Love as Laughter Sign to Isaac Brock's Label

Glacial Pace sure is living up to its name, huh? The Epic-allied Isaac Brock vanity label, a mere two years after its inception and initial signing Mason Jennings, has finally welcomed someone else aboard.

Not surprisingly, the new guests are none other than Modest Mouse's frequent tour partners and Brock's old buddies Love as Laughter. Brock confirmed the signing in a recent interview with Spin.com, and also revealed that LAL is working with producer Joe Blaney (The Clash, the Ramones, Tom Waits) on new material-- as well as an unidentified Stevie Wonder vibraphone player. "Kinda rad," said Brock.

According to the Love as Laughter website, the band expects to release its Glacial Pace debut in 2008. For now, though, they're treating visitors to a couple streams from a new eight-song EP. That record-- said to contain some tunes that will appear in newly recorded form on the upcoming album-- is available now for purchase direct from the band. One suspects they may also have copies for sale on their present tour with-- who else?-- Modest Mouse. [MORE...]

Mission of Burma Announce Fall Dates, Reissues

Photo by William Kirk

Mission of Burma have announced yet another short tour, this one in September. It winds up with two performances at the Institute of Contemporary Art in their hometown of Boston on September 23. Conveniently for Roger Miller's blossoming career as a guitar teacher, all five dates will take place in the band's native New England.

MoB's current label, Matador, has a massive Mission of Burma reissue project in the works, tentatively for early next year. 1981's Signals, Calls and Marches EP, 1982's Vs. and 1985's live album The Horrible Truth About Burma are rumored to be getting the "deluxe" treatment. [MORE...]

Emma Pollock Set for Lengthy Fall Tour

Photo by Sarah Roberts

In anticipation of the 4AD release of her debut solo album, Watch the Fireworks (out September 11 in the U.S., September 17 in the UK), former Delgado Emma Pollock has announced a whole slew of North American dates with high profile touring partners the New Pornographers (and two with Spoon!). She's also plotted a few U.S. dates on her own following the New Pornos jaunt.

With "Adrenaline" already out there, a second single, "Acid Test", will precede the release of Fireworks on September 3 in the UK. The single will come as a download, CD, and seven-inch, and all versions will feature Japanese LP bonus track "A Temporary Fix" on the B-side.

Even before then, though, Pollock still has plenty of UK shows scheduled. They continue August 16 in Edinburgh. [MORE...]

Iron and Wine Adds Dates to Fall Tour

Photo by Kathryn Yu

Fine and mellow, that's what you are, Sam Beam. From your affable Southern argot to the gentle Garfunkelisms of your records to the unhurried way you dole out your tour dates, you know just how to lay a stone groove on us. And groovy it shall be on a few more dates at the front and back of Iron and Wine's previously reported tour itinerary. At the onset, he's added a stop in the Windy City and pair of Canadian dates. To finish (for now, anyhow), there's a few more UK gigs circa Halloween. Solid!

In other Iron & Wine news, Sam's linking up with ace collaborators Calexico for a take on Dylan's "Dark Eyes" for the star-studded I'm Not There soundtrack. And then there's the little matter of The Shepherd's Dog, unleashed September 25 from Sub Pop and the day before in the UK from Transgressive Records. [MORE...]

Numbers Add to Catalog With New Album, Tour

Heavy on the synth, with a mindful ear towards the pop, San Francisco's Numbers (warning: splash page is annoying as all hell) can count themselves among the Bay Area's non-hyphy highlights.

And now there are new numbers to hear as Numbers issue Now You Are This, their fourth album and second for Kill Rock Stars, on August 21. The band have added 13 tracks to their catalog, and will follow their release with more than twice that many tour dates. It oughta be, er, nearly 2 much fun 4 you 2 bear. [MORE...]

Daft Punk's Magical Pyramid/Spaceship: Infiltrated!

Yep, there it is. The view from within the technicolor dream pyramid inhabited by those rascally robots Daft Punk. The innards of the very vessel Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo use to make tens of thousands of people all jump in unison and gyrate their hips in some grand, cosmic harmony. Pretty sweet, although it doesn't hold a candle to the view from the outside.

The image comes courtesy of mixmag (via The Daily Swarm), to whom Bangalter also revealed some secrets regarding Daft Punk's live sets and equipment of choice. Namely:

1. ABLETON
"The show revolves around Ableton Live software on custom made super-computers, which we remotely access and control with Behringer BCR2000 midi controllers."

2. SCREENS
"Next to the ethernet remote computer screens there are four Minimoog Voyagers, the classic analog synthesizers. They're a 30-year old design."

3. MOOGS
"We can mix, shuffle, trigger loops, filter, distort samples, EQ in and out, transpose or destroy and deconstruct synth lines. We keep some surprises on the side too!"

4. VISUALS
"There's a direct connection between our rig and the lights and visuals of the show. The light and video engineers can also add or control layers during the show."

5. SYNTHS
"Inside the pyramid are synthesizers and remote controls connected to the rest of the music equipment and computers, which are in rack-mounted towers off stage."

6. TEAMWORK
"Working the music equipment, lighting and video equipment, and building the pyramid for each show takes around 10 people, including both of us."

So wait, how do you launch the photon torpedoes?

And if your head's already spinning from thoughts of that forthcoming Daft Punk live CD (it's no live DVD, but we'll take it), here's something to keep the momentum churning: The Alive 2007 tour document is apparently set for release in November.

Catch Daft Punk, eh, one more time this year (provided more dates aren't added), October 27 at the Vegoose Festival in Vegas.

Lil Wayne Attends Graduation With Kanye

Time to throw that recently reported Graduation tracklist out the window, or at least rearrange it a bit. According to a new MTV.com report, the guest list for Kanye West's third album just expanded to include Lil Wayne on a track called "Barry Bonds".

Named after the controversial San Francisco Giants slugger who recently broke Hank Aaron's all-time home run record (he currently has 758 to Aaron's 755), the song features the line "Here's another hit, Barry Bonds" as its hook. Wait, not a home run, just a hit? When will Craig Biggio ever get the hip-hop credibility he so desperately needs?

Kanye still has a few tour dates left before Graduation's September 11 release, the next of which is in Edinburgh on August 16. [MORE...]

Thurston Moore Lines Up Solo Tour

Photo by Jason Bergman

Bon voyage! Thurston Moore's heading out on a vision quest or two in late September and October, when he'll play a handful of dates in support of his second solo joint, Trees Outside the Academy, out September 18 on his Ecstatic Peace label.

Thurston's backing band will consist of Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley, Samara Lubelski (Tower Recordings), Christopher Brokaw (Codeine, Come), and bassist Matt Heyner.

Charalambides' Christina Carter, all over Trees, will be opening the shows, both as herself and as Scorces, her longtime duo Heather Murray.

Extended family's nice and all, but Thurston will go nuclear with Kim and co. on quite a few dates Sonic Youth have on the way themselves. [MORE...]

Bowerbirds Tour With Mountain Goats, Vanderslice

North Carolina, come on and raise up! Your very own Bowerbirds are flocking your way to benefit their hometown of Raleigh's Lump Gallery before setting out on a full-fledged tour through the early fall.

The makers of many handsome Hymns for a Dark Horse (released by Pitchfork contributor Grayson Currin's label, truth told) will be joined in large part on said tour by fellow songsmiths John Vanderslice and the Mountain Goats, causing folk sophisticates continent-wide to break from growing their beards and step out. Taking your shirt off and spinning it like a helicopter is, as always, optional. [MORE...]

Jam Band of Horses?
Secret jam band past revealed! Also: Dates with Dinosaur Jr. added

Actually, it's not really a secret, nor will it come as much of a surprise to some folks-- indeed, I'd wager Band of Horses go over well with the jam band crowd-- but yes, fly the "Hard Copy"/"A Current Affair" flags high, as Pitchfork presents the dirt on latest BoH recruit Bill Reynolds.

Before Reynolds was slapping bass for boss Ben Bridwell, dude was playing in central New York state combo Donna the Buffalo, which, we're told (because we're much too cool to know these things), is one of those jam bands.

What's more, back in the day, Reynolds also played with Sub Pop act the Blue Rags, who could be said to have walked a fine jam band/indie line.

So then, when you catch Band of Horses opening for Modest Mouse this summer-- or on four recently-added dates playing with Dinosaur Jr.-- be sure to cast Mr. Reynolds a knowing glance. Who knows, maybe he'll reciprocate with a 14-minute bass solo?

Cease to Begin drops October 9 on Sub Pop. Special thanks to reader Jamie Syrek for the muckraking tip.

In related jam band news, Ryan Adams has canceled his appearance at moe.down in Turin, New York at the end of the month. He's been replaced by Satellite Party. Bummer, right? [MORE...]

Daft Punk's Orgasmic Live Show Coming to CD
Hardest, Best, Fastest, Strongest Live Album Ever! (Or at least since Alive 1997)

Photo by Kirstie Shanley

The resounding praise surrounding Daft Punk's recent live shows needs no reiteration, but apart from a couple noteworthy mashups and a lot of comments pointing to the curious absence of "Digital Love" (geez, and Juliette was at Lolla, too!), most of the chatter has surrounded the unearthly visuals. Given that we're talking about Daft Punk here, the music's more than fine; it's just easy to get distracted by the flashy stuff, the pyramid, and, of course, the dancing.

Those in attendance blinded by the lights-- and the rest of us, forced instead to stare at the microwave while playing Homework really effin' loud-- will get to explore every sonic nuance and blissed-out "woo!" on a forthcoming live album set to tape at the duo's June 14 stop at Paris' Bercy.

No release date or title (please think of something besides Alive 2007) has been set for the Capitol-issued live platter, but-- according to Billboard.com-- we know this: a single disc set of the performance will be available, along with a double-disc featuring the show's encore. Parisians who ducked out on the last bit to beat the parking lot rush, consider yourselves lucky... this time.

A single for the live version of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" will also be issued, along with a video compiled by director Olivier Gondry (yes, brother of Michel), shot by attendees at this past weekend's show in Brooklyn. Asked and answered, Daft Punk.

The Billboard article also let us in on a little secret: those dudes in Kanye's "Stronger" video aren't, as previously reported, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, but, rather, the actors from Electroma. Not quite "two bums in helmets," but still, tricky.

This phenomenal thing that Daft Punk have been doing of late has one more slated touch-down: October 27 at Las Vegas' Vegoose Festival. There's talk of more dates next year, but it being merely August, that's almost a bummer.

Even bigger bummer: Billboard sez that no DVD is planned to accompany the live album. Boo!

Wu-Tang Cover Beatles With George Harrison's Son!?
8 Diagrams gets new release date

Photo by William Kirk

Turns out the biggest Beatles news today isn't the John Lennon catalog going digital. It's the latest tidbit from the ever lively camp Wu.

As the RZA revealed in a recent conversation with Rolling Stone, the Wu-Tang Clan will tackle a freakin' Beatles tune on their forthcoming longplayer, 8 Diagrams. And not just any Beatles tune-- "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", which, last time I checked, doesn't exactly bring the motherfuckin' ruckus. Still, lest you think this some idle flight of Wu fancy, the Clan have stepped their game up, enlisting none other than Dhani Harrison-- the 29-year-old son of "Guitar"'s late scribe, George Harrison-- to play acoustic on the track.

"He's the biggest Wu-Tang fan in the world," RZA enthused to Rolling Stone. "He knew all the kung fu shit! That's deep! I told him I would be honored if he played his father’s song."

While they were at it, RZA and the gang also dragged John Frusciante along for the ride.

The Chili Pepper plays lead on the Wu rendition, which is simply called "Gently Weeps" and isn't a cover in the straight sense. Instead it features the Clan rapping over the cover version recorded with Dhani and John, acting out a heroin dealer/heroin user saga. Method Man portrays the victim, while Ghostface turns in "one of the best lyrics I'm ever heard him say" (according to RZA, but we believe him) as the dealer.

8 Diagrams, meanwhile, now has a release date of November 13 on SRC (both this and the whole Beatles thing having been confirmed by the Wu publicist). We won't hold our breath, but we will keep throwing up our Ws.

In other news, it's not too late to win a date with Wu, nor to get amped for the upcoming Raekwon entourage disc. Catch the Clan now on the Rock the Bells tour. [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.)