Danava Prep Kemado Debut, Tour

Portland may still be in mourning over the loss of Sleater-Kinney, but that doesn't mean the city's scene is entirely dead. The Thermals brought the apocalyptic heat with The Body, the Blood, the Machine, and now Danava will issue their debut LP on New York's Kemado Records, home of Lansing-Dreiden.

Danava's self-titled full-length is set for a November 7 release on the label and was produced by the band's friend Johnny Jewel (of Glass Candy). So characters in early punk songs (Television's "Little Johnny Jewel") can come to life and produce albums now? Then sign Sheena and Judy up for my debut.

In a press release, Danava are called "sci-fi rockers" and the five-song album is described as continuing the band's "long-standing tradition of musical respect." I hope that means their live shows look like aliens acting in after school specials. [MORE...]

MP3: Danava: Quiet Babies Astray in a Manger [from the forthcoming self-titled LP]

Subtitle Finds Terrain to Roam With Islands on Tour
Subtitle

MP3: Subtitle: A Surrealist Life [from the forthcoming Terrain to Roam LP]

OK Go Tour With Death Cab, French Kicks
Sadly, without treadmills (we think)

Video: OK Go: Here It Goes Again [from the Oh No LP]

Jóhann Jóhannsson to Release User-Friendly LP

The disc, due October 24 in the U.S. and October 30 in the UK, is inspired by the work of Jóhannsson's father, Jóhann Gunnarsson, once a maintenance engineer for one of Iceland's first computers. Jóhannsson originally put together the piece for a string quartet to accompany a dance by Erna Ómarsdóttir, and reworked it for a sixty-piece string orchestra for the album.

For v2.0, Jóhannsson added a final movement incorporating, according to a press release, "electronics and vintage reel-to-reel recordings of a singing IBM 1401 mainframe computer found in his father's attic." 1333337.

An early version (from the quartet days) of the finale, non-album track "Passacaglia" will back a "The Sun's Gone Dim and the Sky's Turned Black" single, which hits UK shops via 4AD on October 9. Following the album's release, Jóhannsson will launch a short tour of the UK and Belgium. He'll also play the Iceland Airwaves festival on October 21. [MORE...]

Stream: Jóhann Jóhannsson: Various Tracks

The Elected Launch North American Tour Campaign
The people have spoken!

MP3: The Elected: Not Going Home [from the Sun, Sun, Sun LP]
Video: The Elected: Not Going Home

New Jay-Z Song! (Probably)
"What you want me to do? I'm Sorry! I'm back."

Idolator has an mp3 of what they claim is a new Jay-Z song, "Show Me What You Got", from his forthcoming comeback album, Kingdom Come, scheduled to be released on November 21.

We can't confirm that it's the real thing, but it sure sounds like it. Just Blaze is ON FIRE.

We're not going to directly link to the mp3 because we don't want any legal trouble, but you can find it here.

Pit Er Pat Erect Pyramids
Heh heh, he said "erect"

MP3: Pit Er Pat: Solstice [from the Pyramids LP]

Strokes' Hammond Schedules Tour

He Strokes it to the east. He strokes it to the west. He strokes it to the one that he loves the best. But mostly, he strokes it to the UK. "He" being Albert Hammond, Jr. and "stroking it" being touring behind his previously reported solo debut, Yours to Keep. It comes out October 9 on Rough Trade in the UK and will be released in Europe and Japan later this year, with a U.S. release still in the works.

NME.com reports that Hammond has added a few UK dates to the four shows in the U.S. he had already scheduled. Also according to NME.com, the first single from the album, "101", will be released on November 27. [MORE...]

Stream: Albert Hammond, Jr.: Various Tracks

Andrew Bird to Play Violin Recital
His mom is so proud! All those lessons paid off!

Our little Birdie is all grown up. On November 15, at the Good Shepherd-Faith Church in Manhattan, Andrew Bird will perform his first all-instrumental solo violin recital as part of Lincoln Center's Wordless Music Series. According to a press release, his "program of solo violin-and-whistling works manipulated by means of a looping pedal" will appear beside performances from pianist Steven Beck and Eastern Europe-obsessed Albuquerque duo A Hawk and a Hacksaw, one of whom is Neutral Milk Hotel/Beirut contributor Jeremy Barnes.

On September 18, Wilco experimentalists Glenn Kotche and Nels Cline played the first installment of the Wordless Music Series, the goal of which is "to illustrate the continuity between...genres such as indie rock, free jazz, and electronic music" by "pairing rock and electronic musicians in an intimate concert setting with more traditionally understood classical music performers."

This installment of the series starts at 7:30 p.m., but at 6:30, there is a "complimentary wine reception," so be sure to get there early to get soused so you can shout out requests for Beethoven's Fifth.

As previously reported, Bird's new album, Armchair Apocrypha, will come out in the spring on Fat Possum Records. This month, he's playing a series of solo shows to benefit the Chicago Short Film Brigade. Each performance will be preceded by a showing of films curated by the Brigade.

Lastly, the third in Bird's Fingerlings series of "official bootlegs" is out now, and available via his website. [MORE...]

MP3: Andrew Bird: A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left [from the Mysterious Production of Eggs LP]

Tilly and the Wall Charm America With Video, Tour

Breaking News!!! Tilly and the Wall rip off the Yeah Yeah Yeahs!!! For their new video, "Rainbows in the Dark" (from Bottoms of Barrels on Team Love), the joyful Nebraskans put together a bunch of footage of their fans singing along to the song, and, yes, occasionally even impersonating the band. Sound familiar?

Ah well, it certainly wouldn't be the first (or second) time a video like this has been made. And if there's ever been a band that's entitled to an enthusiastic fan video, it's Tilly. With their tap-dancing, group sing-alongs, and general all-out sense of fun, this is a group that demands fan-love be shouted from the hilltops.

This weekend, the group kicks off another album-supporting trek through the U.S., with a brief stop in Iceland for the Iceland Airwaves festival later this month. Feel the love.

"Rainbows in the Dark":

[MORE...]

Video: Tilly and the Wall: Rainbows in the Dark [from the Bottoms of Barrels LP]

Parts & Labor Launch Bi-Continental Tour
Have serious beef with Shipping & Handling, Kit & Caboodle

MP3: Parts & Labor: A Great Divide [from the Stay Afraid LP]

The Album Leaf Tours With Dirty on Purpose

James LaValle released his fourth full-length as the Album Leaf, Into the Blue Again, a few weeks ago, and now he's heading into the blue of touring again. He'll be joined by the Lymbyc Systym for most of the dates, with NYC up-and-comers Dirty on Purpose also on the bill for a good deal of the shows on the back end.

And if you have an Album Leaf tattoo, you can get into any show for free! Didn't Rocket From the Crypt do something like that? And isn't the Album Leaf kind of an odd choice of a band to get tattooed on your body?

Dirty on Purpose released their debut LP, Hallelujah Sirens, in June, and they also have a handful of tour dates on their own, including a Brooklyn show tonight with Serena Maneesh. [MORE...]

Video: The Album Leaf: Always for You [from the Into the Blue Again LP]
Video: Dirty on Purpose: No Radio [from the Hallelujah Sirens LP]

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.)