Idaho to Release Sixth Album
Becomes most prolific state yet, surpassing Kentucky by a 7"

According to its publicist, "sad-rock" outfit Idaho is scheduled to release its sixth full-length, Levitate, on October 2nd. Last year's LP, Hearts of Palm, was superb; Idaho founder Jeff Martin's songs took a sparse, delicate turn, proving a perfect vehicle for his melancholy lyrics. Even more notable than the songwriting, however, was the production quality. The subtle palette of guitars, piano, and vocal harmonies helped deliver a poignant emotional intensity. The new album is described as "a lot sparser" than Hearts of Palm, a comment which is hard to believe. Martin wrote and performed all of the songs himself, with the exception of some drum tracks. Levitate is the second Idaho album to be released on Martin's own label, Idaho Music.

Idaho: http://www.idahomusic.com

Dead Kennedys Remaster, Repackage, Reissue
If only they could remaster the lyrics

Jello Biafra has something new to be pissed off about. "I have now had to ask [the Dead Kennedys] to please remove my name and likeness from all their releases and promotional material," the ex-Kennedys frontman stated in a recent press release. "I'm totally embarrassed by what they're trying to do." Not just embarrassed. Totally embarrassed. No, he didn't show up for a spoken word engagement wearing only his underwear; he's just upset because former Dead Kennedys bandmates East Bay Ray, Klaus Fluoride, and D.H. Peligro have decided to digitally remaster and re-release the band's back catalog. Reissues of Plastic Surgery Disasters/In God We Trust, Inc., Frankenchrist, Bedtime for Democracy, and Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death will be available on September 11th, thanks to Manifesto Records.

In an attempt to completely oversaturate the market with Dead Kennedys material, a live album will also be released on the same day. Entitled Mutiny on the Bay, the disc features classic Dead Kennedys songs like "Holiday in Cambodia," "Kill the Poor," "Too Drunk to Fuck," and the still-relevant "MTV Get Off the Air." The performances on the live album took place in the San Francisco Bay area during 1982 and 1986. Mutiny on the Bay is the first official live recording of the Dead Kennedys to be released, though Jello Biafra considers it "a subpar live album." I guess this means the Dead Kennedys won't be getting back together to perform on next year's Warped tour.

Manifesto Records: http://www.manifesto.com

Ninja Tune to Release Solid Steel Mix Series
Everyone likes Vangelis, right?

In an announcement that should be greeted by a stampede of interest from the hordes of Ninja Tune fans, the London-based electronic label will spin off some records from their very popular radio show Solid Steel. The show, which can be heard on BBC radio and syndicated on 50 stations around the world, has been on the air for 13 years, and has consistently provided the blueprint for Ninja Tune's diverse and ambitious philosophy. Begun by Coldcut, the DJ founders of Ninja Tune, the show has been graced by the presence of such luminaries as Squarepusher, Dan the Automator, Alec Empire, the Orb, Tortoise, and Kid Koala, all of whom have all been given the total freedom to play whatever they want.

In the spirit of that freedom comes the first release in what promises to be a very interesting series: the Solid Steel Mix CD. The first release will be a mix by Ninja Tune mainstays DJ Food (Strictly Kev and P.C.) and DK. Featuring tracks from such diverse sources as Quincy Jones, The (English) Beat, and the suddenly controversial DJ Vadim, the disc was inspired by past sessions Food and DK did for the show. The label promises future volumes will be mixed by Mr. Scruff, Kid Koala, Ollie Teeba, and others. No release date has been confirmed, though it will likely be released within the next three months, as DJ Food and DK are taking it out on tour across the U.S. and Canada in November.

[Correction: We ran the tracklist for this record earlier today, but were contacted by Ninja Tune, who informed us that they're still clearing the tracks and that nothing is official yet. We'll keep you posted.]

Pitchfork Review: http:///record-reviews/d/dj-food/kaleidoscope.shtml
Pitchfork Review: http:///record-reviews/d/dj-food/quadraplex.shtml
Ninja Tune: http://www.ninjatune.com

Superchunk Complete Eighth Album
If this has anything to do with that Goonies kid, we quit

Brian Paulson, who also manned the boards for Superchunk's 1994 release, Foolish, has once again handled the production details, making him the first to work the boards for two different Superchunk albums. Kudos, Brian, you're a real mensch.

Pitchfork Review: http:///record-reviews/s/superchunk/come-pick-me-up.shtml
Superchunk: http://www.superchunk.com
Merge Records: http://www.mergerecords.com

Drag City Artists Unite for Supersession
Like USA for Africa, but without the starving

The understated and violently moody ensemble includes, but is not limited to, Bill Callahan of the newly parenthesized (Smog)-- also known as (You've Got to Be Shitting Us)-- Edith Frost, Jim O'Rourke, Tara Key, the "Brothers Murphy" (of Chestnut Station), Azita Youseffi, and producer Neil Michael Hagerty. The album, which is being given release sometime in August or September, will actually be released under the bandname Drag City Supersession, as far as we can tell, and has been given the title Tramps, Traitors and Little Devils. All proceeds will be donated to the musicians and the record label. Fuck Somalia, they need beer!

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

Laurie Anderson Completes New Album
In search of the ArchDeluxe

What has everyone's favorite observational performance artist and violinist been doing lately? Well, she's about to work as a cashier at a McDonald's in New York's Chinatown, as inspiration for a new novel. You'd think that Lou Reed's longtime partner would have something better to do with her time, like, oh, have sex with Lou Reed. But she's got more artistic things in mind. Aside from completing various international museum installations, she recently finished touring her latest musical, Songs and Stories from Moby Dick, which is supposedly based on some novel or something.

It also turns out that in late August, she will finally celebrate her recent work and her new contract with Nonesuch Records by releasing Life on a String, her fifth full-length studio album and her first since 1995's Bright Red. It kicks off with three tracks from Moby Dick, then takes a different, more personal toll. The whole thing is said to be more acoustic than her previous work, and it features contributions from Mr. Reed, bassist Skuli Sverrisson, Dr. John, Peter Scherer, Eric Friedlander, Bill Frisell, Mitchell Froom, Joey Baron, Mocean Worker, Danny Frankel, and even arrangements by Van Dyke Parks. No McDonald's anecdotes yet, but be sure to watch for the Songs of the McFlurry college tour in spring 2002.

01 One White Whale
02 The Island Where I Come From
03 Pieces and Parts
04 Here with You
05 Slip Away
06 My Compensation
07 Dark Angel
08 Broken
09 Washington Street
10 Statue of Liberty
11 One Beautiful Evening
12 Life on a String

Nonesuch: http://www.nonesuch.com

His Name is Alive to Tour East Coast
Yeah, his name's pretty much stone fuckin' dead in Portland

Warn Defever, the man who can't decide, has taken the ever-evolving His Name is Alive in a new and exciting direction. Different, some might say. Very different, might others. Actually, those were the same people. Yes, under the title Someday My Blues Will Cover the Earth, Defever has recorded a straight-ahead R&B record, in collaboration with soulful vocalist Lovetta Pippen, to be released on August 21st. (Watch out for the worst pun ever inside the packaging; it makes puns about "catching Defever" simply useless.) Sure, there are a couple actual lo-fi blues interludes, but it's never been in Defever's best interest to stick to one uniform style, even for a whole record. Look what happened when he recorded that entire folk album on Edison Wax Cylinder. Now Edison's out of cylinders. For shame, Warn. For shame.

East coast tour dates, like a bolt of lightning:

08-07 New York, NY - Knitting Factory
08-09 New London, CT - Secret Theatre (w/Retsin)
08-10 Cambridge, MA - Middle East Upstairs (w/Retsin)
08-11 Providence, RI - Met Cafe (w/Retsin)
08-14 New York, NY - Knitting Factory (w/Retsin)
08-16 Baltimore, MD - Ottobar (w/Flashpapr)
08-17 Philadelphia, PA - Khyber (w/Flashpapr)
08-18 Washington, DC - Metro Cafe (w/Flashpapr)

08-21 New York, NY - Knitting Factory (w/Flashpapr)
08-23 Charlottesville, VA - Tokyo Rose (w/Slumber Party)
08-24 Atlanta, GA - Echo Lounge (w/Slumber Party)
08-25 Chapel Hill, NC - Go! Rehearsal (w/Slumber Party)
08-28 New York, NY - Knitting Factory (w/Karla Schickele)

4AD: http://www.4ad.com

The Cure Kick Out Third Hits Compilation
Now That's What I Call Sadness 3

Apparently, Standing on a Beach and Galore aren't sufficient. After over twenty years of albums and tours, including several "final Cure album/tours," Robert Smith and his pack of hairy men are going back into the studio to record two new songs to be included on another upcoming greatest hits album. As an added bonus, a webcam will be set up in the studio for fans to peek in on the recording process. There's no word yet regarding what will be included on the greatest hits album, though we suspect it will be pretty much the same stuff that appeared on the last two. Elektra Records hopes to release the collection by the end of 2001, just in time for Christmas. But Halloween is every day!

Pitchfork Review: http:///record-reviews/c/cure/bloodflowers.shtml
The Cure: http://www.thecure.com

Sigur Rós Schedule North American Tour
They've never seen a cheeseburger

Sigur Rós continue to support their most recent recording, Ágætis Byrjun. A new LP looms on the horizon, but snags in the building of a recording studio have delayed such efforts. The band is currently making another video for a track from Ágætis Byrjun. Allegedly, the video for "virar vel til loftarasa" will include youngsters playing football. Which beats the piss out of the "retards dancing" concept for "Svefn-G-Englar."

09-18 Detroit - Gem Theatre
09-19 Toronto - Massey Hall
09-21 Boston - Berklee
09-22 Philadelphia - TBA
09-24 NYC - Beacon Theatre
09-25 Washington - 9.30 Club
09-27 Chicago - Vic
09-28 Minneapolis - Women's Club
10-01 Vancouver - St Andrews Cathedral
10-02 Seattle - Kingcat
10-04 San Francisco - Warfield
10-06 Los Angeles - Wilshire Theatre

.: Sigur Rós: http://www.sigur-ros.com/

Pitchfork Review: http:///record-reviews/s/sigur-ros/agaetis-byrjun.shtml

Wilco Splits with Reprise
Sinatra drops them from beyond the grave

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Wilco has axed their longtime major label, Reprise Records. The label, which is reportedly restructuring their imperial royal management hierarchy, had expressed concern with the salability and mainstream accessibility of Wilco's new LP, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Refusing to make the changes to the album the label requested, the band decided to sever their working relationship with Reprise and to release the LP themselves. No word yet on potential consequences of the band's decision (such as the ostensible delay of the release date), as Wilco's management were unavailable for comment.

Pitchfork Review: http:///record-reviews/w/wilco/summer-teeth.shtml
Wilco: http://www.wilcoworld.net

Le Tigre Finish Recording New LP
Genius! Androgynous!

Those riotous Le Tigre gals have finished work on the follow-up to the self-titled debut they released last year. The record, which is slated for an October 16th release through Kaia Wilson's Mr. Lady imprint, will likely continue their reign as the only rock band ever to mix angry feminism with ecstatic joy and lo-fi electronics. It's been given the title Feminist Sweepstakes.

The band, which consists of ex-Bikini Kill frontwoman Kathleen Hanna, video director Sadie Benning and zinester Johanna Fatemen, will be participating in Ladyfest Chicago (alongside the Butchies, Amy Ray, and Tami Hart) on August 16th, and will also make an appearance at Minneapolis' Walker Art Center on August 13th. Their most recent release is a four-song EP titled From the Desk of Mr. Lady, which hit stores in January.

Pitchfork Review: http:///record-reviews/l/le-tigre/le-tigre.shtml
Mr Lady: http://www.mrlady.com

Tricky Woo Announce Canada-Only Tour
The moose will rock

Montreal's visceral psycho-sexual guitar rock threesome Tricky Woo will be headed out on tour this July and August to support their recent release, Les Sables Magiques, on Sonic Unyon. The record was released last May as a follow-up to their third album, 1999's Sometimes I Cry. This headlining tour follows their successful opening slot on Nashville Pussy's recent tour. The band has set aside some time in late August to play some U.S. dates, but nothing has been confirmed thus far. Here's where you can find them:

07-21 Cambridge, ON - Fiddlers Green
07-25 Ottawa, ON - Zaphod Beeblebrox
07-26 Barrie, ON - The Foundation
07-27 Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace
07-28 London, ON - Call the Office
07-29 Hamilton, ON - Raven
08-01 Windsor, ON - Press Club
08-02 Guelph, ON - TBA
08-03 St. Catharines, ON - TBA
08-04 Sudbury, ON - Townhouse
08-05 Thunder Bay, ON - Apollo
08-07 Winnipeg, MB - TBA
08-08 Regina, SK - The State
08-09 Saskatoon, SK - TBA
08-10 Edmonton, AB - TBA
08-11 Jasper, AB - Pete's Place
08-14 Victoria, BC - Icehouse
08-15 Nanaimo, BC - Queens
08-16 Vancouver, BC - Starfish
08-17 Nelson, BC - The Queens
08-18 Drumheller, AB - Motion Notion Festival
08-19 to 08/27 US dates TBA
08-28 Quebec City, QC - TBA
08-29 Sherbrooke, QC - TBA
08-30 Montreal, QC - TBA

Pitchfork Review: http:///record-reviews/t/tricky-woo/sometimes-i-cry.shtml
Sonic Unyon: http://www.sonicunyon.com

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