Pitchfork Launches 'Infinite Mixtape' MP3 Series

As far as the arts are concerned, the Art of the Mixtape wasn't a difficult one to master. For cassettes and CDs, it mostly came down to a set of semi-arbitrary personal guidelines, a little common sense, and, if you were truly dedicated, obsessive sequencing and hand-crafted artwork. The possibilities of near-limitless storage, however, have since changed the ground rules. In the past few years, the format has evolved to encompass sprawling homemade box sets, Acid-enhanced continuous mixes, and countless other variations. And yet, few have attempted to take truly ruthless advantage of the staggering capacity our iPods and hard drives provide.

Beginning today, Pitchfork intends to take this celebrated music geek custom a step further with the institution of a concept we've fantasized about for years: The Infinite Mixtape. Consisting of only the very best of our favorite new tracks, this endlessly expanding compilation kicks off with 21 free MP3s that've kicked our collective ass in 2006 so far. And again, that's just where it starts.

Of course, we recognize the challenge limitless capacity introduces: How to decide what not to include. Well, that's easy: Since the key to a great mix is potency, we're employing a strict no-filler policy, meaning rather than posting three tracks of garbage every day, we'll post just one addition every few days-- basically, whenever we hear something new that blows us away.

Yes, it's true that the fast-scrawled tracklists and dedication to thematic consistency that mixtapes once invited were always underrated crafts, but as far as we're concerned, the only principal that ever really mattered was cramming as much quality shit as you could into the space allotted by your chosen format. Elvis Costello was right: Not all good things come to an end.

[Note: Issues experienced this morning with certain MP3s not downloading have now been resolved. All MP3 links are now functional. Go crazy...]

#0001 > Boris: "Farewell"
[from Pink; Southern Lord]
Info: [Boris] | [Southern Lord]

#0002 > Band of Horses: "The Funeral"
[from Everything All at Once; Sub Pop]
Info: [Band of Horses Official] | [Myspace] | [Sub Pop]

#0003 > Asobi Seksu: "Thursday"
[from Citrus; Friendly Fire]
Info: [Asobi Seksu Official] | [Myspace] | [Friendly Fire]

#0004 > Figurines: "The Wonder"
[from Skeleton; The Control Group]
Info: [Figurines Official] | [Myspace] | [The Control Group]

#0005 > Meho Plaza: "The Beach"
[from Meho Plaza EP, Self-Released]
Info: [Meho Plaza Official] | [Myspace]

#0006 > Barbara Morgenstern: "The Operator (Single Edit)"
[from The Grass Is Always Greener; Monika]
Info: [Barbara Morgenstern Official] | [Myspace] | [Monika]

#0007 > I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness: "According to Plan"
[from Fear Is on Our Side; Secretly Canadian]
Info: [I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness Official] | [Myspace] | [Secretly Canadian]

#0008 > Sunset Rubdown: "Stadiums and Shrines II"
[from Shut Up I Am Dreaming; Absolutely Kosher]
Info: [Sunset Rubdown Official] | [Myspace] | [Absolutely Kosher]

#0009 > Neko Case: "Star Witness"
[from Fox Confessor Brings the Flood; Anti]
Info: [Neko Case Official] | [Myspace] | [Anti]

#0010 > Cat Power: "The Greatest"
[from The Greatest; Matador]
Info: [Cat Power @ Matador]

#0011 > Man Man: "Van Helsing Boombox"
[from Six Demon Bag; Ace Fu]
Info: [Man Man Official] | [Myspace] | [Ace Fu]

#0012 > Beirut: "Postcards From Italy"
[from Gulag Orkestar; Ba Da Bing!]
Info: [Beirut Official] | [Myspace] | [Ba Da Bing!]

#0013 > Petra Haden: "God Only Knows"
[MP3-only; Self-Released]
Info: [Petra Haden Official] | [Myspace]

#0014 > Destroyer: "European Oils"
[from Destroyer's Rubies; Merge]
Info: [Destroyer Myspace] | [Merge]

#0015 > Voxtrot: "Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives"
[from Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives EP; Cult Hero]
Info: [Voxtrot Official] | [Myspace]

#0016 > Mission of Burma: "2wice"
[from The Obliterati; Matador]
Info: [Mission of Burma @ Matador]

#0017 > Ladyhawk: "The Dugout"
[from Ladyhawk; Jagjaguwar]
Info: [Ladyhawk Official] | [Myspace] | [Jagjaguwar]

#0018 > El Perro del Mar: "Party"
[from El Perro del Mar; Memphis Industries]
Info: [El Perro del Mar Official] | [Myspace] | [Memphis Industries]

#0019 > Danielson: "Time That Bald Sexton"
[from Ships; Secretly Canadian]
Info: [Danielson Official] | [Myspace] | [Secretly Canadian]

#0020 > Belle & Sebastian: "Another Sunny Day"
[from The Life Pursuit; Matador]
Info: [Belle & Sebastian @ Matador]

#0021 > Camera Obscura: "Let's Get Out of This Country"
[from Let's Get Out of This Country; Merge]
Info: [Camera Obscura Official] | [Myspace] | [Merge]

Strokes to Open for Tom Petty

In lieu of having to pay legal fees for ripping off "American Girl" so blatantly on "Last Nite", the Strokes will open five shows for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers this September. (What, were the Red Hot Chili Peppers busy?) Other openers on the next leg of Petty's tour include Trey Anastasio, the Allman Brothers Band, John Mayer, and-- why the hell not?-- Frank Black.

The Strokes are in Europe right now, conquering the festival circuit. They'll head to Asia and Down Under later this summer before joining up with Petty. [MORE...]

Photos: Roskilde Festival '06

Each year, about 20 miles outside of Copenhagen, roughly 100,000 music fans converge on the city of Roskilde, Denmark for Northern Europe's annual musical highlight, the renowned Roskilde Festival. Established in 1971, it's easily the longest-running festival on the European circuit-- and this year, with the cancellation of Glastonbury, it was also the largest. Boasting hundreds of the world's biggest and best artists spread out over six stages, Roskilde 2006 was a utopian four-day free-for-all, the likes of which North America has very little to compare to.

Among the big draws this year were Bob Dylan, Guns 'n Roses, Kanye West, Tool, Sigur Rós, Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes, The Raconteurs, Arctic Monkeys, Morrissey, The Streets, Death Cab for Cutie, Animal Collective, Parliament/Funkadelic, Primal Scream, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Scissor Sisters, Silver Jews, Soulwax, Rufus Wainwright, Opeth, Happy Mondays, Ricardo Villalobos, and yes, Roger Waters performing Dark Side of the Moon (not to mention more than three hours of other Pink Floyd stuff ranging from Ummagumma-era freakouts to crowd-pleasers off The Wall).

Not eager to miss what was certain to be the most spectacular musical event in all of Europe this year, Pitchfork traveled more than 4,000 miles to witness a series of inconceivably massive concerts-- the proceeds of which, incredibly, benefit humanitarian non-profit organizations. Here's what we saw:

[MORE...]

Walkmen, Wrens, Man Man on MACRoCk DVD

College DJs can be an insular bunch. Sometimes they're so busy crafting radio shows around concepts like "three dissonant 15th Century classical records playing simultaneously" that they forget there are listeners on the other end. And, well, sometimes there aren't. Not so the folks at James Madison University, host school to the annual MACRoCk (Mid-Atlantic College Radio Conference).

This year MACRoCk celebrated its tenth anniversary, and for its birthday, students of JMU's School of Media Arts and Design are giving us a present: the MACRoCkumentary DVD. Detailing the events of MACRoCk X, which occurred this year during the weekend of April 7 & 8, MACRoCkumentary features performances by ten of this year's bands (including the Walkmen, the Wrens, Man Man, and Voxtrot) in addition to a 26-minute documentary about the history of the conference. The doc includes interviews with the conference's founders, band members, and Ian MacKaye, who played the conference as a member of Fugazi in 2002 and whose Dischord label is a clear influence on MACRoCk's mission to preserve the "youthful activism and self-possessed passion that has come to define the independent genre."

MACRoCkumentary is available for purchase online now. Proceeds from all sales go to the MACRoCk committee and the School of Media Arts "One Day/One University" Scholarship Fund. You can see the DVD's live performance tracklist after the jump. [MORE...]

Parenthetical Girls Tour West Coast

Parenthetical Girls set out on a tour this weekend in support of their new album Safe as Houses (see yesterday's review). With main man Zac Pennington joined by bandmates Brenna Murphy, Rachael Jensen, and Matt Carlson, the group will bring their androg-y panic-pop to various venues up and down the West Coast.

Sayeth Zac: "For those of you who live within a few hundred miles of interstate five, you're in luck!" [MORE...]

MP3: CSS: "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above (Spank Rock Remix)"

Sub Pop offers Pitchfork the exclusive on this new Spank Rock remix of Brazilian disco-punks CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy). Hailing from São Paulo, CSS packs in six members, and was brought to Sub Pop's attention by turntable wizard Diplo, who returned from one of his Baile Funk excavations to their hometown raving about their live show.

How do they sound? Something like if Out Hud and Paul Epworth teamed up with Kim Gordon to write goofy songs about Paris Hilton and Death From Above. Their self-titled North American debut is out next week.

Spank Rock, of course, need little introduction by now: They're the Baltimore-based electro/hip-hop party-throwers featuring DFA apprentice Alex Epton (aka Armani XXXchange) and rhyme-spitter Naeem Juwan (MC Spank Rock). Their remix of CSS's "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above" blends percussive elements outta the early 80s New York Noise scene with vintage electro synths, the song's original pulsating bassline, and CSS frontwoman Lovefoxxx's sultry spoken vocal.

Aaaand, what the fuck, might as well throw in a reminder that both are gonna be playing (along with Diplo!) at the Pitchfork Music Festival throwdown this July 29-30 at Chicago's Union Park, alongside 38 of our other favorite bands. Did we mention the fest's running crazy low on the limited $30 two-day passes? (73¢ per band!) I bet we did. Get 'em now, people. But get this first:

Deadly Snakes' Ethier Preps Solo Album

Out of the garage and into the love den: Deadly Snakes frontman Andre Ethier will put out his new solo album, secondathallam, on Paper Bag Records on August 8.

His first solo venture, 2004's Andre Ethier with Christopher Sandes featuring Pickles and Price (Sonic Unyon), contained a handful of raw piano-centric folk tunes-- many of them first takes-- and marked an obvious departure from the Snakes' scrappy garage rock. Picking up where that first un-Deadly solo effort left off, secondanthallam once again features Ethier's Dylanesque vocals, Sandes' piano arrangements, and the horn-and-double bass rhythm section comprised of Pickles and Price. And it's all about love, love, love.

According to a press release, the new album sounds like "an acoustic Sunday afternoon jam session between players who've been around long enough to learn that there's more to love than flowers and sweet nothings." Hmmm, like bluebells and honeybees? [MORE...]

Sufjan Announces Fall Tour

With Michigan and Illinois out of the way, Sufjan Stevens is ready to move on to Tennessee and Louisiana and Missouri and, well, a whole bunch of other states.

Sufjan announced a fall tour today; on stage, he'll be joined by a "small string ensemble (ranging from four to eight members in different cities) and brass section" in order to perform his songs "in a new symphonic context," according to a press release.And the best news: "Sufjan will also be performing five to six new songs on the tour." Yes!

Recent Asthmatic Kitty signing My Brightest Diamond will open all dates, and ticket sale proceeds will go to charities like Doctors Without Borders. [MORE...]

Section 25 Return

After nineteen years, legendary Factory Records band Section 25 are back in action and on stage. Originally formed in 1977 by brothers Vincent and Lawrence (Larry) Cassidy, then resurrected in 2001, the group describes itself as perhaps the most "maverick" and "enigmatic" of the Factory groups. Like labelmates New Order, Section 25 helped bridge the gaps between post-punk, electro pop, and electronic dance music; they are best known for their 1984 album From the Hip and its song "Looking From a Hilltop".

The current Section 25 lineup includes pioneering bros Vincent on drums and Larry on vocals (plus occasional bass/keyboards), rounded out by Ian Butterworth on guitar and Roger Wikeley on bass and keys. The band has completed half of a new full-length, to be wrapped up this fall and released by LTM Records. Section 25 is playing a cluster of shows around Europe this summer, with a possible trip to Italy and Greece in Autumn. [MORE...]

CBGB Sets New Closing Date, Move to Vegas

Hilly Kristal is making an amendment to his Bowery club's 16+ entry rule: 32-. After 32 years of providing a live arena for some of the country's best (and worst) musicians, CBGB has cemented the date on which it will close its doors for good.

Although October 31 was originally revealed to be the club's closing date, September 30 will mark the end for New York City's famous punk rock venue-- or sort of, anyway. After efforts failed to locate an affordable venue space in CBGB's hometown of New York City, Kristal has made the questionable decision to take it to Vegas.

"[The Vegas CBGB] won't be the same size or the same shape, but I am going to have all the things that matter there," Kristal said in a recent interview with MTV.com. "I am taking the bars with me, I am taking the stage - I'm taking the urinal that Joey [Ramone] pissed in with me. I'm going to take a lot of things - anything that makes this place CBGB." [MORE...]

Beth Orton Tours America

Following a rejuvenating spring tour of the States, and with a still-fresh batch of songs at her disposal, Beth Orton is hitting our shores once again. Starting tonight in Vermont, she'll spend the coming month finding the Comfort of Strangers (ha) at cities across the country.

Opening all American dates is the British-based trio Clayhill, which includes two members (one used to be in Red Snapper) who played on Orton's debut album Trailer Park.

After returning from America, Orton will rest for a month before setting off on a brief UK tour. [MORE...]

Serena Maneesh Announce North American Tour

So Serena Maneesh are lined up to play nearly every festivalen Norway has to offer in the next few months. Yeah, that's about as newsworthy as you letting your dog do its business in the uncool next door neighbor's yard and leaving it there. Fortunately, Emil Nikolaisen and his crew have more in store for us than the to-be-expected summer festival circuit.

After wrapping up their European obligations, Serena will make their way to North America to take on a recently revealed tour itinerary. This leg of the trek kicks off in early September with a gig at New York's Bowery Ballroom. The band plan to forge on until October, when they'll wrap things up at Atlanta's Drunken Unicorn. [MORE...]

Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)