Music News

Finally, some music news worth reporting....











Sonic Youth are in the final stages of finishing the recording of their new album, tentatively titled The Eternal. This will be Sonic Youth's first album since 2006's Rather Ripped. It is also the first album the band will record for Matador Records. The new album is due sometime in June 09.













Vetiver has posted the album cover artwork and tracklisting on its website for the band's forthcoming album Tight Knit. The album is the first recorded for Sub Pop records. If you pre-order the album through Sub Pop, you can stream the album in its entirety ahead of the February 17th drop date.

Tracklist:
1. Rolling Sea
2. Sister
3. Everyday
4. Through the Front Door
5. Down from Above
6. On the Other Side
7. More of This
8. Another Reason to Go
9. Strictly Rule
10. At Forest Edge












The Cold War Kids have announced a Spring tour to continue promoting last year's Loyalty to Loyalty album. After playing the Conan O'Brien show and the Mercury Lounge in NYC on January 28th, the band embarks on the following tour dates in March and April. Expect more dates to be announced based on the gaps in the schedule:

Jan 28th - Mercury Lounge, NYC/Conan O'Brien Show
Mar 7th - Langerado Festival, Miami, FL
Mar 26th - 4th & B, San Diego, CA
Mar 27th - Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Apr 2nd - Wilbur Theatre, Boston MA
Apr 3rd - Terminal 5, New York, NY
Apr 4th - Water St Music Hall, Rochester, NY
Apr 20th - Gothic Theatre, Denver, CO
Apr 21st - Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC
Apr 22nd - The Showbox, Seattle WA
Apr 23rd - Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Apr 28th - The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA











With 2009 being the band's 20 year anniversary, Pavement guitarist Scott Kannberg revealed the band is mulling reforming to play this year's Coachella festival in Indio, CA. and maybe even mount a full scale reunion tour.

Kannberg told the following to music tabloid Loud and Quiet:
"I don't see why not, you know, it could be a fun thing to do, go and play your favourite songs every night...Everything's fine now [between the band members]."













Finally, in the damn-this-makes-me-feel-fucking-old department, the Beastie Boys have announced on their website that their seminal 1989 album, Paul's Boutique is getting the 20th anniversary reissue treatment. Aside from a sonic upgrade, what the reissue version of the album will include as bonus material is unknown, but to have a sonically scrubbed version of "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun" or "Eggman" sounds pretty damn cool to this aging music freak.

Black Crowes Fillmore Residency

As The Black Crowes prepare to play the final two nights of their five night residency at the historic Fillmore in San Francisco, here's a taste of the band playing "Long Black Veil" in Minneapolis with Andy Cabic from Vetiver and Gary Louris of the Jayhawks.

Music News

Vetiver - More of the Past

In stores today (Nov 11th) Vetiver releases a new 5 song e.p. More of the Past. The collection of covers is a companion piece to the full length Thing of the Past covers album released earlier this year. Also released today is a 7" single (remember those?) with the band's version of A.R. Kane's "Miles Apart".

Vetiver has also recently signed to Sub Pop records, who will release the band's upcoming album of new original material. Tight Knit is tentavively scheduled for release on February 17, 2009. The band is currently on tour in the Midwest, playing a mix of headling shows and opening for The Black Crowes.

Tour Dates:

12/4 Louisville, KY @ 21C Museum Atrium Gallery
12/5 Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theater w/ The Black Crowes
12/6 Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit w/ The Black Crowes
12/7 Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom w/ The Black Crowes
12/8 Grinnell, IA @ Herrick Chapel at Grinnell College
12/9 Fargo, ND @ The Venue w/ The Black Crowes
12/10 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue w/ The Black Crowes
12/11 Des Moines, IA @ Val Air Ballroom w/ The Black Crowes
12/12 Omaha, NE @ Slowdown Jr.
12/13 Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium w/ The Black Crowes
12/14 Lawrence, KS @ Jack Pot Saloon
12/15 St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway Night Club
12/17 New York City, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge












Relentless7

When he is not hanging with wife Laura Dern or his main backing band The Innocent Criminals, Ben Harper has lately been using his two hands to put aside his usual musical fixations of soul/funk and folk for a full on rock 'n roll onslaught of amp buzz and his inner-Zepplin impulses with his new band Relentless7. You can hear two songs on the band's website and MySpace page as well as note the fact the band is doing a small California tour in December.

According to an article with Harper on RollingStone.com, Relentless7 will release their debut album White Lies for Dark Times sometime in May 2009.

Tour Dates:
12/3 San Diego, CA Belly Up Tavern
12/4 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
12/5 Los Angeles, CA The Mint
12/7 Santa Cruz, CA Catalyst Club
12/8 San Francisco, CA The Independent

Album Review: Adorata

The Gutter Twins
Adorta
Sub Pop/iTunes

Similar to The Twilight Singers A Stitch in Time ep, The Gutter Twins have released an ep of original songs recorded during the sessions for their debut Saturnalia album, plus a handful of covers the band has played live over the course of the year.

Gutter Twin Greg Dulli's pedigree in choosing covers remains impeccable. A cover of Vetiver's "Belles" gently opens Adorata, maintaining the original versions hushed beauty and drifty tone. This gentle introduction is quickly discarded for the urgent percussion and piano of Jose Gonzales' "Down the Line", which sounds more Twilight Singers-esque than the anything else Dulli has done with Gutter partner Mark Lanegan up to this point. Give the band credit for capturing the songs building tension in the studio recording. Definitely an album highlight.

Perhaps all the time touring Europe in the last year influenced the band's decision to cover Primal Scream's classic "Deep Hit of the Morning Sun". Gone are the heavy electronics of the original and replaced with droning instrumentation and Lanegan and Dulli trading off vocal duties to preserve the songs narcotic psychedelia.

Lanegan and Dulli trade vocal duties for the bluesy cover of the traditional "St. James Infirmary" to nice effect. The band's take on Eleven's "Flow Like a River" is a touching tribute to the recently departed Natasha Schneider (a portion of the proceeds from this ep will go to the Natasha Schneider memorial fund to help pay her medicals expenses) and a recent staple of the band's live show.

Two Gutter Twins originals close the album. Both "Spanish Doors" and "We Have Met Before" wouldn't be out of place as part of a cinematic film score with their intimate vocals from Mark Lanegan and orchestral instrumentation. It makes one wonder what else is left on the cutting room floor from this band.

Sadly, Adorata is currently only available through iTunes. Lets hope the band inclues a physical release of this excellent ep soon.