Eric's Trip Reunite (Again), Tour Canada
Play Sappyfest along with Constantines, Mt. Eerie, Calvin Johnson, Chad VanGaalen

Did that deluxe Daydream Nation reissue coax them out of retirement once more? Whatever the reason, rejoice, as Canadian indie rockers Eric's Trip have reunited yet again!

A highlight of the fertile college rock scene of the early 1990s, Eric's Trip sprung from the seldom-used loins of Moncton, New Brunswick in 1990 and soon became Sub Pop's first Canadian signing, besting that whole Broken Arcade Wolf Pornographers thing by nearly a decade. The act included a young Julie Doiron, who has since mounted a successful solo career (initially as Broken Girl), recording a whole heap of records for Secretly Canadian-allied Jagjaguwar (all while making no mystery of her heritage).

Eric's Trip split in 1996, then got back together in 2001 to tie up some unfinished touring business and release a live CD, then parted ways again, only to re-reunite in 2006 for more shows. Which makes this spate of 2007 gigs, kicking off August 5 in Sackville, New Brunswick, pretty much a re-re-reunion. Or, you know, not really a reunion at all. But still more neat-o than a Cheeto!

The August 5 gig is part of Sappyfest, which pops off at numerous venues in happening Sackville from August 3-5, and also features performances by Doiron, Constantines, Mount Eerie, Calvin Johnson, Chad VanGaalen, They Shoot Horses Don't They?, Peter and the Wolf, Dog Day, and more. Eric's Trip guitarist Rick White, who released his second LP, Memoreaper, earlier this year, will open all shows solo-style. [MORE...]

Matthew Dear's Big Hands Tour With Mobius Band
Dear remixed by Hot Chip, M.A.N.D.Y., DJ Koze on new single

Chameleonic electro mastermind Matthew Dear will hit the road with former Ghostly labelmates and Asa Breed guests Mobius Band this fall for a co-headlining tour of North America. Dear will be accompanied by his band Matthew Dear's Big Hands for the trek.

Mobius Band have their own new record, Heaven, coming out on October 2 via Misra. It will be the trio's second full-length (the follow-up to their 2005 debut The Loving Sounds of Static) and the first for their new label.

Aside from the tour together, both artists also have dates by themselves. Mobius Band's comes in the form of a lone September show, but Dear has a full August of European and Japanese dates, the next of which is August 3 in Geneva, Switzerland.

To coincide with the tour, Dear will release a new single, for Asa Breed's "Don and Sherri", featuring remixes by Hot Chip, M.A.N.D.Y., and DJ Koze. [MORE...]

Spoon, Ono, Sleater-Kinney, Yo La Tengo in Hedwig Doc
Plus: Breeders, Frank Black, Rufus Wainwright, Polyphonic Spree, Jonathan Richman

First came Hedwig and the Angry Inch the stage musical, then came Hedwig and the Angry Inch the movie spectacle, and soon after arrived the Hedwig covers album, Wig in a Box, boasting an impressive array of indie giants-- including Sleater-Kinney, Spoon, Frank Black, Yo La Tengo, and the Breeders-- putting their own characteristic touches on tunes from the musical.

Now comes-- brace for it-- the documentary on the making of the charity covers album. But wait, this actually looks super rad. Follow My Voice With the Music of Hedwig hits DVD shelves August 7, courtesy of Wolfe Video. It includes the Katherine Linton-directed, Rainlake Productions/Sundance Channel-produced 2006 feature that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and aired on the Sundance Channel that year.

Wig in a Box was orchestrated by Chris Slusarenko of Guided by Voices and the Takeovers, and was released on Off Records in 2003. All proceeds from sales of that album go to the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk School, which strives to create "a safe and supportive environment...for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth between the ages of 12 and 21 and their families."

Follow My Voice, then, interweaves the stories of several students at the Harvey Milk School with the making of the album, and includes performances and interviews by/with Yoko Ono, Sleater-Kinney with Fred Schneider (The B-52's), Yo La Tengo, the Breeders, Frank Black, Rufus Wainwright, the Polyphonic Spree, Jonathan Richman, They Might Be Giants, the "Three Bens" (Kweller, Folds, and Lee), and Cyndi Lauper with the Minus 5, as well as Stephen Colbert and Hedwig visionaries John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask. Plus a Spoon performance! And Slusarenko turns up in there as well.

So put on your makeup, turn on the DVD player, and, you know, watch this.

Les Savy Fav Join Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem!
Sign to Wichita for UK

Just when you thought that Arcade Fire/LCD Soundsystem team-up just couldn't possibly get any better, well, it did. Triumphantly returning Brooklyn art-punkers (and wicked wicked live act) Les Savy Fav have been added to the October 6 show at New York City's Randall's Island. We usually pity any band that has to play after Les Savy Fav, but we think these two can hold their own.

In other Les Savy Fav news, they've recently signed to the London-based Wichita recording concern for all their UK distribution needs. Their chum-heavy Let's Stay Friends will drop in the UK October 1; it's out September 18 on French Kiss in the States. Wichita will also release the double A-side single for "What Would Wolves Do?" / "The Year Before the Year 2000" on September 24. A European tour is in the works for October. [MORE...]

Beastie Boys Kick Off U.S. Tour, Add Dates

Photo by Nilina Mason-Campbell

Well, they rock an instrumental gala at the drop of a hat, but, when called upon, they'll beat a regular show down with an aluminum bat. Two dudes named Adam and a guy named Mike who call themselves the Beastie Boys will hit the road tonight in Philadelphia for the first show of a month of U.S. tour dates. Jumping back and forth between "instrumental gala" shows (for which fancy dress is strongly recommended) and your regular loudmouthed Beastie throw-downs, the Stateside gigs anticipate yet another European run for our Boys through early September.

Attendees should also know that their good time is for a good cause: one dollar of every ticket purchased for this tour goes to Reverb, an organization that promotes the use of sustainable resources. They'll be helping the Beasties tour go green, and they encourage you to bring your old cell phones and PDAs for recycling. [MORE...]

Trail of Dead Announce Replacement Drummer

A retirement is never quite a retirement with these android scientist types. It seems ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead have found a replacement for their previously reported "Doni [Schroader] computer version 2.9"-shaped hole behind the drum kit, and he comes from the same kindly "scientist friend Max Brenner," according to a website update from frontman Conrad Keely.

Apparently, totally real scientist Brenner "happened to have had another prototype lying around in his studio [read: Nashville --Ed.], the Aaron 3.0. Aaron was developed alongside the Doni and performs with equally superb skill and efficiency, albeit slightly faster and even a bit harder at times than the Doni. Although not yet tested under extreme environments such as spilt beer and shards of glass, Brenner has convinced us that the Aaron's newly updated circuits are robust and capable of withstanding the extreme pressures of a live TOD show."

The new bot-- who also goes by the name Aaron Ford-- has proved his durability with stints in bands like Bluetip, Bobby Bare Jr.'s Young Criminals Starvation League, and Unwed Sailor.

So now TOD can finally get to the real business: that month-long tour of (mostly) Europe they have coming up, which still begins with a single date in Brooklyn tomorrow, August 2. [MORE...]

The Acorn Climb Mountain for Paper Bag Records

Canadian quintet the Acorn will release their sophomore full-length, the almost Devendra-ically titled Glory Hope Mountain, via Paper Bag Records on September 25.

Glory Hope Mountain is a concept album of sorts, a biography of lead singer Rolf Klausener's mother, Gloria Esperanza Montoya, a Honduran immigrant to Montreal in the 70s. In addition to the Acorn, the record also features the musical talents of members of Ohbijou, the Wooden Stars, Flecton Big Sky, Fiftymen, and others.

The Acorn will tour their native Canada in support of the album this fall, beginning with a September 22 appearance in London, Ontario. [MORE...]

Figurines Announce Fall Tour

Though their new album is already out in their native Denmark, Figurines are preparing for the September 11 North American release of When the Deer Wore Blue (out via the Control Group in the U.S., Paper Bag in Canada), with the announcement of a full-blown North American tour this fall.

The band have also added plenty of September and October European dates, including a ton in Germany. Their full travels now begin September 4 in London. [MORE...]

Sharon Jones Scores Role in Denzel Film, Tours

Ms. Sharon Jones and her fabulous Dap-Kings (who may be the only people on the planet more sick of Amy Winehouse than you and me) have lined up North American tour surrounding the October 2 release of their sure-to-be-smokin' LP3 100 Days, 100 Nights on Daptone. The tour proper doesn't begin until November, but Sharon and the Kings will herald the new album in style with a show at Harlem's world famous Apollo Theater on October 6.

Wonder where Sharon's been while her band's taken over the globe, backing up Ms. Winehouse? Well, aside from kicking it with Lou Reed and guesting with Rufus Wainwright and They Might Be Giants (!), she's been hanging out in Hollywood. Jones will play a small role as a soul singer (quite a stretch) in the forthcoming flick The Great Debaters, directed by and starring Denzel Washington. It's scheduled for a Christmas Day release. And, because Denzel knows on which side his bread is buttered, he's pegged Sharon to contribute a few tracks to the film's soundtrack. [MORE...]

Simian Mobile Disco Beef Up North American Attack

Woo-hoo! You already know Simian Mobile Disco (and Interscope) are bringing party-in-a-jewelcase Attack Decay Sustain Release to North America. But what you didn't know-- until I finish this sentence, that is-- is that the North American ADSR will come with a pair of bonus cuts not available on the original UK release. Yup, after "Scott", prep yourself for "Clock", and "System", and maybe some sweating and palpitations.

Not only that, but a decision's been made not to delay Sustain's release any further; the North American version of the record's been pushed up a week to September 11.

As for other SMD happenings, they're old hat at this point: a huge tour (including a UK leg late this fall with Klaxons), a remix or two (not to mention being remixed themselves), good times at the silhouette booth at the county fair. They did add a few dates in the U.S. and Japan since last we made a list, so you might wanna check and see. [MORE...]

Bottom of the Hudson Update: Benefits, Donations
Drummer now in stable condition

Greg Lytle (R) photo by Mike White

Fans, friends, family, and members of Absolutely Kosher-signed act Bottom of the Hudson are attempting to carry on following a tragic tour van accident Sunday (July 29) which left BOTH bassist Trevor Butler dead and his bandmates injured.

According to Absolutely Kosher, Bottom of the Hudson drummer Greg Lytle-- who fractured his skull and was airlifted to a Chapel Hill hospital-- is now in stable condition.

Absolutely Kosher employees and label owner Cory Brown expressed their sentiments on the imprint's website:

"We didn't have an opportunity to get to know Trevor Butler as well as we would have liked, but he was a great guy and a great musician. He was instrumental in the evolution of the band's sound over the years. In addition to playing in Bottom of the Hudson for the last several years, Trevor also was a founding member in fellow-Philadelphia group Coyote. He was utterly devoted to music and helped many, many bands set-up shows in Philadelphia. We are devastated by his loss and he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the band and their families. Thanks to everyone who has sent condolences and well-wishes.

"We are currently accepting donations via Paypal (the address is both@absolutelykosher.com) provided on behalf of Trevor's family and for Greg's medical bills resulting from the accident. Your generosity in this difficult time is appreciated."

You may also donate by clicking the button link here.

Furthermore, Bottom of the Hudson's Philadelphia buddies the A-Sides have decided to turn their August 30 record release show into a benefit for Trevor's family and Greg. The show takes place at Johnny Brenda's and also features performances from the Capitol Years and Bitter Bitter Weeks.

Additional benefit shows are reportedly in the works. UPDATE: Coyote, Mtn.High, and Gang will play a benefit show at Tritone in Philadelphia on Friday, August 3.

According to Bottom of the Hudson's publicist, as quoted in a Fayetteville Observer article today, the remaining members of the band are "trying to get stuff sorted out. They've gone off the radar and would like prayers to go out to Greg."

Earthless, Entrance, RTX Play Tee Pee Fest

Tee Pee Records owner Tony Presedo (T.P.? Get it?) couldn't figure out just why every band he was signing hailed from California. Is it the permanent sunshine, the tasty waves, or the relative ubiquity of hydroponically-grown marijuana that forces all the heaviness into the Golden State's rock?

Who knows, dude, but a whole lot of California stoners and their crews will converge on Los Angeles's Safari Sam's August 3 for Manifest Destiny, a throwback megashow organized by Tee Pee and featuring Earthless, Titan, RTX, Entrance, the Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound, Astra, and Magic Lantern. So basically a whole bunch of dope-rockers will spend a whole day dropping D, fuzzing their bass, and hotboxing. Hotboxing what, you ask? Well, whatcha got?

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