Ed and Andy will revive Plaid with a new album, Scintilli, on September 27th through Warp Records. The duo have scheduled a worldwide tour in support of the release. Watch the video for "35 Summers" on the album's website. [scintilli.com]
Bjork is set to release another Biophilia track tomorrow, titled "Virus". A fan has leaked the song to YouTube. Relatedly, Bjork officially release the Michel Gondry directed video for "Crystalline" a couple weeks ago. Watch it in Videos. [consequenceofsound.net]
The Shins are set to hit the road tonight in Eugene, Oregon. James Mercer and the new lineup, featuring Yuuki Matthews (bass), Jessica Dobson (guitar), Richard Swift (keyboards) and Joe Plummer (drums) will debut songs from the band's new full-length, which is due out in 2012 on Columbia Records. [www.theshins.com]
As reported, Chino Moreno (Deftones) teamed up with Shaun Lopez (Far) to create Crosses, which finds Moreno "drifting toward Depeche Mode territory." They duo are currently giving away their debut EP free through their website. [www.crossesmusic.com]
Those Nederlander metal heads Textures will return on September 27th with Dualism through Nuclear Blast Records. Check out the cover art and track list on the band's website. Stream the lead single, "Singularity", on YouTube. [www.texturesband.com]
Mastodon will release their fifth album, The Hunter, on September 27th. You can preview "Black Tounge" on YouTube, while you watch artist AJ Fosik create the sculpture used for the album's cover art. The first official single will be the track "Curl Of The Burl". [www.mastodonrocks.com]
Feist will return on October 4th with her third album, Metals, through Arts & Crafts. The album was recorded in Toronto and Big Sur with producers Chilly Gonzales, Mocky and Valgeir Sigurosson (Bjork, Nico Muhly, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy). Watch two of 12 teasers on Feist' website. The remaining will unlock periodically up until the album's release. [www.listentofeist.com]
Cursive have entered the studio to begin recording their seventh full-length and follow-up to 2009's Mama, I'm Swollen. The band is working with Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Deftones) at ARC Studios in Omaha, NE. In addition to the core trio, the band is joined by Patrick Newbery (Conduits) on keys and Cully Symington (Okkervil River) on drums. [www.cursivearmy.com]
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks will release a new album, Mirror Traffic, on August 23rd through Matador Records. The album was produced by none other than Beck Hansen and hyperbolically "ties together Stephen's skill-set like none of its predecessors." Stream and download album track "Tigers" in Music. [www.matadorrecords.com]
Maria Taylor (Azure Ray) will release her fourth solo album, Overlook, on August 16th through Saddle Creek. Stream "In A Bad Way" and "Matador" over on Taylor's website. Taylor self-produced the album and tapped local Alabama musicians for contributions. [www.mariataylormusic.com]
That "destination weekend bash" Pearl Jam mentioned earlier in the year will happen on September 3rd and 4th (Labor Day weekend) at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, WI. The lineup includes The Strokes, Queens of the Stone Age, Mudhoney, Glen Hansard and Jason Lytle, among others. [destination.pj20.com]
Kele Okereke recently told NME that he'd be "surprised" if there wasn't some new Bloc Party music released before the end of the summer. He was tight lipped about any other details. Previously, Russell Lissack told NME in April that the band would reconvene in September. [www.nme.com]
As reported, Ladytron will release Gravity the Seducer on September 13th through Nettwerk. Three tracks from said album have been posted to SoundCloud. The group has announced some North American shows in September and October. [www.ladytron.com]
Vancouver based producer Cameron Reed released his second EP, Endless Path, as Babe Rainbow back in June through Warp Records. Check out "It's All Happening" on Vimeo for some "dark atmospherics and minimalist bass excursions." [warp.net]
Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak recently wrote five songs for a house show and decided to make the "vanity project" official a name, Flock of Dimes. Check out Wasner performing solo in Brooklyn on Vimeo and listen to "Prison Bride" on SoundCloud. The latter will be included on a upcoming compilation from Friends Records. [www.twentyfourbit.com]
Lostprophets have tapped Ken Andews (Failure, On) to produce their next album. The band are recording the album in North Hollywood, California at NRG Studios. Andrews shares some of his more technical thoughts on his personal blog. [web.me.com]
The Avett Brothers episode of CMT Unplugged began airing last night on cmt.com. The band premiered a new song, "The Once and Future Carpenter," to "present a current example of where [they] are, who [they] are" in reference to their forthcoming follow-up to 2009's I and Love and You. Watch the full show on CMT. [www.theavettbrothers.com]
Bon Iver will hit the road on July 22nd at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Justin Vernon and crew are now supporting his seemingly ubiquitous self-titled, sophomore album. The Rosebuds, Kathleen Edwards and Other Lives will open on various legs of the trek. Vernon will then take his show to Europe in the fall. [boniver.org]
The Features will return on July 26th with Wilderness through Kings of Leon's Serpents and Snakes label, a Bug Music imprint. You can stream the lead single "Rambo" on SoundCloud (backed with b-side "This Much I Know"). The band has announced upcoming shows in August and September. [thefeatures.ning.com]
Philly's The War on Drugs will release their second full-length, Slave Ambient, on August 16th through Secretly Canadian. Kurt Vile and Dave Hartley teamed back up with Adam Granduciel to record the album in Asheville, North Carolina and Granduciel's home studio. Stream and download album track, "Baby Missles," in Music. [secretlycanadian.com]
