Gang of Four + Menomena = Faux-Hoax

Gang of Four bassist Dave Allen has teamed up with guitarist John Askew (Tracker/FILMguerrero label owner) and drummer Danny Seim (Menomena) to form a new group called Faux-Hoax (pronounced "Folks"). The Portland-based trio's first song is a talky experimental piece with a heavy bass groove-- about friends dating and dying and doing drugs and finding God.

Titled "Your Friends Will Carry You Home", the track features words and vocals by journalist/musician and fellow Portlander Adam Gnade. Click below for an exclusive mp3 of the song, which, according to the band, is still a work in progress. [MORE...]

MP3: Faux-Hoax: "Your Friends Will Carry You Home"

Jandek to Play Adventures in Modern Music Festival

The fourth annual Adventures in Modern Music Festival is headed to Chicago once again, taking place September 20-24 at the Empty Bottle (where, like, every good show in the city happens). Sponsored by The Wire magazine, the fest applies the word "modern" rather loosely (most of the participating acts have been recording for awhile...some for decades) but does promise a range of aural "adventures." The highlight of this year's lineup is international man of mystery Jandek, making his Chicago debut. Jandek was supposed to perform at last year's fest, but Hurricane Rita spoiled his travel plans.

Other performers include art rockers Kayo Dot, earthy rockers Badgerlore, rap scientist Edan, free jazz masters Hamid Drake and William Parker, and pioneering trumpeter/guitarist Rhys Chatham. [MORE...]

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Enlist Dave Fridmann

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah have enlisted the services of producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Sleater-Kinney, Low) for the recording of their new album. They began working together last month, but recording will begin in earnest in August. We're looking forward to hearing what they come up with...indie pop stoner prog rock? [MORE...]

MP3: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: "Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood"

The Rapture: "Are You Ready for Some Footbaaaall?"
"Also, are you ready for a tracklist and UK tour?"

Think back, way back. Back past the holiday weekend fog, the Roman candles, the booze, the road trips. Remember last Friday? That's it-- the day we revealed the details of the new Rapture album (Pieces of the People We Love, out September 12 via Motown/Universal in America and September 4 via Vertigo in the UK) What, you thought those fireworks were in celebration of something else?

As mentioned last Friday, the Rapture will release "Get Myself Into It", the first single from Pieces, on August 21 in the UK. For the time being, however, you can hear it on the band's MySpace page.

Another way you'll be able to legally hear new Rapture music before the album's release is by buying EA Sports' new Madden NFL 07 video game, which will feature the song "W.A.Y.U.H." on its soundtrack, alongside tracks from Wolfmother, Spank Rock, Keane (?!), Lupe Fiasco feat. Jonah Matranga (??!!), and a bunch of punk and emo bands.

Check out this hilarious quote from Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Music Marketing at EA:

"Year after year, the music selected for inclusion in EA's smash hit football series invariably becomes the soundtrack of the football season, moving beyond the game to turn up in football stadiums and on live TV broadcasts. The Madden NFL Football franchise is recognized across North America as a driving force behind break-out bands...this year EA does it again."

The Rapture. It's in the game. [MORE...]

Video: The Rapture: "House of Jealous Lovers"

Video: Rhymefest: "Fever"

I've spent a decent chunk of my life utilizing the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' trains. I've seen people throw up/urinate/defecate on themselves, homeless men turn down food due to high levels of saturated fat, even the occasional couple engaging in some sexual act. I can safely say, however, that I have never witnessed a dozen belly-shirted women dancing around Rhymefest while flames reminiscent of iMovie transitions appear out of thin air. Until now, anyway.

In the music video for "Fever", a single from Rhymefest's upcoming record, Blue Collar (due July 11 via Allido/J Records), there is a lot of hometown love happening: the subway strippers, Harold's Chicken Shack, skylines, and street signs. Viewers are also exposed to hometown hardships--namely the Chicago Police Department. Unfortunately, the video pales in comparison to other Chicago-based hip hop film (take Common's Kanye West-directed "The Corner" for example) due both to lack of (assumable) funding and (definitely) creativity.

Stream: Rhymefest feat. Kanye West: "Brand New"

Georgie James (ex-Q and Not U) Tour With Camera Obscura

From the burning rubble of Dischord mainstays Q and Not U comes...soft pop? Say hello to Georgie James, the slightly androgynous, largely pop-tacular project of former Q and Not U drummer John Davis and vocalist/keyboardist Laura Burhenn. It may not be MC Hammer going from parachute pants to gangsta, but what is?

With Davis switching between drums and guitar and Burhenn grabbing the mic, the duo recorded a demo last fall and are currently writing more songs for a forthcoming full-length album.

The duo--who, might we add, look awfully adorable together, so watch the eff out, Mates of State--are hitting the road starting tonight and continuing on for the rest of the month. They'll be sharing the stage with some of the best in the business, Camera Obscura. [MORE...]

Stream: Georgie James: Various Tracks

Animal Collective Reissue Due

Cut the mating calls. From this point forward, you no longer need to track down a wealthy significant other in order to get your hands on Animal Collective's über-rare 2002 live release, Hollinndagain. The LP, originally released on the Secretly Canadian-associated St. Ives Records, has been extremely limited (only 300 copies ever made, all with hand-painted sleeves)...until now.

Hollinndagain is slated for an October 31 reissue on Paw Tracks, and we can't think up a better Holloween treat (or trick) than that.

Hollinndagain tracklist:

01 I See You Pan
02 Pride and Fight
03 Forest Gospel
04 I Shot an Arrow
05 Lablakely Dress
06 Tell It to the Mountain
07 Pumpkin Got a Snakebite [MORE...]

Video: Animal Collective: "Who Could Win a Rabbit"

Malkmus, Silver Jews, Britt Daniel to Play Musicfest NW

On September 7-9, practically every live venue in Portland, Oregon will be jam-packed with attendees of Willamette Week's annual Musicfest NW festival. This year's fest benefits the Rock and Roll Camp for Girls and the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, and, usual, showcases dozens of artists from the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

We're most excited about the Stephen Malkmus/Silver Jews double bill at the Crystal Ballroom on September 8, but other highlights include the Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre together at last at the same venue the night before, as well as performances from Britt Daniel of Spoon, the Black Keys, Eric Bachmann, Centro-Matic, Jeremy Enigk, Richard Buckner, the Blow, Lifesavas, Kristen Hersh, Little Brother, M-1 (of Dead Prez), the Joggers, the Melvins, Dead Moon, the Helio Sequence, Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, Viva Voce, Swords (playing their last show), and Little Steven's Underground Garage Showcase, featuring the Zombies, the Mooney Suzuki, the Woggles, and Phantom Planet. Plenty of other acts, ranging from singer/songwriters (‘cause it wouldn't be a Northwestern festival without ‘em!) to rock bands to hip hop artists, are also scheduled.

Appleseed Cast Hit the Road

So why not continue with the bird-themed fun? After all, their latest LP, released in March on CD by the Militia Group and in April on vinyl on Graveface, is titled Peregrine, and musically calls to mind the Peregrine Falcon's crazy hunting style-soaring, then free-falling, over its prey/the listener. Finding Stateside airplay on college radio, now the LP is testing its wings in Japan, courtesy of Howling Bull Records, and in Europe via Gentleman Records.

The band recently completed a furious flock of European dates and is now poised to swoop down over North America. Let's hope the Appleseed Cast find a new spirit animal sometime soon, because I think I'm officially punned-out. [MORE...]

Stream: The Appleseed Cast: Various Tracks

Massive Attack Announce Tour

Massive Attack must be massively tired. And have some massive Frequent Flyer miles. Currently in the throes of an epic world tour (which started in June), the Bristol group just announced a U.S. tour, their first in eight years. The trek includes an appearance at L.A.'s Hollywood Bowl, a three-night stint at New York's Roseland Ballroom, and headlining gigs at the V Festival in Toronto and Austin City Limits. [MORE...]

Video: Massive Attack: "False Flags" (Live at Coachella)

TV on the Radio Invade YouTube
iPods on the Victrola Invade Cable

When the guys in TV on the Radio aren't putting out awesome new albums (see Return to Cookie Mountain in today's Best New Music), they're playing with Nine Inch Nails and Bauhaus, shooting hoops, getting bossed around by kids in business suits, and spreading the word about the new LP via David Cross and a Brooklyn-wide game of "Telephone." See for yourself in the following clips:

TV on the Radio, Trent Reznor, and Bauhaus's Peter Murphy doing TV on the Radio's "Dreams":

TV on the Radio, Trent Reznor, and Bauhaus's Peter Murphy doing Pere Ubu's "Final Solution":

TV on the Radio, Trent Reznor, and Bauhaus's Peter Murphy doing Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead":

[MORE...]

MP3: TV on the Radio: "Dry Drunk Emperor"

BSS, New Pornos, Wolf Parade Up for Polaris Prize

Yesterday, while us Americans were busy celebrating our independence n stuff, Canada was busy celebrating its music scene, as the nominees for this year's Polaris Music Prize were revealed after an extensive voting process. The Polaris Music Prize is basically the Canadian version of Britain's Mercury Music Prize, or America's troubled Shortlist/New Pantheon Awards.

A panel of more than 120 Canadian judges (full disclosure: they included Pitchfork's own Mark Pytlik) contributed their picks for the best albums the True North had to offer between July 1, 2005 and May 31, 2006. (Sorry folks, the Arcade Fire album came out in 2004.)

And the nominees are:

Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene
Cadence Weapon - Breaking Kayfabe
The Deadly Snakes - Porcella
Final Fantasy - He Poos Clouds
Sarah Harmer - I'm a Mountain
K'naan - The Dusty Foot Philosopher
Malajube - Trompe L'Oeil
Metric - Live It Out
The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary

[MORE...]

Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)