The Vaselines return with new album and tour after more than 20 years gone; Kurt Cobain scheduled for guest appearance

By Kid Midnight on

The Vaselines return with new album and tour after more than 20 years gone; Kurt Cobain scheduled for guest appearance

Have you never heard of The Vaselines? You suck! They are humorous, irreverent, rambunctious, and even wrote the best song about a newscaster’s lips ever written! The Vaselines were to twee, lo-fi, British bands what McDonald’s is to shitty food, but before widespread audiences could experience their inherent tweeness they broke up in 1989 to the eternal agony of college radio station DJs the world over. But that’s the past, man, and the past is history, because The Vaselines have risen from the grave and will be releasing a new album and heading out on tour!

Scheduled for purchase on September 14 in the U.S. and 13 in the U.K. (through Sub Pop and Rough Trade, respectively), Sex With an X is described as “a truly stunning return to form,” by #1 fan Kurt Cobain, who helped bring the band to wide(r)spread audiences throughout the U.S. by playing their songs Unplugged. Original members Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee recorded their second album (the first being 1989’s Dum-Dum) with Jamie Watson, who produced their first LP, over 12 lovely days where the band reminisced over their early days spent in Edinburgh and talked about sex, both with an “X” and without.

Sex With an X tracklist:

01. Ruined
02. Sex With an X
03. The Devil Inside Me
04. Such a Fool
05. Turning It On
06. Overweight but Over You
07. Poison Pen
08. I Hate the 80’s
09. Mouth to Mouth
10. Whitechapel
11. My God’s Bigger Than Your God
12. Exit the Vaselines

Hey! Don’t forget that I also mentioned a tour! Here are the dates!

09.15.10 - Edinburgh, Scotland - Bongo Room
09.16.10 - Newcastle, England - Other Room
09.17.10 - Leeds, England - Brudenell Social Club
09.18.10 - Liverpool, England - Static Gallery
09.19.10 - Cardiff, England -Millennium Music Hall
09.20.10 - Nottingham, England - Rescue Rooms
09.21.10 - Bristol, England - Thekla
09.22.10 - London, England - The Scala
09.23.10 - Manchester, England - Deaf Institute
09.24.10 - Glasgow, Scotland - Oran Mor

• The Vaselines: http://www.thevaselines.co.uk
• Sub Pop: http://www.subpop.com
• Rough Trade: http://www.roughtraderecords.com

Radiohead’s Greenwood gets down with Stravinksky in Manchester

By Liz Louche on Jun 18 2010

Ever wonder why this website does so many Radiohead-related stories? I’ll let you in on a little secret. It’s because, back in late 2006, Thom Yorke and secret fellow Leaders of the Free World Little League coach Dick Cheney bought TMT to use it as a mouthpiece for all things Radiohead and all things Republican baseball. That’s why I have a swimming pool with a retractable roof in my backyard, a personal chef, and a monkey butler dressed exclusively in Ralph Lauren all in the comfort of my own home.

JUST KIDDING! But this is, of course, another Radiohead-related story, this time about Jonny Greenwood. The Radiohead guitarist and Grammy-nominated composer will perform his white-noise-inspired piece “Popcorn Superhet Receiver” in Manchester, England on July 1 as part of an experimental night of music put on by ultra-hip indie promoter Eat Your Own Ears. So what can you expect, Lou Bega style? Well, how about a little bit of

• Avner Dorman in your life
• a little bit of Stravinsky by your side
• a little bit of Olafur Arnalds is all I need
• a little bit of Greenwood is all I see.

Yes! You can also expect Dorman and his Middle Eastern sounds, Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” and Arnalds’ new album And They Have Escaped the Weight of Darkness, plus performances by the RNCM Symphony Orchestra, the RNCM Concert Orchestra, André de Ridder, and the DYAD Percussion Duo. No Bega, though, sorry.

07.01.10 - Manchester, England - Bridgewater Hall

• Radiohead: http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace

[Photo: Michell Zappa]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor announce UK headlining shows

By Mr P on Jun 18 2010

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the newly reunited band most well known for adding Weird Al Yankovic to their Nightmare Before Christmas lineup (Lift Your Skinny Dicks Like Antennas to Heaven?), have just announced four UK headlining shows post-ATP. Wanna go? Better act quick, as the tickets are on sale starting right now. “¡Ay, caramba!” as Efrim Menuck would say.

No word yet on the nine American shows promised in their cute reunion letter, but we’ll keep you updated.

12.03-05.10 - Minehead, UK - Butlins Holiday Centre *
12.07.10 - Manchester, UK - Academy
12.08.10 - Glasgow, UK - Barrowlands
12.12.10 - Bristol, UK - Ansom Rooms
12.13.10 - London, UK - Troxy

* ATP’s Nightmare Before Christmas

• GYBE: http://www.1119732.net
• ATP Festival: http://www.atpfestival.com

Les Savy Fav went into the studio and all I got was this new record, Root for Ruin

By Liz Louche on Jun 18 2010

2007 was a year of wonders: It was the Year of the Dolphin for the UN, the Year of the Pig for the Chinese, and the Year of Highland Culture for Scotland. It was also the last time Les Savy Fav released a record, the delightful Let’s Stay Friends. And now, here we are, only three short years later, and there’s another Les Savy Fav record, this time called Root for Ruin. The album is due September 14 on Frenchkiss.

2010, to say the least, has been a little bit less awesome than the year devoted to Flipper, but perhaps this is a sign of better things to come.

Tracklisting:

01. Appetites
02. Dirty Knails
03. Sleepless in Silverlake
04. Let’s Get Out of Here
05. Lips n’ Stuff
06. Poltergeist
07. High and Unhinged
08. Excess Engergies
09. Dear Crutches
10. Calm Down
11. Clear Spirits

• Les Savy Fav: http://www.lessavyfav.com
• Frenchkiss: http://www.frenchkissrecords.com

RIP: Bill Dixon, jazz musician

By Shane Mack on Jun 17 2010

From Bill Dixon’s estate:

Trumpeter and composer Bill Dixon died June 16th at his home in North Bennington, Vermont after a two-year illness. He was 84 years old.

Dixon was a revered and idiosyncratic figure in the avant-garde of Jazz music, and a creative force who strived at all times to place the music in ever more respectful circumstances. Dixon developed an often controversial profile as an outspoken and articulate defender of musicians’ rights as artists, and specifically the challenges to Black music as a contender in the culture and society of the United States. His music is known for a dark, poignant, pan-tonal abstraction that remains lyrical without relying on songs or the conventions of Jazz music-making. Through five decades as a recording artist, Dixon’s music has developed a loyal worldwide following.

• Bill Dixon: http://www.bill-dixon.com

Major Organ and The Adding Machine CD/DVD reissue finally confirmed for September

By Mr P on Jun 17 2010

I hated Major Organ and The Adding Machine’s self-titled debut when it was initially released in 2001, but having since learned to appreciate All Things Weird, I now fucking love it… AND NOW YOU CAN “FUCKING LOVE IT” TOO! Actually, if you’re a regular TMT reader, chances are you’ve either heard the album or read us gushing about it (it made #63 on our favorite albums of the decade list), so if you want to either be reminded of its awesomeness or finally hear what we’ve been blabbering about, then you’re in luck.

As we reported many moons ago, Major Organ’s one and only album is getting the reissue treatment via Orange Twin. It was originally slated for release last year, but delays have now pushed it to its final, 100% confirmed release date: September 14, 2010. As a reminder, the reissue will feature the full album plus seven unreleased tracks recorded during the original Major Organ sessions. It’ll also feature a DVD, which will include the much-talked-about Major Organ short film, music videos, live footage, and more.

While the band’s identity was a mystery for quite while, we now know that Elephant 6ers Julian Koster (The Music Tapes), Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel), Kevin Barnes (of Montreal), Eric Harris (Olivia Tremor Control/Elf Power), and Will Cullen Hart (Olivia Tremor Control/Circulatory System) were the primary agents in the Major Organ and The Adding Machine mythology. Other musicians include John Fernandes, Bablicon, Dixie Blood Moustache, Peter Erchick, Heather McIntosh, Derek Almstead, Andrew Rieger, and Jill Carnes.

Here’s a trailer:

• Orange Twin: http://www.orangetwin.com

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