

Phil Spector’s Retrial Jury Retires to Make a Landmark Decision for Gun-Toting Whackjob Record Producers the World Over

By Mike McHugh on 03-27-2009

On February 3, 2003, police arrested music legend Phil Spector on suspicion of the murder of club hostess and actress Lana Clarkson. Now, obviously everybody in this bloody shithole of a civilization knows the story here (crazy Phil says suicide, rest of the universe says murder), but I felt it necessary to post the date of the arrest itself. Take a close look at that date again. That’s right, people, this Phil Spector shit has been going on since before the goddamn invasion of motherfucking Iraq.

So yeah, it’s about time this nonsense ended. After a deadlocked jury (10 yea, 2 nay) led to Spector’s 2007 mistrial, the jury in his current retrial has gone out to decide whether or not the fucking composer of “Be My Baby” committed murder. Spector faces 15 years-to-life in prison if convicted of the second-degree murder charge but could potentially get off with a four-year sentence should the jury instead convict him of involuntary manslaughter, a possible charge that was not available to the previous trial’s jury.

As this media circus’ big-top steadily swelled over the years, tales of Spector’s nuttiness grew from music geek campfire lore to household knowledge to apparently the basis of the California district attorney’s prosecution. Over the course of the trial, five female acquaintances of Spector have taken the stand and all claimed in the past Spector had threatened them with a gun when they attempted to leave his home without his approval. Despite Spector’s once adorably eccentric penchant for making criminal threats, he actually stands a fighting chance to beat the second-degree murder charge: In the trial’s closing arguments, his attorney cited 14 pieces of forensic evidence that he said proved Spector’s innocence, including the fact that there was no trace of Spector’s DNA on the gun used to kill Clarkson.

So, it appears that while the defense has been referencing actual evidence about the specific incident in question, the prosecution has been harping on about Spector’s undeniably crazy past and just saying “Eh? Ehhhhh?” Oh well, who gives a shit at this point. Innocent or guilty, somebody just put that looney tune away some place where he can’t get near me or my family.

RIP: Dan Seals of England Dan and John Ford Coley

By Shane Mack on 03-27-2009

From Dan Seals official website:

Dan Seals passed away March 25, 2009 following a valiant struggle with mantle cell lymphoma. He leaves behind thousands of fans, countless friends and a loving family. He enjoyed a musical career which spanned four decades and included hit records both as a member of pop duo England Dan and John Ford Coley, and as a solo country artist. In 1986 he won Country Music Association Awards for “Bop” and "Meet Me in Montana." He will forever be remembered for his gentle smile, easy going demeanor, his enduring faith and endless generosity.

- Dan Seals official website
- Dan Seals Wikipedia entry
- Dan Seals fan site

Tony Conrad and Keiji Haino Hook Up for U.S. Dates

By Jon Lorenz on 03-27-2009

Tony Conrad and Keiji Haino have been around for years exploring almost opposite ideas of time and space. Conrad chooses to function in a world of minimalism for long durations, while Haino works more within a word of maximalism with lots of space. Although they seem to support opposing aesthetics, they are equally great at improvising. Both have played in various improvisational groups with the likes of Peter Brötzmann, Jim O'Rourke, Masami Akita (Merzbow), and John Zorn.

For a few U.S. dates in late April, Haino and Conrad will be combining forces, which they've done previously at Instal 2006 and in Tokyo last September. Conrad will also be spending a few days at the Art Institute of San Francisco conducting a lecture, performing music, and screening videos.

Tony Conrad:
04.03.09 - San Franciso Art Institute, San Francisco - SF Cinematheque presentation - lecture
04.04.09 - San Franciso Art Institute, San Franciso - Activating in the Medium Festival - musical performance
04.05.09 - San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco - SF Cinematheque presentation - film showing

Tony Conrad and Keiji Haino:
04.25.09 - New York, NY - The Studio @ Webster Hall
04.26.09 - Philadelphia, PA - International House
04.28.09 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle +

+ David Daniel/Doug McCombs, Bloodyminded

Björk and Dirty Projectors Join Together for One-Off Benefit Show in NY!

By Mr P on 03-26-2009

According to Stereogum, Björk and Dirty Projectors are collaborating for a one-off benefit show May 8 at New York's Housing Works Bookstore & Café. No, they're not just playing separate shows and calling it a gig -- instead, Dirty Projectors' Dave Longstreth has composed a five-vocal suite, which will see Björk performing alongside Dave and other fellow DP members, Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian, and Haley Dekle. The rest of the set will be comprised of other DP songs, "using only voices and one acoustic guitar," which I'm guessing will be similar to a portion of DP's recent Minneapolis performance (TMT Review) -- except with the itty bitty, minor detail that BJORK WILL BE THERE TOO.

The show is a benefit for Housing Works, a non-profit that, according to its website, "is committed to ending the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness. We believe that all people have the right to a rich and empowering life. Since 1990, we have provided the highest quality services for homeless men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS in New York City and beyond."

Tickets for the show "officially" go on sale April 1 at Housing Works' website, but Stereogum says they are in fact available NOW, and the venue only fits 300! Prices are steep (start at $100 and go up to $400), but hey -- it's for a good cause, and this is sure to be a singular experience. Stay tuned to Stereogum for further updates on the show.

Meanwhile, Bitte Orca, Dirty Projectors' follow-up to Rise Above, will be released June 9 via Domino. It'll blow up. Trust me.

Dirty Projectors tourdates:
05.03.09 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall - Dark Was The Night
05.08.09 - New York, NY - Housing Works*
05.22.09 - Oakland, CA - Fox Oakland Theatre @
05.23.09 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theatre @
05.25.09 - Vancouver, BC - Malkin Bowl @
05.27.09 - Edmonton, Alberta - Edmonton Events Center @
05.28.09 - Calgary, Alberta - Macewan Hall @
05.29.09 - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Louis' Pub @
05.30.09 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - Burton Cummings Theater @
06.02.09 - Toronto, Ontario - Sound Academy @
06.03.09 - Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis @
06.04.09 - Boston, MA - House of Blues @
06.05.09 - New York, NY - Central Park Summer Stage @
06.06.09 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery @
06.08.09 - Washington DC - 9:30 Club @
06.10.09 - Richmond, VA - The National @
06.11.09 - Charlotte, North Carolina - Amos' Southend @

* Björk

@ TV on the Radio

Sunset Rubdown Become Dragonslayers on New LP, Set European Tour In Hopes Of Finding Arthurian Dragons To Slay

By Scott Lauer on 03-26-2009

So, Sunset Rubdown is a pretty solid band, eh? Well, in addition to rocking pretty hard in general, the group can now add "mythical beast killers" to their list of achievements, as they set to release their new album Dragonslayer June 23 in North America or June 22 in Europe. The album will be their second full-length for Jagjaguwar (third full-length as a band), and it features all the members circa Random Spirit Lover (TMT Review) along with new member Mark Nicol on bass and occasionally drums. Unfortunately, the titles of the eight tracks are short and unpretentious, which is not what one might expect from this crew

In order to get people properly prepped for the album, Sunset Rubdown will be releasing a 7-inch picture disc on Agoo Records called Sunset Rubdown Introducing Moonface in early April. It features two songs, "Coming to the Dawn" and "Insane Love is Awakening."

Sunset Rubdown is touring Europe before Dragonslayer's release, and let me tell you, they are a treat live. I once saw them play for an audience of roughly 40 at Duke University, and though I may be pro-Tar Heels, making me rabidly anti-Blue Devils, for that moment in time I found a soft spot in my heart for all the Dukies of the world. So, this April (into May), if you are in Europe, get your money ready and buy a ticket to see these guys live. If they disappoint you, send me an email and I will make you some cookies for the time wasted -- but they won’t, so just go.

Dragonslayer Tracklisting:

1. Silver Moons
2. Idiot Heart
3. Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!
4. Black Swan
5. Paper Lace
6. You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)
7. Nightingale / December Song
8. Dragon's Lair

Sunset Rubdown Tourdates:
04.18.09 - Paris, FR - La Maronquinerie
04.20.09 - Haarlem, NL - Patronaat
04.21.09 - Wetzlar, DE - KuZ
04.22.09 - Stuttgart, DE - Manufaktur
04.23.09 - Prague, CZ - 007
04.24.09 - Krems, AT - Danube Festival
04.25.09 - Moscow, RU - Avant Festival
04.27.09 - Zagreb, HR - Teatar & TD
04.29.09 - Krakow, PL - Manggha
04.30.09 - Warsaw, PL - Hydrozagadka
05.02.09 - Aarhus, DK - Pop Revo Festival

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