Cursive is quickly following up it’s fine new album, Mama I’m Swollen, with a split 10″ picture disc. Fellow Saddle Creek labelmates Ladyfinger (ne) will take the flip side with one track off its latest, Dusk, and an unreleased song. The joint venture is in honor of the second annual Record Store Day on April 18. Cursive’s side will feature it’s latest single, “From the Hips”, as well as an unreleased track from its most recent studio sessions called “Universal Shrug.” The pressing is limited to 1,500 copies. Record stores participating in the event listed here.

Cursive April/May U.S. Tour Dates:

APR. 24 ST. LOUIS, MO – THE FIREBIRD
APR. 25 MEMPHIS, TN – HI TONE
APR. 26 NASHVILLE, TN – MERCY LOUNGE*
APR. 27 BIRMINGHAM, AL – BOTTLETREE*
APR. 28 PENSACOLA, FL – SLUGGOS*
APR. 29 ORLANDO, FL – THE SOCIAL*
APR. 30 ORLANDO, FL – THE SOCIAL*
MAY 1 ATLANTA, GA – VARIETY PLAYHOUSE*
MAY 2 CARRBORO, NC – CAT’S CRADLE*
MAY 3 WASHINGTON, DC – BLACK CAT*
MAY 4 STATE COLLEGE, PA – THE STATE THEATRE*
MAY 5 PITTSBURGH, PA – DIESEL*
MAY 6 DETROIT, MI – MAGIC STICK*
MAY 7 MILWAUKEE, WI – TURNER HALL#
MAY 8 MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FIRST AVENUE
MAY 9 CHICAGO, IL – BOTTOM LOUNGE#
* with MAN MAN
# with P.O.S.

Devo’s appearance on that short-lived early ’80’s sitcom Square Pegs, famous for launching the careers of Sarah Jessica Parker and Jami Gertz, was filled with far more debauchery than anyone might have imagined from a bunch of futuristic nerds and new wave teenagers. According to a piece in Heeb magazine, drugs were rampant off-camera, even with the young stars, who, Devo’s Gerald Casale says, “might have been 15 or 16, but in their heads they were already 40.” Censors weren’t about to let any of the unwholesomeness make it onto television, however, blocking a special video Devo had created to serve as a backdrop for their performance of “That’s Good.” Casale explains, “In the video, “Bob [Casale] is being ridden like a horse by a blonde. Then an animated french fry flies through the air one way, and an animated glazed donut flies through the air the other way, and the french fry goes through the donut, and it cuts to the girl snapping her head back with a big smile on her face on the words, ‘That’s good.’” Maybe Devo will release that video someday because it sounds better than anything that occurred in this episode. In fact, this clip showcases how truly awful and unfunny Square Pegs was before Devo finally hits the stage about 6 and a half minutes in. [via Logan]

Prince has some of the most loyal fans of any artist I can think of, but even some of those freaks would surely be hard-pressed to fork over $2,100 for a limited edition iPod Touch. Purple though it may be with that androgynous symbol engraved on the back, it only comes pre-loaded with one 15-song, 40 minute concert. Do what now? I could almost understand the price tag if this thing came jam-packed with not only every Prince record ever but also loads of rarities on multiple media formats. But for just one lousy concert? No way. There are only 950 of these bad boys floating around out there, so, if you’re a Prince completist, my apologies.

Slate’s music critic, Jody Rosen, isn’t a big fan of The Decemberists. I, too, share Rosen’s distaste for the most pretentious little Lord Fauntleroy in all of corporate subsidized nerd folk in one Colin Meloy. His reedy voice – embarrassingly overwrought lyrics notwithstanding – is of a timbre my ears find repugnant. When I dislike something with as much enthusiasm as I dislike The Decemberists, it often clouds my ability to understand how anyone could not find it as loathsome as I do. So, when I happen upon someone with a like-minded viewpoint, I tend to revel in the mutual disgust. Rosen’s piece today lists the top eight most pretentious lyrics on The Decemberist’s new record, The Hazards of Love. Having avoided the new record at all costs, I can’t speak to the level of pretension inherent to Meloy’s latest set of pedantic poetry, but based on Meloy’s past flowery indulgences, I’d imagine Rosen had a hard time whittling the list down to only eight.

One example:

4. From “The Abduction of Margaret”

All a’gallop with Margaret slung rude ‘cross withers
Having clamped her innocent fingers in fetters
This villain must calculate crossing the wild river!

For some reason this make feel like Meloy deserves a cock punch. Just obnoxiously annoying. Imagine how unbelievably unfun it must be to hang out with this guy as he slurps mead from a pewter chalice and recites Chaucer. In Old Middle English.

(via the always reliable Tugalicious)

Kanye West’s response to last night’s glorious South Park is pretty golden. It was a given that he would respond on his blog; it was just a matter of when. Well, it’s up in ALL CAPS, of course, and it’s worth the wait:

SOUTH PARK MURDERED ME LAST NIGHT AND IT’S PRETTY FUNNY. IT HURTS MY FEELINGS BUT WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM SOUTH PARK! I ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON MY EGO THOUGH. HAVING THE CRAZY EGO IS PLAYED OUT AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE AND CAREER. I USE TO USE IT TO BUILD UP MY ESTEEM WHEN NOBODY BELIEVED IN ME. NOW THAT PEOPLE DO BELIEVE AND SUPPORT MY MUSIC AND PRODUCTS THE BEST RESPONSE IS THANK YOU INSTEAD OF “I TOLD YOU SO!!!” IT’S COOL TO TALK SHIT WHEN YOU’RE RAPPING BUT NOT IN REAL LIFE. WHEN YOU MEET LITTLE WAYNE IN PERSON HE’S THE NICEST GUY FOR EXAMPLE. I JUST WANNA BE A DOPER PERSON WHICH STARTS WITH ME NOT ALWAYS TELLING PEOPLE HOW DOPE I THINK I AM. I NEED TO JUST GET PAST MYSELF. DROP THE BRAVADO AND JUST MAKE DOPE PRODUCT. EVERYTHING IS NOT THAT SERIOUS. AS LONG AS PEOPLE THINK I ACT LIKE A BITCH THIS TYPE OF SHIT WILL HAPPEN TO ME. I GOT A LONG ROAD AHEAD OF ME TO MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE I’M NOT ACTUALLY A HUGE DOUCHE BUT I’M UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. I’M SURE THE WRITERS AT SOUTH PARK ARE REALLY NICE PEOPLE IN REAL LIFE. THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DRAW MY CREW. THAT WAS PRETTY FUNNY ALSO!! I’M SURE THERE’S GRAMMATICAL ERRORS IN THIS… THAT’S HOW YOU KNOW IT’S ME!

After ditching his Cardinals at the end of last month’s tour, Ryan Adams has resurfaced as Werewolph, the nom de plume he’s used before as a metal experiment on his website. If this is the effect marrying Mandy Moore has on him, I am a huge supporter of this union. The three songs (“Dead People Unite”, “Evil Weekend”, and “Mega-Wizards”) streaming at werewolph.com are crazy psychedelic metal-tinged rockers. The art accompanying the music features a pentagram overlaid on a pizza. More, please.

As an avid fan of Canada’s Junior Boys, I was most disappointed by Begone Dull Care when I first heard it a few months back. I gave it several listens and pretty much forgot about it. It just didn’t hook me. In fact, if anything I found it only inspired me to go back and revisit Last Exit and This is Goodbye, both of which were in heavy rotation for months after their release.

As this review at Pitchfork mentions, Begone Dull Care is definitely a more mature album, but sadly, in my opinion, the maturity comes at the sacrifice of that “je ne sais quoi” that really made the previous releases so undeniably unique and more importantly, addictive. (stream Begone Dull Care and see for yourself)

(In the Morning from This is Goodbye)

It’s weird suddenly reading all these articles about Kurt Cobain that ask, rhetorically, if anyone still listens to Nirvana. I know today marks the anniversary of the day Cobain was found dead, which explains the plethora of Nirvana-related fare, but the fact that people wonder whether anyone still listens to Nirvana is what puzzles me. Why wouldn’t they? Is it assumed that Nirvana’s music is such that only an angst-ridden teen could appreciate it, and that those who were teens when Nirvana hit have all grown up? Most popular music that stands the test of time seems skewed to that very same demographic, so why would Nirvana be the exception that people stop listening to as they get older? Nirvana’s packaged hopelessness was no more nihilistic than punk’s no future ethos was, and people still listen to punk, regardless of age. I was primed and ready for Nirvana when Nevermind hit at the golden age of 17. No record had affected me quite the same way and, arguably, still hasn’t. I listened to that album every single day for at least six months after it came out. I shredded my throat singing along to it. It changed the way I appreciated music. And, while it’s true, I don’t specifically play Nevemind very often anymore, I still listen to Nirvana. I certainly don’t avoid them. In fact, this version of “Lounge Act” from the band’s legendary performance at the 1992 Reading Festival has me yearning for more.

The newly regrouped No Doubt will perform Adam Ant’s “Stand and Deliver” on an upcoming episode of Gossip Girl. The single leaked yesterday- a full month before the show is set to air, and it’s everywhere today. I’m definitely a fan of the original, but it’s an odd choice for No Doubt to cover, as so much of it relies on Ant’s British phrasing. Instead, Stefani hams it up California Girl-style with mixed results. I’m reminded somewhat of her solo work, which doesn’t leave the best taste in my mouth. I suppose, No Doubt could have taken the easy way out with one of Ant’s bigger hits, but at least this is sort of interesting, if slightly cringe-worthy. Since it’s a one-off for a TV show, let’s hope it’s not indicative of things to come.

I have found no band to fill the void left by Unwound. I can’t believe they’ve been broken up for seven years. This clip is of “All Souls Day” off their second album (technically, their third if you count that self-titled Honey Bear release) New Plastic Ideas; no idea when this footage was recorded, but it doesn’t matter. The nuances are always harder to discern in a live setting, but this band’s depth and complexity was second to none in this strain of West Coast post-hardcore. Bassist Vern Rumsey has since dabbled in a few bands, most recently playing with Flora v. Fauna, but the “About” section of the band’s MySpace doesn’t make it seem like all is well: “Well, is [sic] was fun while it lasted… sometimes is [sic] wasn’t though.” And drummer Sara Lund has been playing with Portland’s Hungry Ghost. Can’t seem to find any information on guitarist/vocalist Justin Trosper. Only a rumor that he’s putting out a solo record called Teutonic Plates and Other Delights. Utterly unconfirmed, though.

Via I Like comes an update and a sneak preview of the Stuart Murdoch musical God Help The Girl.

When I first saw Dirty Projectors a few years ago, I was immediately drawn in by the vocal interaction with the oddly compelling chord changes. The band has remained on my radar ever since, but I hadn’t ever quite given it as much attention as I intended. Then I heard “Knotty Pine“, a collaboration with David Byrne featured on The National-curated, Red Hot benefiting Dark Was the Night double disc set. Now the band is in constant rotation, and news of a new single hitting is good news for me. “Stillness Is the Move” pushes the vocal experimentation even further into the realm of jaw-dropping awesomeness. Amber Coffman’s voice is eerily entrancing, and the crazy African guitar line only adds to this band’s puzzling mystique. Can’t wait for the full-length. [via GvsB]

I was just reminded of this song by Kommunity FK because a friend sent me a completely arbitrary list of the 30 Best Goth Records of all time, and I lamented this song’s omission. In high school my tastes often veered towards the darker side: Sisters of Mercy, Southern Death Cult, Bauhaus, etc., and Kommunity FK’s “Something Inside Me Has Died” was a forgotten classic even then. Watching the video again after so long, I’m overwhelmed by how unbelievably cheesy the imagery is, not to mention the bad ’80s clothes/hair. “Goth” as a musical subgenre has never garnered much respect and justifiably so. No band would choose to be called “goth” unless it were trying to exploit a checklist of cliches. Just ask Siouxsie Sioux if she’s a goth. Or, for even more laughs, ask Robert Smith how he feels about being labeled as such. Regardless, this song stands the test of time. Still sounds great.

On June 30, 2009, EMI plans to release two double-disc sets of vintage Duran Duran material. The first set is a live DVD/CD of Duran Duran’s triumphant show at the Hammersmith Odeon in late 1982, cleverly titled Live at Hammersmith ‘82!, as the band was first exploding in the UK with its second album Rio. That show features one of the band’s cult b-sides, a cover of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel’s “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me).”

DVD/CD: Duran Duran – Live Hammersmith ‘82!
DVD:
Live at Hammersmith ’82:-
Rio
Hungry Like The Wolf
Night Boat
New Religion
Save A Prayer
Planet Earth
Friends Of Mine
Careless Memories
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
Girls On Film
Rio era videos:-
My Own Way
Hungry Like The Wolf
Save A Prayer
Lonely In Your Nightmare
Rio
The Chauffeur
Top Of The Pops Performances:-
Hungry Like The Wolf (May 13th, 1982)
Rio (November 18th, 1982)

[Read more →]

Man, I’m embarrassed to admit I kinda dig on this new Lady Sov. It’s all over the airwaves in LDN. It must be that Cure sample.

Apparently I’m not alone, “SO HUMAN” charted in the UK Top 40 before its official release.

I Guess I’m Floating posted a handful of mp3’s of Beck covering the likes of Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, and Hank Williams. It’s pretty dangerous to attempt a Nick Drake cover, as that’s hallowed ground to a lot of people, but Beck’s got the chops to pull off the mood and the homage without sounding the least bit embarrassing. His cracks at Elliott Smith fair similarly, even if those songs aren’t quite as untouchable (yet). And he turns Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart” into a twangy dirge. Great stuff.

Stereogum premiered the new …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead video for “Isis Unveiled” earlier today. I’m definitely on board with the new record. It’s a reclamation of past musical glories. While it’s certainly not going to knock Source Tags & Codes down any notches, it’s the best thing the band has done in ages. If you’ve ever liked Trail of Dead, then you’ll be able to sink your teeth into Century of Self with ease. Where both World’s Apart and So Divided failed to live up to the band’s own bloated sense of grandiosity, Century of Self provides more than enough dramatic blustering to match the artwork.

I know those that loathe Animal Collective are going to skip right past this post, but that’s ok. Someone out there put a whole lot of time and effort into this video.

Everyone knows crazy girls make the hottest most interesting musicians, and Fiona Apple takes that cliche to the power of hyperbole. I’m a big fan of her musical meltdowns, even if she’s reigned in the crazy ever so slightly over the last few years. This is her first scrap of new material since Extraordinary Machine vaulted through myriad hoops and controversies back in 2005. Apple is taking part in a tribute record for jazz and Broadway composer Cy Coleman. Her cover of Coleman’s “Why Try To Change Me Now?” suits her register perfectly. She’s always sounded best when she purrs out her lyrics in jazzy inflections. Hopefully, this spark of activity means Apple might be close to thinking about the follow-up to the lovely Extraordinary Machine.

[via Stereogum]