Actor Michael Pitt's Pagoda Issues Ecstatic Peace Debut

Actors turned musicians! It's the new cool thing. Hot on the heels of Jena Malone's indie rock foray, we have screen thespian Michael Pitt, whose outfit Pagoda releases its self-titled, debut full-length via Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace imprint on February 27.

Pitt's got rock credentials, sort of. Dude was in John Cameron Mitchell's offbeat musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch as the titular queen's love interest Tommy Gnosis. He also played Kurt Cobain-esque doomed rocker Blake in Gus Van Sant's 2005 film Last Days, and he's even got one-up on exhibitionist Kevin Barnes-- if you've seen Bertolucci's incestuous cinephile flick The Dreamers, you've already seen the young man's naughty bits.

Pitt and his band-- which originally included fellow actor and "O.C." guest star Ryan Donowho-- celebrate the release of Pagoda with a February 27 gig at New York City's Tonic. The crew also heads to Austin next month for something called SXSW. Oh, and that Nirvana thing must have rubbed off-- just check out undeniably grunge-y album opener "Lesson Learned" below. [MORE...]

Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes Explains Nudity
He was just trying to bring about world peace, see

So, Kevin Barnes of Of Montreal. Why'd ya do it? Why'd ya go and strip naked (except for fishnet stockings and a red cummerbund, of course) on stage in Las Vegas last week?

Well, according to an interview with Dan Moore that aired on WITR, the Rochester Institute of Technology's college radio station, on February 20, he was just trying to get us all to free our minds. (Our asses would, presumably, follow).

Barnes said, "I always wanted to perform naked...it's kind of my concept, to bring world peace to the Earth if everyone had to stand naked in front of their peers once a month. I think it's good because it forces you to sort of come to terms with any sort of body issues that you might have and it sort of like cleanses your emotional palette.

"A lot of people get this anxiety that's like 'I was naked in front of an audience!' and stuff, but I think it's kind of cool for people to be able to face that without going to jail. That's the thing, too, I had to pick Vegas because that's the only 21+ venue we're playing on this whole tour, and I didn't want to become a sex offender, because that would be pretty dreadful."

Arcade Fire, JAMC, Air, Harvey Line Up for Summercase
Plus LCD Soundsystem, Flaming Lips, Jarvis Cocker, !!!, Kaiser Chiefs, DJ Shadow...and OMD

Just like those dudes who pimp their rides and show them off in the Burger King parking lot, cities around the Western World have taken to decking out their parks, forums, pavilions, polo fields, centres, arenas, and amphitheaters with some sweet festival lineups. A near-flawless initial lineup, however, should put Spain's Summercase firmly in the running for number one summer stunna.

The two-day bash goes down at Madrid's Boadilla del Monte and Barcelona's Parc del Fòrum on July 13 and 14 (the same day some other festival kicks off) and boasts the ubiquitous Arcade Fire, the reunited Jesus and Mary Chain, and secret weapon PJ Harvey, playing her only 2007 appearances announced thus far. Also onboard: Air, LCD Soundsystem, the Flaming Lips, Jarvis Cocker, !!!, DJ Shadow, the Chemical Brothers, My Brightest Diamond, Electrelane, Kaiser Chiefs, the Pigeon Detectives, and-- the festival equivalent of chrome all over the place-- OMD.

Tickets are on sale now, and expect more top-notch acts to put 20" dubs on the bill soon. Be careful not to get this confused with the previously reported Primavera Sound festival, also going down at Barcelona's Parc del Fòrum, but in late May and early June. And don't forget yr stunna shades!

Dalek Speak Abandoned Language, Tour

Avant-rap group Dälek will release Abandoned Language via Ipecac on February 27, this coming Tuesday. MC Dälek and Oktopus recruited DJ Rob Swift (X-ecutioners) and Motiv to provide scratches on the album, which is their fourth. The Ernest Jenning label will release the vinyl, which is a double gatefold and features separate artwork from the CD. Mastodon cover artist Paul Romano designed the artwork for both releases.

The duo will kick off a tour in New York on the day of Abandoned Language's release, and after a few shows in the U.S., they will head over to Europe.

We featured "Paragraphs Relentless" over in the Forkcast section last week, and you can download it below. [MORE...]

Mountain Goats Launch Tour Tomorrow, Add Dates

This weekend, the Mountain Goats will scale the Alaskan terrain for two shows in Fairbanks, that hotbed of indie rock, before setting out on a West Coast tour leading up to SXSW.

Beginning in late March, John Darnielle and Peter Hughes will kick off a newly revealed eight-show run through Scandinavia.

Alaska, Scandinavia...brrr. [MORE...]

Mars Volta Announce Short Tour

The Mars Volta are back to doing what they do best. No, not making hilarious album covers and song titles-- bringing their trademark nerdcore on the road.

The pair will trek through New Zealand, Australia, and California this March and April in support of last fall's Amputechture (GSL/Universal) LP.

Just please try and refrain from pissing the dudes off or Cedric Bixler-Zavala will have your head on a platter. No, seriously. [MORE...]

Dance-Punkers We Ragazzi Reunite for Two Gigs
Wait, they broke up??

A cause for small-scale celebration, dancey/punky/garagey trio We Ragazzi has announced intentions to reunite for a pair of April gigs. Most recently comprised of vocalist/guitarist Tony Rolando, keyboardist Colleen Burke, and drummer Alianna Kalaba, the energetic outfit called it quits (for the second time) back in 2004.

You may recall We Ragazzi were the talk of certain towns back in the halcyon days of the early-to-mid-2000s, after solid LPs on My Pal God Records, the Self-Starter Foundation, and, most recently, Suicide Squeeze caught the attention of the college rock masses.

We imagine an invite from another trio of a slightly different musical persuasion-- Australia's Dirty Three-- coaxed We Ragazzi out of early retirement. The Brooklynites will play the D3-curated edition of All Tomorrow's Parties, along with Nick Cave, Cat Power, Joanna Newsom, Bill Callahan (aka Smog), Low, Grinderman, Magnolia Electric Company, Spiritualized, A Silver Mount Zion, and, well, a host of others who sound nothing like them. To warm up after three years gathering rust, they'll rock Brooklyn's Union Pool on April 24. OMG more like reUnion Pool, amirite?

While there are presently no other We Ragazzi plans at the moment, rest assured we will keep you posted. [MORE...]

Brightblack Morning Light Kick Off Tour
Or "turr" as they call it

Brightblack Morning Light will bring their swamp funk to the masses on tour starting tonight in Portland, Oregon. Women & Children, Mariee Sioux, and William Fowler Collins will join them on select dates through March, and Daniel Balthazar Higgs (of Lungfish) will join them in April and May.

Their last scheduled date is in England at ATP vs. the Fans on May 20.

Since the weather is starting to warm up again, now might be a good time to give another listen to the duo's self-titled debut. [MORE...]

Gui Boratto Delivers Chromophobia on Kompakt, Tours

The forward-thinking folks at Kompakt have done it again! On February 26, the German techno powerhouse releases the excellent debut full length from 33-year-old, São Paulo, Brazil-based producer and electronic artiste Gui Boratto.

Chromophobia bears a chillingly colorful cover and collects 13 diverse cuts from the dashing Gui, including "Gate 7", originally released on a K2 12" last year. Mr. Boratto, who just wrapped up a bunch of live dates, works the decks across Europe beginning next month.

You can still hear Gui's delightful "Beautiful Life" over in Forkcast. [MORE...]

Shins, Common, Fiona Apple: Fulbright Judges?!
MTV and the U.S. Department of State: hottest partnership since Justin Timberlake and T.I.

Even if his band won't change your life, it looks like the Shins' James Mercer might change the course of a few undergrads' college careers. Mercer, along with Fiona Apple and Common, will be part of a committee assembled by mtvU that gives input as to which college students should receive the 2007-2008 Fulbright-mtvU Fellowships.

The Fulbright is a Department of State-sponsored program in which college students can travel abroad to do research for one year on a project of their own design. These first mtvU Fulbrights will go to up to four students who wish to "study how music can serve as a global force for mutual understanding" and who can outline "an outreach plan describing how they intend to share their activities with their peers during their Fulbright year." That last phrase comes straight from the Fulbright-mtvU website, where interested applicants can find more information to prepare for the March 23 application deadline.

Now we get that Fiona, James, and Common won't have the entire say over who gets to go be a hippie abroad (the decision is ultimately made by the Fulbright Program and mtvU), but what possible resume bullet could they all share which makes them qualified for this?

Let's see... Common knows Kanye who knows Jon Brion who knows Fiona, but we're stumped as to the Mercer connection. And since when do degrees of separation from Late Registration make for academic qualifications?

Sonic Youth Gear Up for First China Gigs, Festivals
Add second night to ATP performance of Daydream Nation, as first night sells out

The world hasn't truly embraced Sonic Youth until the world's most populous nation embraces the New York indie legends-- and if all goes according to plan, that will happen at last this April.

While still subject to approval from the country's Ministry of Culture, Sonic Youth have booked their first two dates ever in the People's Republic of China. We hope they get the thumbs up-- although given what happened the last time one of those evil capitalist indie bands hit up Shanghai (and an instrumental one at that!), we're a wee bit worried.

Even if China doesn't pan out, the residents of plenty of other exotic locales can kick it with Sonic Youth in the coming months. The quartet hits up Germany and Poland (another SY first) for a trio of festivals in June, plays that Coachella thing in April, and burns through Japan with Boredoms offshoot Vooredoms the week before. They've also added a second London date to the previously reported All Tomorrow's Parties Don't Look Back engagement, at which Sonic Youth will play Daydream Nation...in. its. entirety. O. M. G. [MORE...]

Nirvana Soundtracks Baseball Video Game
Also: Tapes n Tapes to headline "2K Sports Hit-n-Run Tour"

Last year, when Courtney Love sold a 25% share of her stake in the Nirvana publishing catalog to music publisher Larry Mestel, a guy who would help her with licensing matters, she told Rolling Stone, "We're going to remain very tasteful, and we're going to [retain] the spirit of Nirvana and take Nirvana places it's never been before."

Well, we sure hope Kurt Cobain was a baseball fan, because Nirvana's "Breed" has turned up on the soundtrack to 2K Sports' Major League Baseball 2K7 video game, due out February 27.

But the Nirvana song isn't the only interesting thing about the MLB 2K7 music. Following in the footsteps of their Sub Pop-sound tracked hockey game, quality hip-hop-based basketball one and the Matador-friendly MLB 2K6, the 2K folks have assembled a stellar collection of tunes for MLB 2K7, including songs by the Stooges, Pixies, the Specials, Les Savy Fav, the Thermals, Death From Above 1979, the Walkmen, Tapes 'n Tapes, Bishop Allen, and Wolfmother.

There are no plans for a CD release of the soundtrack, but it is streaming online. The list of songs featured in the soundtrack, in alphabetical order by artist name, is below. (Dude, remember Nerf Herder?!)

2K is, however, planning to feature Tapes 'n Tapes as headliners on the upcoming "2K Sports Hit-n-Run Tour", which we previously reported as a regular old Tapes 'n Tapes tour. On the 2K-sponsored dates of the tour, concertgoers can play MLB 2K7 head-to-head and win various prizes.

Playing video games, listening to Tapes 'n Tapes...it'll be just like an average night in your bedroom. But with other people. [MORE...]

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