It seems that Rainer Maria have decided to call it quits at the end of the year. They have two final shows in December - the 15th in Philadelphia, PA at the First Unitarian Church and the 16th in New York City at Bowery Ballroom. Read below for some parting words from the band:
There is some interpretation to the latest blog from Cave In (readable here) about whether or not the band is actually staying together for good or not. Either way, it seems that there are a myriad of solo projects you may want to be aware of, most noteable is Stephen Brodsky's Octave Museum, who have a new record coming out today on HydraHead. Check it out here.
If by some odd chance you haven't picked up the latest album from Grizzly Bear, Yellow House, then please proceed to your nearest music retailer and pick it up. Once familiar with those songs you will be pleased to find a bunch of alternate, acoustic, versions now available online. Check the Downloads section for two tracks and then hit up the The Interface for more.
The sophomore release from Irishman Damien Rice drops next week...9 follows up the U.K. certified platinum debut O, and Rice will also be dropping in on Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien in the coming days (the 9th and 17th, respectively) to play some of the album's material. You can preview the record via the track "9 Crimes" in the downloads.
New York City's Phonograph will release their self-titled debut through the Austin-based Arclight Records sometime in the first quarter of 2007. Despite not having something out there to sell just yet, the band has already garnered acclaim from numerous critics (including The Mekons' Jon Langford) and have shared the stage with Wilco. They've got a few tour dates before the year's end, so if Summerteeth meets Tom Petty is your thing, you've got a new favorite band.
By now, there's not much point in mentioning that Graham Coxon used to be in Blur; he's carved out an admirable solo career during his tenure with the Brit-pop all-stars and has made that career even stronger since exiting the band. On his latest record, Coxon finds his muse in post-relationship turmoil. Love Travels at Illegal Speeds, which hits stores on November 14, is the songwriter's sixth album overall and follows up 2004's Happiness in Magazines. Check out the track "Standing On My Own" in the downloads section.
Bad Astronaut, the more mature musical vehicle for Lagwagon's Joey Cape, will release its third LP a week from tomorrow. The band hasn't been doing a whole lot since 2002's Houston: We Have a Drinking Problem, as its members (which also include Sugarcult's Marko 72) have stayed busy with other projects, and the unfortunate loss of drummer Derrick Plourde last year obviously set the band back a bit. Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment sees Cape's musicality becoming even more expansive, venturing far beyond what his pop-punk merits reveal.
The Oohlas are still really trying to push Best Stop Pop into the ears of America, and this time the band has issued a live video recorded with Liquid Generation, which you'll be entitled to view if you click here. Main Oohla Greg Eklund also put together a collection of photographs via video that documents the band's recording sessions, which is available here.
NYC anti-folk troubadour Nicole Atkins just released her major-label debut in form of the Bleeding Diamonds EP. Earlier this year, Atkins was named one of "10 Artists To Watch" by Rolling Stone. Listen to some of the EP over at nicoleatkins.com and pick up a copy at Insound. If you're at CMJ, catch Atkins and her band, The Sea, at the Mercury Lounge showcase tonight at 8:00pm. After that, they're again off to Sweden to finish her new full-length.
The Shins have posted the track "Phantom Limb" on Myspace for the rest of us that haven't downloaded the leak. Said track is the first single from the forthcoming Wincing the Night Away, due January 23rd, 2007.
Kevin Barnes and the rest Of Montreal recently stopped by the Rock Island Daytrotter studios and recorded a session. You can grab all four free songs over at daytrotter.com, which include two songs from their new album Are You The Destroyer?
The Faint has announced that they will be touring with RATATAT and plan to pay some new songs along the way. If these facts do not excite you to some degree I have serious questions about your enjoyment of music.
Travis Morrison has announced that he's just finished recording fourteen songs in a Chicago studio that will comprise his solo sophomore album to be released sometime next spring. Read more about it on his official site.
Online retailer Insound will begin offering digital downloads from their site for the average price of $9.99 per album. They will not be selling single downloads, as they are making a serious marketing push to make people wake up and Save The Album; a campaign in which they've asked the likes of Devendra Banhart, Bloc Party, The Decemberists, and more to discuss their favorite albums.
In continuing support of Honey From The Tombs, Amy Millan will be hitting the road playing a bunch of solo dates. Check em out...
You already know that he's put out a remix album of his album Multiply but did you know that Jamie Lidell is going on a pretty extensive tour in support of it? Now you do.
The guitarist for The Strokes, Albert Hammond Jr is putting out a solo album entitled Yours To Keep on Rough Trade with a North American release date still pending but you knew that. What you may not have known is that he's going on tour in support of it with a small handful of dates in the US and more to follow in the UK.
Radio 4 recently received the remix treatment from DFA's Tim Goldsworthy (aka The Loving Hand). Various format's of the group's new single, "Packing Things Up on the Scene," will come backed The Loving Hand remixes. "Take Anything" and "Pretty Good Lie," presumably b-sides from Enemies Like This, are also included on said release. Listen to all the above songs on the Radio 4 player.
Regina Spektor will grace the stage of Last Call with Carson Daly on October 31st. If you'd like to attend the show (she'll probably play "Fidelity" from her new album Begin To Hope), there may be a few chances over at 1iota.com.
The new group from Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, (+44), will release its debut full-length, When Your Heart Stops Beating, on November 14th through Interscope. The quartet have lined up a tour with The Matches in tow, starting November 8th and running through December 17th. They'll also appear on The Late Show with David Letterman on November 15th. Listen to a few tracks from said album over at Purevolume.
