Photos: White Stripes Rock a City Bus [Winnipeg, Manitoba; 07/02/07]

Yesterday in Winnipeg, the White Stripes continued their routine of playing quirky secret shows before their official dates in the under-toured cities of Canada.

This time, instead of schoolhouse rocking or spear throwing, Jack and Meg took to a city bus already carrying in-the-know fans to Thump out "Wheels on the Bus" and "Hotel Yorba" before disappearing into the ether, aka the MTS Centre later that night. Perhaps you caught the video over in Forkcast?

Reader Thom Johnston was there to capture the action photographically, and for that, we thank him. His photos and more Stripes dates are below.




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Pumpkins Announce North American Tour Proper

With Zeitgeist's July 10 release on Martha's Music/Reprise plainly visible on the horizon, Smashing Pumpkins have announced the expansion of their current U.S. residencies/European tour to include a full-blown North American tour, their first in seven years, this fall.

In addition to the North American dates, which begin September 8 in Montreal, the band has announced its plans to perform tracks from Zeitgeist on the "Late Show With David Letterman" on two separate dates, July 9 and 13.

The Pumpkins' Asheville, North Carolina residency continues tonight (July 3). [MORE...]

Los Campesinos! Add North American, UK Dates

Sure, they're one of the most exciting British exports since those cool yellow Boddingtons cans. But what can really be said of Los Campesinos! beyond their proclivity for shouting at each other and some breathless testament to their talent?

Well, they've got that EP dropping July 17 from Arts & Crafts, for one. They apparently do that cool Ramones thing where they all claim their last name is Campesinos! (Yes, complete with the exclamation mark!) And, as it turns out, they're touring a spell, packing in a few North American dates around their big day out at Lollapalooza before a full-scale UK tour in October. 'Nuff said; well, for now, anyway. [MORE...]

Spank Rock, Deacon, Beach House Do Baltimore Fest
It couldn't BMore nutty!

There are times-- like, say, halfway through any Dan Deacon track you please-- when it seems the rest of the major urban centers in this country have kept on making relatively normal music, whereas everybody in Baltimore got together, ate a whole bag of Spree apiece, and collectively shouted "HEY, LET'S ALL GO CRAZY AT ONCE!"

The rise of Spank Rock, Dan Deacon, and Cex are proof enough of this postulate; heck, even Beach House are kinda out there for a soft-pop duo. All those nuts and more will join together for Wildfire Wildfire/Wham City/Artscape's Whartscape 2007, a three-day fest going off July 20-22 at a trio of Baltimore hotspots. The Dirty Projectors, Cex, XBXRX, Soft Circle, Ponytail, Juiceboxxx, the Death Set, Yeasayer, and, er, Butt Stomach and DJ Dog Dick are among those repping the silly city from which so many of 'em hail.

Lightspeed Champion Has New Single, Tour, Wigs

If Devone Hynes-- formerly of Test Icicles and presently, by himself, Lightspeed Champion-- isn't certifiable, he's certainly got us fooled. Certifiably talented, that is! One gander at the video for "Galaxy of the Lost" (which the folks at Domino will issue as a UK single July 16 July 30) and you realize there are at least two parts smart for every dollop of madness. The single will be backed with "Waiting Game", which is what curious fans will have to play for, like, two more weeks.

Hynes has his next couple UK moves planned as well. A second single, "Midnight Surprise", is due October 22, while a third, "Tell Me What It's Worth", arrives January 8 of next year. Expect the album, Falling Off the Lavender Bridge, to drop at last on January 21 overseas.

Lightspeed Champion has a handful of mostly UK dates on the way this summer. How exactly a dude from something-core coulda-beens Test Icicles wound up opening for Bright Eyes and Final Fantasy I'll never understand (although working with Mike Mogis in Omaha probably has something to do with it). But, perhaps, therein lies the true greatness of the Champion. [MORE...]

Junior Senior's Laursen Talks U.S. Fans, Delay, New EP
"Of all places that the album came out, the U.S. has been the place that we’ve been understood the most, somehow."

One can't help but wonder: had the timing worked out, could Junior Senior have been huge? After 2003's irrepressibly catchy "Move Your Feet" took over everyone's headspace and the accompanying album, D-D-Don't Don't Stop the Beat, took off, the band seemed primed for a takeover. But, despite earning raves and spawning a few international hits, their 2005 follow-up Hey Hey My My Yo Yo remains-- at this juncture-- unissued in the U.S.

That ends at last August 14, when Rykodisc brings Hey Hey My My Yo Yo to U.S. shelves. The band has also plotted a North American tour in tandem with its release. If Junior Senior's moment in the U.S. has passed, Jeppe "Senior" Laursen is convinced they'll make a new one. We spoke with Senior about Hey Hey's Stateside delay, how he maintains a balance between pop and indie, and providing a backing track for the antics of Mary Kate and Ashley.

Pitchfork: Your second album is finally coming out in North America after two years. What, in your mind, was the reason for the delay?

Senior: I think, when all comes to all, it [has been] too long. But with the music industry and how it is now, we have been realistic that we were going to take the time it would take. Obviously, we've had offers from labels that maybe wanted to release it, but if you want to have any chance of getting it out there, you have to be some sort of priority; they have to really believe in you and what they think they can do.

So I think we've just been kind of picky. It came out two years ago in Denmark and Japan, and meanwhile, it has come out in Australia. But also, it's really exciting that it's going to come out in the U.S., even though it's not a new album for us.

Pitchfork: Do you feel like your moment may have passed in the U.S.? There was certainly a lot of interest in Junior Senior after "Move Your Feet", but without a new record in stores, that's naturally waned.

Senior: I think the last time, of all places that the album came out, the U.S. has been the place that we've been understood the most, somehow. We feel that people kind of get what we were about, compared to, for example, the UK. We don't feel like we have to do a lot, or that people only know one song. We always just felt really comfortable with ourselves in the U.S. We're just really happy that it's coming out-- even though it's been two years-- because the U.S. market is the biggest one. Not for us, but for music and our inspirations, obviously a lot comes from the U.S. Actually, now that it's been that long ago since our first album, the expectations aren't as high-- in terms of comparing it to previous work. So, in that sense, it's kind of refreshing. [MORE...]

Photos: The Go! Team [Beijing, China; 06/29/07]

Their previously reported (and discussed) second album, Proof of Youth, has a September 11 release on Sub Pop (the day before on Memphis Industries in the UK). Its first single, "Grip Like a Vice", came out overseas today (July 2) on Memphis, and its second single, "Doing It Right", comes out September 3. Now all that's left for the Go! Team to do is cater to fans of their kitchen sink pop the world over.

They're already off to a great start, as Pitchfork reader Lynzi Martin's shots of the first of their two Chinese dates suggest. The Brighton bunch took the stage of the Star Live in Beijing on June 29 for a sweat-inducing set, and the evidence is below, along with the rest of their tour dates.

And just in case you were somehow unconvinced of how much she rules, Ninja's outfit seems to be made of pink velour.

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T.V. Eye: July 2-8, 2007

This week in reruns:

Monday, July 2:

CBS: "Late Show With David Letterman": Rufus Wainwright (rerun)
NBC: "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno": Kings of Leon (rerun)
NBC: "Late Night With Conan O'Brien": Arctic Monkeys (rerun)

Tuesday, July 3:

NBC: "Last Call With Carson Daly": Bloc Party (rerun)

Wednesday, July 4:

Syndicated: "The Ellen DeGeneres Show": Kelly Clarkson (rerun)
CBS: "Late Show With David Letterman": Dr. Dog (rerun)
NBC: "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno": Ne-Yo (rerun)
NBC: "Last Call With Carson Daly": The Bird and the Bee (rerun)

Thursday, July 5:

Syndicated: "The Ellen DeGeneres Show": Christina Aguilera (rerun)
CBS: "Late Show With David Letterman": Kelly Clarkson (rerun)
NBC: "Last Call With Carson Daly": Ne-Yo (rerun)

Friday, July 6:

CBS: "Late Show With David Letterman": Elvis Costello & the Imposters (rerun)
NBC: "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno": Rihanna (rerun)
NBC: "Late Night With Conan O'Brien": Tom Waits (rerun)
IFC: "The Henry Rollins Show": Placebo

Byrne, Waits, M.I.A., RZA, ODB, YYYs on NASA LP
Diplo, A-Trak, Kid Sister join them at GOOD Magazine Block Party

Squeak E. Clean, aka director Spike Jonze's brother Sam Spiegel, has teamed up with DJ Zegon, aka Ze Gonzales, to release a debut album together under the name NASA (North America South America).

The as-yet-untitled album will come out on an as-yet-unnamed label in the winter, and while its tracklist is still as-yet-not-finalized, the tracks they do have for it (assembled below as a rough tracklist) feature more impressive names than we can even count.

Here's a partial list: David Byrne, Tom Waits, M.I.A., Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O and Nick Zinner, RZA, the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Kool Keith, CSS' Lovefoxxx, Spank Rock, John Frusciante, Fatlip and Slim Kid Tre from the Pharcyde, E-40, Gift of Gab, Chali 2na, KRS-One, George Clinton, Seu Jorge, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, the Cardigans' Nina Persson, Amanda Blank, Z-Trip, and DJ Qbert. Get a taste of several of these folks-- including Byrne, RZA, ODB, and Karen O-- as part of the streaming "Megamix" below.

If you've ever wanted to hear Kool Keith and Tom Waits on the same track, well, NASA is here for you. And the act's publicist reveals they are "still recording a couple more big name artists who we have not listed."

NASA will appear at San Francisco's 111 Minna Gallery for the Choose GOOD Magazine Block Party on July 15. The event is only open to GOOD subscribers, but the lineup also includes Diplo, A-Trak, Kid Sister, Richie Panic, Moving Units' Blake Miller, Vin Sol, and Bedtime for Toys, which makes it good enough to pony up the $20 (all of which goes to a charity of your choice!) for a yearlong subscription. Subscribers also get entry to more parties like the San Fran bash nationwide.

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Brakes Frontman Pleads for Return of Lost Guitar

After playing a Glastonbury set that included a cover of the Johnny Cash/June Carter duet "Jackson" sung with the Long Blondes' Kate Jackson, Brakes singer/guitarist Eamon Hamilton misplaced his guitar and is pleading with festival attendees for its return.

The Gewa Tennessee Bluesbird was left in a black case outside the Leftfield tent between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. on June 24, immediately after the band's performance. According to a press release, it has "a Bronze Ace wooden mic pickup with the Bronze wording rubbed off." Though it is worth only around £120, it has quite a bit of sentimental value, as the band used it to write most of their two albums.

Those who have any information regarding the guitar's whereabouts should contact the band at the dizzying email address brakes@brakesbrakesbrakes.com. Hamilton is promising to the person who returns it that he will "collect it himself and play a gig in your front room."

Whether Hamilton retrieves the guitar or not (hopefully he will!), Brakes have a couple handfuls of dates this summer which continue tonight (July 2) in Istanbul. They will also release the newest single from The Beatific Visions, the title track (minus the "The"), as a download via Rough Trade on August 20. [MORE...]

Kindercore Label Reborn!
Considers changing name to Firstgradecore

Veritable indie pop paradise (and surefire way to get your name on a list should you put it in Google) Kindercore Records is back after nearly four years away. The onetime label of Of Montreal, Dressy Bessy, the Essex Green and plenty of other overcaffeinated pop-makers issued this statement on their website:

Hello world! Kindercore is indeed back and things are more than a little different than they were before. The site is still being built so feel free to look around, kick the tires, post in the forums... but check back often as things will be growing daily. In the next few weeks the online store will open with our new line of shirts as well as some goodies from the past and news on new releases.

So there you go. While most thought Kindercore dead, an official press release on the matter insists the label was merely "dormant" following "a bad business deal" and a good deal of legal wrangling. The courts ultimately granted Kindercore founders Dan Geller and Ryan Lewis the rights to their label's name, and the two already have plenty in store for Kindercore in 2007. For one thing, they're diversifying their assets: the first Kindercore 2.0 release will be a comic compendium titled The Trouble Revolution (bundled with a compilation download coupon). Beyond that, Kindercore plans to release good old-fashioned EPs from King of Prussia (Save the Scene) and Geller's Ruby Isle (Miracles) in the near future.

Finally, the kindly Kindercore kids will gather kith and kin for a celebratory hoedown at Athens, Georgia's Caledonia Lounge on August 18. Expect live bands, art, DJs, dancing, and the requisite surprises.

Thanks to several readers for the tip.

Animal Collective Prep "Peacebone" Single
Black Dice, Pantha du Prince provide remixes

Hey, if Panda Bear can throw a single out there for darn near every track on Person Pitch, Animal Collective could do the same for Strawberry Jam, couldn't they? Just think of it; all those trips to the local record shop? All those treasured B-sides? Why, that sounds like a deal just as sweet and sticky as strawberry jam itself.

"Peacebone", the first single from Strawberry Jam, will land on shelves in Europe August 13, courtesy of Domino. (A U.S. release has not yet been announced.) The single can be yours in the form of a digital download or a two-track 10" record. That second track? Why, it's "Safer", a non-Strawberry jam. UPDATE: A Stateside edition of the "Peacebone" single will drop August 21, backed with remixes by Black Dice and Pantha du Prince. It will be available on 12", 10" and CD, with the 12" featuring the remixes, the 10" featuring "Safer", and the CD with all of 'em.

You can watch the AC waggle their collective peacebones at you on a full-scale tour they've got going from next week through infinity (and beyond!). [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.)