What looks like was intended to be a surprise Spoon digital EP to be released next Tuesday, June 30th is no longer that. The Got Nuffin' EP includes three tracks, "Got Nuffin’," "Tweakers" and "Stroke Their Brains." The release was up on Amazon MP3, but now has been taken down. Let's hope we didn't ruin it. [pitchfork.com]
In a recent blog post on MySpace, Matt Mahaffey reported that a new Self album is "coming, but coming slowly" as he is busy producing a new Hellogoodbye record. A new photo showed Mahaffey recording a video for a new Self track. [blogs.myspace.com]
Of course, you know that Michael Jackson died yesterday. The world knows. The King of Pop is dead, long live the King. [www.nytimes.com]
Neil Finn started his 7 Worlds Collide project in 2001, inviting notable musicians to play shows and record a live album to benefit Oxfam. Earlier this year, Finn conducted another series of 7 Worlds Collide concerts in New Zealand. The latest group of musicians generated enough original material to assemble a double-album, titled The Sun Came Out, to be released August 10th (UK). The project features members of Wilco and Radiohead, Johnny Marr of The Smiths and KT Tunstall. CHARTattack has the track list. [www.chartattack.com]
According to a blog post from the band, Deftones have decided to shelve Eros and are now tracking songs for a brand new album. The decision was not related to the current condition of bassist Chi Cheng, but was "purely a creative decision by the band to write, record, and deliver an amazing product." [www.deftones.com]
While My Morning Jacket rests, Jim James is gearing to release his first solo EP. The Tribute To EP is a George Harrison tribute James recorded in 2001, after Harrison's death. The effort will be credited to "Yim Yames" and released on August 4th via ATO. [www.billboard.com]
Justin Vernon of Bon Iver will release the debut album, Unmap, from experimental side-project Volcano Choir on September 22nd through Jagjaguwar. As previously reported, Vernon teamed up with Collections of Colonies of Bees for the project back in 2005 and recorded the album late last year. [www.spin.com]
According to Win Butler, Arcade Fire are now writing the follow-up to Neon Bible. Butler reported to NME, "we're in middle of writing, things are coming together, it's a great feeling." [www.nme.com]
The Aliens, featuring former members of the defunct Beta Band, have inked a deal with Birdman Records and will issue their 2008 UK release, Luna, in the States this fall. Pre-orders for a limited-edition, hardcover book that will house the record as well as ephemera from the band begin in September. [www.myspace.com]
Aspects of Physics, one of Rob Crow's many projects, will release Marginalized Information Forms 3: Other on July 21st. The album completes a trilogy "spanning 5 years, 7 members, and countless pieces of individual audio bits." This installment focuses on the "organic live-rock-band side of the equation" whereas the previous releases featured an electronic bent. [www.myspace.com]
Devendra Banhart has finished up work on his sixth full-length, co-produced by Paul Butler of A Band of Bees. The album will be released in the fall on a new label, as Banhart has parted ways with XL Recordings. [www.myspace.com]
After a 10 year hiatus, the four original members of Sunny Day Real Estate have reunited for a US tour beginning September 17th. Sub Pop will reissue the bands' first two albums, Diary and LP2, remastered with bonus tracks on September 15th. [www.subpop.com]
Ontario's Still Life Still will release their debut full-length, Girls Come Too, through Arts & Crafts on August 25th. The album was recorded and mixed by Martin Davis Kinack and Kevin Drew. [arts-crafts.ca]
ANTI- will release the solo debut from Rain Machine, also known as Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio, this fall. The album was produced Ian Brennan and features "a reflection of a variety of emotions and situations real and imagined." [anti.com]
As reported, Beastie Boys will release a proper To the 5 Boroughs follow up this year. The record, now officially titled The Hot Sauce Committee Part 1, will be released on September 15th. Nas and Santigold appear on two tracks. [www.rollingstone.com]
True Panther Sounds and Matador will release Album, the debut from San Francisco's Girls, on September 22nd. The 12 track album was recorded in a "variety of bedrooms and rehearsal studios" and is "honest, loose, ethereal, obnoxious and perfect." [www.myspace.com]
My Morning Jacket drummer Patrick Hallahan reveald to Spinner that the band "have taken a big hiatus." Hallahan assured fans that while everyone is busy doing other projects "eventually we'll all swim back to the mainland and get back together." [www.spinner.com]
As reported, Islands were hard at work on their third album earlier this year. Now, the group is set to release that album, Vapours, through ANTI- on September 22nd. As well, founding member Jamie Thompson is back on board. [www.thetripwire.com]
Jim Fairchild, formerly of Grandaddy, will release his second All Smiles album Oh, For The Getting And Not Letting Go on June 30th. The album, recorded with producer Solon Bixler, is described as "heavy with the weight of the dark places we can find ourselves in." As if that wasn't enough, a new EP, Fall Never Fell, is currently being finished up and will be released in the near future. [www.myspace.com]
According to a postcard from the band, the third album from Kings of Convenience is due in late September. Following the record, the duo will tour. [www.mbvmusic.com]
