Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Set to Tour, Again; Gorbachev Reportedly Not a Fan

By Nicole C. on

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (SSLYBY) have joined the running for easiest, most promotable band name, right alongside Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, and of course the infamous Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. To celebrate, SSLYBY are set to tour Europe in September, supporting their sophomore album, Pershing (released in April on Polyvinyl Records). These guys sure like to keep themselves busy. The four-piece from Springfield, MO has been touring the U.S. all summer, and they're taking only a six-week break (with a couple shows here and there) before heading back out on the road.

Pershing has garnered lots of props, and I guess the album is pretty damned good if you're into that sort of catchy, harmonious power-pop thing. I am, so I hail "Glue Girls" as one of the catchiest songs of the year. Yeah, I said it.

Yeltsin Love Fest Dates:

FCC Gives Thumbs-Up to Media Consolidation, Approves Satellite Radio Merger

By Petey V on 07-29-2008

Billboard reports that a merger between Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio, first announced in February of 2007, was finally approved by the FCC on Friday.

FCC chairman Kevin Martin (who did something good recently, for the record) positively gushed about the merger, declaring that "the merger is in the public interest and will provide consumers with greater flexibility and choices" and that "it will also spur innovation and advance the development and use of interoperable radios, bringing more flexible programming options to all subscribers." FCC Democrat Jonathan Adelstein, who voted against the decision, remained less convinced of the mystical powers of media consolidation, noting that he hopes the companies "don't become a fat and happy monopoly."

The FCC decision does come with some baggage for the company, in the form of several conditions. The conditions include a three-month "a la carte" offering allowing consumers to purchase only certain channels, a three-year price cap, the devotion of several channels to "public-interest" and minority-based programming, and a combined $19.7 million fine for improperly located terrestrial radio repeaters. The latter particularly was crucial in getting Republican commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate on board with the decision. Tate had initially been wary of permitting a merger between two companies with demonstrably consumer-unfriendly practices.

So the good news about this decision is that satellite radio customers will benefit from the FCC conditions and will be able to subscribe to both services automatically without having to pay new subscription fees. But the bad news is that there is now only one satellite radio company in the U.S. But the good news is that satellite radio is kind of a fringe format anyway. But the bad news is that it's a fringe format controlled entirely by one company. And so on...

David Byrne and Brian Eno Self-Release New LP in August, Details Revealed (By Strategy)

By Mango Starr on 07-28-2008

It's been 27 years since the release of My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, and now David Byrne (most famous for interviewing Thom Yorke) and Brian Eno (most famous for producing Coldplay's latest) are set to finally release their follow-up album, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today. Sweet! Unlike My Life, which was released on Sire Records back in 1981, Everything That Happens will be self-released through the album's official website. Also sweet! According to Bryne:

"Brian Eno and I recently finished our first collaboration in about 30 years. For the most part, Brian did the music and I wrote some tunes, words and sang. It's familiar but completely new as well. We're pretty excited. In August the music will be available via this Web site, free for streaming and it will also be available for purchase as both a download and in physical formats. One of the songs will be available free of charge."

The single Byrne is referring to is "Strange Overtones," which will be made available August 4. The entire album will be available for purchase (and as a stream) August 18, with a deluxe physical version following sometime later.

Everything That Happens tracklist:

So Much for Timeless Classics: DRM Hampers Library of Congress’ Digital Audio Archiving

By Heidi Vanderslice on 07-28-2008

Libraries are notorious for being slow on the uptake when it comes to teh internetz, but the Library of Congress has done an admirable job of staying on top of its shit. Except, of course, when it isn't allowed to by law.

A new report by THE Librarian of Congress details the obstacle course that is digital archiving of music each year, ever since (dun dun dun) DRM came on the scene. We’re all familiar with it: buy a CD, rip it to your hard drive, get a new computer, try to transfer it, and sorry bro... no dice -- even if you bought the damn thing from the label in the first place. Remember that frustrating feeling? Now, pretend you’re The Librarian, trying to preserve that same record label’s album or song that has been deemed worthy of its spot in the Library of Congress. Yeah, it burns.

The Digital Millenium Copyright Act makes it a no-no to circumvent DRM in any way, but the Librarian has that power to appeal every three years and see if the Library’s rights to bypass are granted, along with a whole other mess of exceptions requested, most of them legit. While this temporarily solves the problem, the Library of Congress still has no real power to, uh, do its job.

"Even though the Librarian is empowered to create additional exemptions, he cannot affect the ban on trafficking in circumvention devices," says The Librarian’s report. Guess they caught on to The Librarian’s black market burned CD racket... you know, since everyone’s buying CDs...

Deerhoof Reveal U.S. Tour in Support of New Album, Offend Maggie

By Mr P on 07-28-2008

- Deerhoof official website
- Deerhoof MySpace
- Kill Rock Stars
- ATP Recordings
- Downloadable score to "Fresh Born"
- TMT News: "Deerhoof to Release New LP, Offend Maggie, in October; Offer Fans Chance to Interpret a Downloadable Score"
- TMT News: "Deerhoof Releases First Single from New LP as a Score, Intended for Every Good Boy Who Deserves Fudge"

Kangaroos, Koalas, Oh My! Australians Cut Copy and The Presets Join Forces For Fall Tour

By Annapocalypse on 07-28-2008

Cut Copy and The Presets have many things in common. In fact, they have so much in common with each other that it'd be ridiculous if they didn’t tour together. Here’s a handy list of all their similarities. Feel free to quiz your friends:

- They’re both Australian, which you should already know if you read the headline.
- Both groups call Modular Records home.
- Have you actually listened to either band?! They pretty much share the same musical influences too. Electronica FTW!
- They both are known to inspire hipsters to jerk about in a crazy-looking fashion, commonly known as “dancing.” (Drinking copious amounts of PBR and Sparks inspires this as well.)
- They each have less than four members in their respective bands.
- Ummm... err...
- ...Okay, that’s it.
- Seriously, read the tourdates already!

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