Vashti, ex-Arab Strap, ex-Delgados on Idlewild Lit Comp
Plus Sons and Daughters, Trashcan Sinatras, Aereogramme, James Yorkston, King Creosote

Break out the librarian glasses and the Scottish stereotype of your choosing, kids: it's time to get literary in the highlands. See, indie rockers and their fans have always been a bookish sort, so the marriage of writers and rockers on the forthcoming Ballads of the Book compilation seems only natural.

Idlewild's cartoonishly-named frontman Roddy Woomble conceived of the idea following his band's collaboration with Scottish scribe Edwin Morgan on their 2002 set The Remote Part.

"Why not have a bunch of (mostly) Scottish musicians interpret the writings of Scottish authors and poets in one raging orgy of liberal arts awesomeness?" he thought.

And so he set up a chatroom (read: pure conjecture) and invited all his music pals and his literature buddies to pair off. After a bunch of OMGs and LOLs, pair off they did. Before he knew it, Roddy had Vashti Bunyan, ex-Arab Strap gents Aidan Moffat (with the Best Ofs) and Malcolm Middleton, ex-Delgados Alun Woodward (as Lord Cut-Glass) and Emma Pollock, Aereogramme, Sons and Daughters, Trashcan Sinatras, Mike Heron (The Incredible String Band), Alasdair Roberts, James Yorkston, King Creosote, and Karine Polwart commingling with the likes of Morgan, Ian Rankin, and Alasdair Gray.

Hence, the 18-track Ballads of the Book arrives March 5 via Chemikal Underground Records, with support from the Scottish Arts Council. To celebrate, Roddy's recruited a number of Ballads contributors for a concert gala, going down tonight (i.e., pretty much right now) at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall. Performers include Idlewild, Yorkston, Heron, Polwart, Roberts, and more. [MORE...]

Jay-Z, M.I.A., Timberlake to Shock With Timbaland
Also: Nelly Furtado, Snoop Dogg, Fall Out Boy, the Hives, Elton John, She Wants Revenge (?!)

Timbaland will follow his monster 2006 collaboration with Justin Timberlake on FutureSex/LoveSounds with an album under his own name, his first since Under Construction II with Magoo in 2003, according to Billboard.com. Timbaland has a whole new batch of collaborators for the album, which is titled Shock Value and due out March 27 on Mosley Music Group/Blackground/Interscope.

Those involved include Timberlake, Jay-Z, Nelly Furtado, M.I.A., Elton John, Snoop Dogg, Fall Out Boy, the Hives, She Wants Revenge, and Mosley Music Group signee Keri Hilson. Its first single-- "Give It to Me" (featuring Timberlake and Nelly Furtado)-- will premiere this week.

Timbaland protégé Nate Hills (aka Danja Handz) told Billboard that Shock Value is "sequenced like a movie," with Timbaland using his ridonkulous guest list to "venture into the alternative world and the real pop world. He has so many different sounds, from hip hop to pop to rock on this album. And he pulls every single one of them off perfectly."

Timbaland is currently on tour with Justin Timberlake, and-- according to Billboard.com-- "debuting snippets from Shock Value during his mini-set each night." [MORE...]

Nick Drake Preps Music From Beyond, Haunts SXSW
O_o

For a guy who died over 32 years ago, Nick Drake has been awfully prolific these days. Not content simply to loan his music to TV adverts and serve up 2004's Made to Love Magic from beyond the pale, Drake's ready to haunt emotional young people well into 2007.

First up, the deceased has a new LP on the way, tentatively due in late spring or early summer on Island UK. Titled Family Tree, the disc collects some extremely rare Drake material, none of which has been mastered or released officially. While a few of the tunes have crept onto bootlegs, much will grace fans' ears for the very first time. At least, that's what they tell us-- the tracklist is not yet confirmed.

Next, SXSW festival attendees will have several opportunities to indulge in their love for all things Drake. The favorably-received 2000 documentary A Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake-- featuring Drake's actress sister Gabrielle Drake, his producer Joe Boyd, his arranger Robert Kirby, and Paul Weller-- will screen at the Convention Center Theater at 11 a.m. on March 17.

Once sufficiently depressed, drag your feet on over to ACC Room 15 at noon, where Gabrielle, Joe, and special guest Robyn Hitchcock will discuss Nick's legacy at a panel titled "Nick Drake Remembered".

Then get a glimpse of the man himself at the "A Place to Be" photo exhibit, going down at the Habana Annex on March 17 from noon to 6 p.m. This marks the first curated exhibit of Drake's official photographs, most of which were taken by the late British photographer Keith Morris. Several living musical acts will pay tribute to Drake throughout the day.

Finally: If you imbibe enough, you just might catch Drake's ghost playing a few tunes in between sets from Girl Talk and the Pipettes at Pitchfork's SXSW day party.

P.S. As previously reported, classical pianist/radio host Christopher O'Riley reinterprets Drake favorites as part of "Time Has Told Me: A Nick Drake Tribute", going down at UCLA's Royce Hall theater on February 16. Expect O'Riley's Drake takes to appear on Second Grace: The Music of Nick Drake, out this April via World Village/Harmonia Mundi.  

Shellac to Play Robbins Benefit

Since the public announcement of Callum Robbins' Type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy last month, support in the form of benefit concerts and raffles has poured in, with benefits in Chicago and New York City taking place last weekend.

The mighty Steve Albini is joining the charge along with the rest of Shellac, who will play a second Chicago benefit for the young Robbins at Subterranean on April 27. Shellac in a tiny club? That's worth skipping Coachella for, right?

As previously reported, the band was recently added to the lineup of the ATP Versus You (the Fans) festival, which makes two Shellac shows inside of a month (their festival appearance is on May 19). Those of you who smell the approach of a new Shellac record are onto something, as one is promised later this year. Other than that, we know about as much as you do.

Finally, for those who either don't live in New York City or Chicago or simply aren't able to make it to a benefit, you can still go here to donate money to the Robbins family on Cal's behalf. [MORE...]

Police to Reunite for Arresting Grammys Performance

After months of speculation (see: the internet), Diddy's favorite band is finally getting back together. That's right, according to the New York Times, the Police will reunite to lay down the law at the 2007 Grammy Awards on February 11. (Insert joke about how you'll be watching them here.)

Guitarist Andy Summers, bassist/vocalist Gordon "Sting" Sumner, and drummer/stalker Stewart Copeland are rumored to have more reunion mania in the works following the Grammys gig. Apparently they're "secretly rehearsing in Vancouver" right now and the awards show thing was meant to be a surprise, too. Um, whoops.

The Police originally came together in London in 1977, and parted ways acrimoniously in the mid-1980s. Sting then embarked on a quest to create the most innocuous music in existence and have lots of sex. That's all we know right now, and frankly all we care to know.

Anticon Signs SJ Esau, Thee More Shallows

The folks at Anticon are giving both their hometown of the Bay Area and Bristol, England some love with the recent signings of locals Thee More Shallows and Brit SJ Esau.

SJ Esau (born Samuel Wisternoff) will release his Anticon debut Wrong Faced Cat Feed Collapse on March 13. And it's hard to believe, but SJ Esau was cavorting with Massive Attack and Tricky as a freestyling MC before he even hit puberty. According to a press release, however, his current music is "more Pavement and Low than De La Soul, though his love for all three is no doubt equal." He also has a few shows scheduled for February and March in England.

Thee More Shallows will release their first album for the label-- Book of Bad Breaks-- on April 24, and according to a press release, it "plays like a film but moves fluidly in and out of dark, rich pop and cold, distorted atmosphere." If the record sounds anything like it reads, we're sure the trio will have no trouble fitting with the Anticon aesthetic.

On the live side of things, Thee More Shallows have one show currently scheduled for February 3 at San Francisco's Bottom of the Hill, where Dosh and Kyoto Beat Orchestra will join them. A full U.S. tour in support of Book of Bad Breaks is in the works for May and June. [MORE...]

Photos: Annuals [Atlanta, GA; 01/26/07]

Photos by Stephen Lindley; writeup by Andy DeLoach

Ace Fu's Annuals rocked Atlanta's Variety Playhouse this past weekend, filling in the spaces where there should have been more people standing (or dancing, for that matter) with their Brian-Wilson-in-a-hippie-drum-circle stylings. Unfazed by the poor crowd turnout, the Raleigh sextet delivered its musical wares with an emotionally charged energy that lent credence to all those Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, and Animal Collective comparisons.

Slightly brash and yet somehow somber too, lead singer Adam Baker managed to balance his youthful flair with the maturity suggested by some of his lyrics. And considering the average age of the band members is 20.5, Baker and band have plenty of time to temper their varied influences. For now, Annuals proved themselves worthy of the hype and ready for more.

The band kicks off the second leg of its winter tour in late February. Dates and more photo action ahead.





[MORE...]

Clipse Announce Winter Tour

Hopefully Clipse will have finished recording the previously reported We Got It 4 Cheap Vol. 3: The Spirit of Competition mixtape (with "Golden Mic Freestyle Battle" winner AntFeLLA) by the time they begin their U.S. tour in Cambridge, Massachusetts on February 27. Regardless, Pusha and Malice will hit the road for a little over a month, with Diplo's Hollertronix partner Low Budget in tow for several dates.

Or maybe they won't, because like the release date of Hell Hath No Fury, the dates of these shows are subject to change. Our fingers are crossed. [MORE...]

Decemberists Get Embroidery Treatment
Totally rip off the Colbert Crochet Challenge

We all know the Decemberists are fond of spinning yarns, and now-- semantic acrobatics!-- you can spin some yarn into some sweet Decemberists embroidered goods. Or knit yarn or weave it or whatever you do with yarn to make embroidery. Wait, do you even use yarn in embroidery? Wikipedia, help!!

But I digress. Sublime Stitching's Jenny Hart had the rather sublime idea to transform Carson Ellis' Decemberists artwork into a nifty DIY embroidery kit. The unique package makes a perfect gift for a Meloy-infatuated loved one and includes iron-on patterns of Ellis' designs (I spy bicycles, airplanes, and mermaids), floss, an embroidery hoop, a "fancy needle," and even some golden crane-shaped scissors for you to, like, marry.

Use these wondrous elements to create an embroidered item announcing your Decemberists superfandom! Then buy that iTunes EP! And the DVD on Kill Rock Stars!

Then see those merrymaking thespian prog-rockers on their spring tour! Yes! [MORE...]

Maria Taylor Enlists Siblings, Oberst for New Solo LP

Maria Taylor (aka one half of Azure Ray) will release her sophomore solo LP, Lynn Teeter Flower, on Saddle Creek on March 6.

The 11-track album, was recorded with Spoon's Jim Eno in Austin, Now It's Overhead's Andy LeMaster in Athens, Georgia, and Doug Easley in Memphis. It features guest contributions from Taylor's siblings Macey (bass) and Kate (keyboard), as well as the one and only Conor Oberst, who co-wrote and lent vocals to "The Ballad of Sean Foley".

Macey and Kate will serve as Taylor's live band for a string of North American performances set to kick off in early March. First, however, the trio will finish Taylor's already-underway European trek with a free gig at London's Boogaloo this evening. [MORE...]

Rogue Wave's Spurgeon Receives Kidney

Rogue Wave drummer Pat Spurgeon underwent much-needed kidney transplant surgery on January 12, and according to an update on the band's website, "he is now in the process of resting and recuperating with friends and loved ones and is on the road to a full recovery."

The full text of the announcement is as follows:

"We are very pleased to announce that Pat Spurgeon has finally received a kidney! On Friday January 12th, Pat underwent kidney transplant surgery, and it was a great success. He is now in the process of resting and recuperating with friends and loved ones and is on the road to a full recovery.

Throughout the course of Pat's struggle with kidney failure, there have been so many of you that have been so gracious in showing your love and support for him. To those of you that sent him MySpace messages, emails, and donations, your kind words did not go unread; your concern and hopefulness did not go unnoticed.

Pat was very lucky to receive a kidney, but there are still so many people out there searching.

Remember, you can save someone's life, just by filling out your donor card. Go to www.shareyourlife.org to find out how you can make a difference in someone's life.

Here's to a wonderful 2007.

Thank you for your love and continued support,
Rogue Wave
(Zach, Pat, Gram, Evan)"

Ponys, Roky, Brightblack, Annuals to Play Noise Pop
Erase Errata, Comedians of Comedy, Dandy Warhols, Malajube, Lyrics Born also on lineup

For its 15th anniversary, San Francisco's Noise Pop festival is doing things big. The event has tacked an avalanche of new artists onto its roster since we last reported.

Lineup additions include the legendary Roky Erickson, the Ponys, Brightblack Morning Light, Annuals, Erase Errata, Comedians of Comedy, the Coup, the Dandy Warhols, Malajube, Langhorne Slim, Lyrics Born, So Many Dynamos, Matt & Kim, the Spinto Band, Trainwreck Riders, the Watson Twins, Damien Jurado, and more.

Sebadoh, Ted Leo/Pharmacists, John Vanderslice, Jolie Holland, Clinic, Will Sheff (of Okkervil River), French Kicks, Josh Ritter, Macromantics, Richard Swift, Autolux, Midlake, Earlimart, Vic Chesnutt, Ghostland Observatory, Pop Levi, and Seawolf will also be there. But you know that already.

Noise Pop runs from February 27 to March 4 at clubs all over San Francisco.

The Swedish American Hall will also house the event's first-ever Noise Pop Expo, a panel/design fair/art installation/poster show scheduled for March 3-4.

Attendees can also look forward to the Noise Pop Film Festival as well, where they'll catch screenings of Who Is Harry Nilsson (and Why Is Everybody Talkin' at Him?), You're Gonna Miss Me (a Documentary about Roky Erickson), Sonic Youth: Sleeping Nights Awake, the David Kilgour documentary Far off Town: From Dunedin to Nashville, and 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.)