Pitchfork: News - February 28, 2005

6 Recent Items

Original Dinosaur Jr. Lineup to Reunite!

Dinosaur Jr., one of the most legendary indie rock bands of the 80's, are reuniting to play the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan with shows in the UK to follow. The BBC reports that the embattled duo of J. Mascis and Lou Barlow will perform together under the Dinosaur Jr. name for the first time in 15 years. Ongoing feuding between the two spurred Barlow to leave the band after the release of their third album, Bug, in 1988 in order to focus on his work with Sebadoh. The 1990s saw Barlow's greatest success with the Folk Implosion and the unexpected top 40 hit "Natural One". Dinosaur Jr. briefly went on hiatus after Barlow's departure and reformed in 1991. The group permanently disbanded after 1997's Hand It Over, at which time Mascis moved on to form The Fog. That group's More Light-- released in 2000 and featuring guest appearances from Kevin Shields and Robert Pollard-- was hailed as a return to form.

No U.S. dates have been set, nor has anyone at Merge confirmed the reunion. The original lineup recorded three albums together, including the widely influential You're Living All Over Me, which are set to be reissued with bonus material via Merge on March 22.

J. Mascis: http://www.jmascis.com/

Posted by Caroline Bermudez in on Mon: 02-28-05: 12:00 AM CST | Digg this article | Add to del.icio.us | Permalink

Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Matt Sweeney Expand Tour

Like a pair of bearded mutant vaudevillians, Bonnie "Prince" Billy (aka Will "Palace" Oldham) and Matt Sweeney (aka Matt "Matt" Sweeney) will be taking their routine out on the road in April, according to the Drag City website (where they have occasion to know such things). They'll warm up for the jaunt with a one-day tour of New York record stores on March 5, which probably won't feature madcap interludes of the smiling duo racing to the next gig through the streets of Manhattan, guitars in hand, fleeing ecstatic screaming girls a la A Hard Day's Night. Although it would so rule if it did.

One presumes they'll be playing songs from Superwolf, the collaborative album of that title issued last month by Drag City, but that sounds suspiciously straightforward for the willfully eccentric Bonnie. The pair played a handful of low-key dates together last year, and then a few more in California in January, with sets featuring Superwolf in its entirety, plus a varying selection of songs from Oldham's estimable back pages. As a backwoods teenage preacher once said in this movie we saw (and we may be paraphrasing): "Draw your own conclusions." However, they probably won't be rockin' any Zwan:

03-05 New York, NY - Sound Fix (1pm)
03-05 New York, NY - Kim's Mediapolis (3pm)
03-05 New York, NY - Built by Wendy (5pm)
03-05 New York, NY - Mondo Kim's (7pm)
03-05 New York, NY - Other Music (9pm)
04-11 Lexington, KY - The Dame
04-12 Newport, KY - Southgate House
04-13 Columbus, OH - Wexner Center for the Arts
04-14 Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theatre
04-15 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
04-16 Purchase, NY - SUNY Purchase, The Great Lawn
04-17 Boston, MA - Museum of Fine Arts
04-19 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom
04-20 Northampton, MA - Iron Horse Music Hall
04-21 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
04-22 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts
04-25 Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
04-26 Morgantown, WV - 123 Pleasant St.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy: http://www.bonnieprincebilly.com/

Drag City: http://www.dragcity.com/

Posted by Jason Toon in on Mon: 02-28-05: 12:00 AM CST | Digg this article | Add to del.icio.us | Permalink

Subtle Keyboardist Injured in Auto Accident

According to posts on the Subtle and Kork Agency websites, the experimental hip-hop sextet was involved in a serious accident on February 24 while driving from Denver to Minneapolis on their 2005 North American/European tour.

The group's tour van apparently hit a patch of black ice just outside of Des Moines, Iowa, and skidded out of control, demolishing the van and a trailer full of gear. While members Adam Drucker (Doseone), Jeffrey Logan (Jel), Alexander Kort, Marty Dowers, and Jordan Dalrymple escaped relatively unscathed, keyboardist Dax Pierson reportedly sustained more serious injuries.

Pierson was airlifted to a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, where doctors discovered that his fifth vertebra was shattered. While Pierson's injuries are not terminal, doctors say that some paralysis is inevitable, although it remains to be seen whether it will be temporary or permanent. Pierson is expected to remain hospitalized in Omaha for at least three weeks. As of this writing, he is conscious and remains in intensive care. All of us here at Pitchfork would like to express our condolences to the group and their friends and families, and to wish Pierson a swift and complete recovery.

After releasing four seasonal EPs (a new compilation called Earthsick collects tracks from each, along with unreleased Winter material), Subtle released their debut full length, A New White, on Lex Records last year. As opposed to the more mechanical, abrasive style of Themselves (a group comprised of Subtle members Doseone, Pierson, and Jel), Subtle traffics in lush proto-hop dripping with analog melodies. As Themselves, Pierson, Jel, and Doseone recently completed a collaboration with German electro-pop artists the Notwist called 13 & god, which is due to be released on Anticon this spring. Needless to say, all Subtle performances are postponed until further notice.

Subtle: http://www.subtle6.com

Posted by Brian Howe in on Mon: 02-28-05: 12:00 AM CST | Digg this article | Add to del.icio.us | Permalink

DFA79 to Tour North America, UK Through May

What do you call a band in love with the road? Death From Above 1979, that's what! The unflappable Vice Records noise-rockers are hitting the road once again for a rigorous March/April/May tour throughout the U.S. and Canada. Some notable stops include (surprise!) an appearance at the annual South by Southwest music festival, and then an appearance pretty much everywhere else in North America. If you don't see them live, it's not for a lack of effort on their part:

03-08 Toronto, Ontario - Opera House
03-10 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
03-12 Columbus, OH - Little Brothers
03-13 St. Louis, MO - Creepy Crawl
03-14 Oklahoma City, OK - Green Door
03-15 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room
03-16 Houston, TX - Fat Cat's
03-17 Austin, TX - Blender Bar (Vice showcase, SXSW)
03-18 Austin, TX - Club DeVille (Insound show, SXSW)
03-19 Austin, TX - Emos (Take Action show, SXSW)
03-21 Tucson, AZ - Solar Gallery
03-23 Phoenix, AZ - Modified
03-25 Los Angeles, CA - Echo
03-26 Long Beach, CA - Koo's
03-28 San Francisco, CA - Independent
03-30 Portland, OR - Berbati's Pan
03-31 Seattle, WA - Neumo's
04-01 Vancouver, British Columbia - Red Room
04-02 Vancouver, British Columbia - Mesa
04-03 Nanaimo, British Columbia - Town Hall
04-04 Victoria, British Columbia - Sugar
04-06 Edmonton, Alberta - Starlite
04-07 Calgary, Alberta - Warehouse
04-08 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Louis
04-09 Regina, Saskatchewan - Riddel
04-11 Winnipeg, Manitoba - West End Cultural Center
04-12 Minneapolis, MN - Club 400
04-13 Madison, WI - Club 770
04-14 Milwaukee, WI - Mad Planet
04-15 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle (Early Show)
04-15 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
04-16 Detroit, MI - Lager House (Early Show)
04-16 Detroit, MI - Lager House
04-21 Hamilton, Ontario - Underground
04-22 St. Catherine's, Ontario - Level 3
04-23 London, Ontario - Call the Office
04-26 Washington, DC - Black Cat
04-27 Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
04-28 Washington, DC - Black Cat
04-29 Philadelphia, PA - Transit
04-30 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
05-01 New York, NY - Mercury
05-02 Boston, MA - Middle East
05-03 St. Johns, New Brunswick - Tapps
05-04 Moncton, New Brunswick - Manhattan's
05-05 Halifax, Nova Scotia - Attic
05-06 Halifax, Nova Scotia - Papillion
05-07 Fredericton, New Brunswick - TBA
05-08 Montreal, Quebec - TBA
05-09 Ottawa, Ontario - TBA
05-18 Portsmouth, England - Wedgewood Rooms
05-19 Bristol, England - Fleece
05-20 Leicester, England - Charlotte
05-21 Liverpool, England - Academy 2
05-22 Manchester, England - Academy 3
05-23 Edinburgh, Scotland - The Venue
05-24 Newcastle, England - University Union
05-25 Leeds, England - Cockpit
05-26 London, England - Scala

Of course, all that touring makes it difficult to record a new album (unless you're U2 or something), but a January post on the band's official website does contain the vague statement, "[The] next album will probably be out this time next year or earlier." Well, OK then. In the meantime, the post promises that other DFA 1979 projects are in the works, including remixes for the Panthers, Futurehead, and Bloc Party, new music videos, and an eventual DVD.

Death From Above 1979: http://www.deathfromabove1979.com

Posted by Micah C. Harding in on Mon: 02-28-05: 12:00 AM CST | Digg this article | Add to del.icio.us | Permalink

Calexico to Play Scattered U.S. Dates

It's official: Calexico has officially become one of those "cool bands that sorta uncool bands hire as opening acts." Though there's no word yet on a new proper album-- it's been two years since Feast of Wire, after all, and a year since the Convict Pool EP-- Joey Burns and the boys are heading back out on the road, first to play a trio of SXSW shows, and then providing support for the Ozomatli/Los Lonely Boys big-shed hoedown. We bet that "Alone Again Or" cover's gonna sound fabulous in an amphitheater. Dates:

03-17 Austin, TX - Jovita's day party (SXSW)
03-18 Austin, TX - Emo's day party (SXSW)
03-18 Austin, TX - Antone's (SXSW)
05-03 Hidalgo, TX - Dodge Arena #
05-04 Austin, TX - The Backyard #
05-05 San Angelo, TX - Riverstage #
05-06 El Paso, TX - El Paso Coliseum #
05-07 Albuquerque, NM - Sandia Amphitheatre #
05-08 Tucson, AZ - Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater #
06-17 Lawrence, KS - Wakarusa Festival
06-18 Lawrence, KS - Wakarusa Festival
07-14 New York, NY Battery Park - Castle Clinton

# With Ozomatli, Los Lonely Boys

However, if you've heard LLBs' "Heaven" enough for one lifetime, there are a couple of Calexico-related releases milling about: The band contributed a track to Nancy Sinatra's 2004 comeback album, and have collaborated with Iron & Wine on a seven-song EP, to be titled Lays in the Reigns, slated for a fall release on Overcoat. Finally, Calexico have contributed a cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" to, yes, a Starbucks CD of covers entitled Love Songs. Everyone's gotta eat.

Calexico: http://www.casadecalexico.com/

Posted by Rob Harvilla in on Mon: 02-28-05: 12:00 AM CST | Digg this article | Add to del.icio.us | Permalink

The Album Leaf Plan Extensive American Tour

Jimmy LaValle and the Album Leaf are getting ready to embark on a extensive U.S. tour that will take them from one coast to the other...and back, throughout March and much of April. Call it a Spring Break road trip, cause the kids, they love their Album Leaf. Starting off in Long Beach, Calif., LaValle and Co. will also hit the biggest party in town, the annual South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.

Speaking of Southern California, the Album Leaf have recently had their attention firmly set on the affluent suburb of Orange County...or as the public lexicon would have it, the O.C. Yes, after staying busy last year making music with his Icelandic friends, touring Europe, and promoting his Sub Pop debut, In a Safe Place, LaValle is enjoying more exposure than ever with Album Leaf's inclusion on the Fox series The O.C.. We told you the kids love their Album Leaf. A compilation of music featured on the show (including an Album Leaf track)-- Music From The O.C. Mix 4-- is set for release in April, and the forward momentum continues this spring and summer with the promise of more European dates. For now:

03-11 Long Beach, CA - Vault 350
03-13 Phoenix, AZ - Brick House
03-14 El Paso, TX - T-Lounge
03-16 Austin, TX - Emos (SXSW)
03-17 Denton, TX - Hailey's
03-18 Jackson, MS - Martin's Lounge
03-19 New Orleans, LA - Twiropa
03-21 Orlando, FL - The Social
03-22 St. Augustine, FL - Caf� Eleven
03-23 Palm Beach, FL - Respectable Street
03-24 Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits
03-25 Gainesville, FL - Common Grounds
03-26 Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
03-27 Raleigh, NC - Martin Street Music Hall
03-28 Washington, DC - Black Cat
03-29 Baltimore, MD - The Ottobar
03-30 Philadelphia, PA - North Star Bar
03-31 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
04-01 Brooklyn, NY - North Six
04-02 Cambridge, MA - T.T. The Bears
04-03 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa
04-04 Toronto, Ontario - Horsehoe Tavern
04-08 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
04-14 Portland, OR - Douge Fir Lounge
04-15 Seattle, WA - Neumos
04-16 Vancouver, British Columbia - Media Club
04-19 San Francisco, CA - The Independent
04-20 Visalia, CA - Howie And Son's Pizza
04-21 Los Angeles, CA - Knitting Factory LA

The Album Leaf: http://www.albumleaf.com/

Sub Pop: http://www.subpop.com/

Posted by Micah C. Harding in on Mon: 02-28-05: 12:00 AM CST | Digg this article | Add to del.icio.us | Permalink

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