TVOTR, GBV, Beirut Members on Ten Soundtrack
Scored by Shudder to Think's Craig Wedren

A Decalogue for the Garden State generation, The Ten, directed by David Wain of "The State", "Stella", and Wet Hot American Summer fame, hit select theaters early last month. Those who weren't turned off by a rather unfunny trailer and saw the film witnessed a cast of familiar faces-- Winona Ryder, Adam Brody, Jessica Alba, and others-- but may have missed some of the special musical guests. Indeed, members of TV on the Radio, Guided by Voices, Beirut, Shudder to Think, Vampire Weekend, and OK Go grace the film's soundtrack, composed by (sorta) ex-Shudder frontman Craig Wedren.

TVOTR's Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone lend vocals to a pair of tracks, while Guided by Voices/Shudder to Think guy Kevin March plays some drums, Beirut's Jon Natchez rocks the sax, and Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij supplies keyboards, guitar, and arrangements. Other notable contributors include OK Go's Damian Kulash, Rashida Jones of "The Office" (U.S. version), and Steven Bernstein of Sex Mob/the Lounge Lizards.

The Ten soundtrack actually hit shops (via Commotion Records) back on August 28, but many of the special guest details came to light only recently. So impress your date this weekend at the cinema by telling him/her that the "Oooooos" on "Steven Montgomery" were indeed generated by actual living members of TV on the Radio. Hot dang. [MORE...]

Jay-Z Records Sorta Soundtrack for American Gangster

So maybe Kingdom Come didn't exactly see Jigga coming "back like Jordan wearing the 4-5." But, cobwebs adequately shaken out over the last few months, you can raise those hopes again for a new Jay-Z album. According to The New York Times, Jay has been working on a record inspired by American Gangster, the forthcoming Ridley Scott film starring Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Common, T.I., and RZA. The disc drops November 6 via (duh) Def Jam, according to Billboard.com, and the movie is out November 2.

If you've seen the trailer for the film (which, if you've been to a theater in the last three months, or have clicked on the link below, you almost certainly have), you've caught the strains of The Blueprint's "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)" rolling through the background. But that's old news, as Jay told the Times he's got nine new songs done for the disc already.

There's no tracklist yet, though it's supposed to include "Pray", "No Hook" (sounds like an outtake from his last record, LOL) and "Blue Magic", reported by Billboard.com to have been produced by that cutie Pharrell Williams. Jay-Z's American Gangster apparently isn't the film's official soundtrack, which will be released separately.

In other Jay-Z news, that new "I Get Money" remix is pretty good.

A Place to Bury Strangers Hit Vinyl, Play Benefit for Cat

You may have taken note of our recent infatuation with A Place to Bury Strangers, the braying, bedlamite cabinet-blowers and Best New Music recipients from NYC. Worry not, they've noticed you, too, and are doing what they can to make sure you've got every opportunity to get familiar with 'em, pronto. Not only have they added a handful of dates to their meager tour roster, but they're issuing their self-titled LP on vinyl October 23 via Important Records.

The band is also giving back in another, completely different, way. On October 17 at their studio space, Death by Audio, AP2BS will play a benefit show along with Dirty on Purpose. And who is the benefit for? Sez their MySpace page: "Our studio cat 'Hammer' got hit by a car and had expensive medical bills. This benefit is for our cat and also we will be donating money to the local animal shelter BARC."

Awww! Isn't that, like, the cutest thing ever? [MORE...]

Morrissey Kicks Off Tour

Photo by Paparazzi by Appointment

While $75 million can't buy a Smiths reunion gig, a mere fraction of that sum will get you a seat at the next sermon delivered by the world's preeminent man-diva, Morrissey. Step right up and get your tickets!

Moz's previously reported trek across North America kicks off tonight (September 20) in Tijuana, and, provided the man who forgave Jesus can atone for a tremendous tequila hangover, he'll continue in serpentine fashion across the U.S. through early November.

San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City get near-lethal multiple-night doses of Moz, while a previously mentioned press release calls this stretch of gigs "the last Morrissey will do for the foreseeable future." Not quite cause for alarm for those of us who can't foresee past next Tuesday, sure, but if you've always meant to catch Moz live, make this your tour.

Kristeen Young still opens all shows, several of which are make-up dates after Moz done got all sick and cancelled part of his summer tour. [MORE...]

Hip-Hop Flick Wild Style Gets 25th Anniversary DVD

Here's a little story that must be told, about a new DVD made from a film so old: Wild Style, the 1982 flick encapsulating the then-incubatory hip-hop culture in the South Bronx, turns 25 this year. To celebrate, Rhino has revamped and repackaged Wild Style, and will release it on DVD September 25.

The movie-- which centers around graffiti artist Zoro's foray into high society-- features legendary appearances from the likes of Grandmaster Flash, Cold Crush Brothers, Rock Steady Crew, Chief Rocker Busy Bee, and Fab Five Freddy.

In addition to new audio and video transfers of the film, the DVD features interviews with many of the performers, a Grandmaster Caz DJ battle, and footage from a 20th anniversary concert.

Animal Collective, Okkervil River, Rilo Kiley Rock NPR
Also: John Vanderslice, the Apples in Stereo, Bishop Allen

There's the worsening weather, the increasingly early darkness, the upcoming baseball playoffs, and now, yet another reason not to leave the comfort of your home, this one brought to you by The Internet, LLC: a pretty stellar September schedule of performers on NPR Music's Live Concert Series.

Past concerts in the series, which broadcasts select Washington, D.C.-area gigs live at www.npr.org/music, have recently featured the likes of the National, Björk, Low, and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists.

The upcoming shows include sets by Animal Collective, Okkervil River, Rilo Kiley, John Vanderslice (with Bishop Allen), and the Apples in Stereo (tonight!). The full schedule, complete with venues, is after the jump, but an archive of each show will eventually appear at www.npr.org/liveconcerts. So again, don't get up. [MORE...]

Phosphorescent Flaunts Pride on Big Tour

It's been far too long since we spoke on Matthew Houck, which is a shame: and not just because we like posting that handsome photo there. But while male nudity-- partial or otherwise-- for its own sake is well and good for some stories, there's another reason we're back to Matt: Houck's all set to release Pride, the latest disc from his Phosphorescent project, October 23 from the Secretly Canadian-spawned Dead Oceans label.

Pride's really quite lovely: check out opener "A Picture of Our Torn Up Praise" over yonder in Forkcast should you doubt, or throw caution to the wind at one of Phosphorescent's many many live engagements with his fellow folk imploders over the next couple months. Those dates, plus the Pride tracklist, are yours for the low low price of clicking here. [MORE...]

Neko Case Guests on New Matt Pond PA LP

Photo by Jeremy Balderson

They say no man is an island; Matt Pond, perhaps even less so than most. And, in keeping with both those statements, Matt Pond and his band-- the doubly-appropriate Matt Pond PA-- want desperately for you to hear Last Light, their forthcoming full-length release, out September 25 on Altitude.

The disc proudly displays guest turns by Neko Case, Beck/Elliott Smith producer Rob Schnapf, Bardo Pond's Isobel Sollenberger, and dudes from both Rooney and Ratatat. Wow, Rooney!

Matt Pond is touring PA and beyond for a month or so following the release of Last Light. Expect the word "autumnal" to come to mind more than once. And a lot of covers. A lot of covers. [MORE...]

Cave Singers Drop Matador Debut, Tour

Pretty Girls Make Graves offshoot the Cave Singers have assembled an album of Invitation Songs for their debut on Matador.

The august indie label will release the Songs on September 25, and the band will immediately follow suit with a record release show that night in its hometown of Seattle.

Then the Singers will hit the road with the similarly topographically-minded Black Mountain for a tour that ends October 27 back in Seattle. We swear, though, they leave the city for that month in between. [MORE...]

Maritime Tour With Jimmy Eat World

Hey kids, it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Watch how this makes the scoop on your seafaring friends in Maritime that much more exciting.

Like a phoenix from the ashes of second wave emo, yarrr, they rose: Maritime, former Promise Ring matey Davey von Bohlen's new thing. Shiver me timbers: their new album Heresy and the Hotel Choir docks October 15.

And, yarrr, what's a good post-emo band to do with a new record and a whole lotta time to themselves? Why, link up with the scallywags in Jimmy Eat World for a tour. Following a pair of Maritime headline shows, these two set sail October 7. [MORE...]

Shellac Shack Up for December Residency

As the days grow shorter and winter prepares to smother Chicago in its merciless chill, who better to cuddle up with on a frosty Sunday afternoon than your dear friends Shellac?

Indeed, Chicago-area-dwellers will have several opportunities to get up close and personal with one of their own this December, as Shellac have announced a residency of sorts at one of the city's coziest corners, the venerable Hideout (the very one co-owned by Tim Tuten, who's emceed past Pitchfork Music Festivals).

Steven Frank Albini (electric guitar), Todd Stanford Trainer (drum set), and Robert Spurr Weston IV (electric bass)-- as the Hideout's website makes clear-- will set up shop at the homely bar beginning December 13 and play six shows there over four days. This means, yes, for two glorious weekend days, you can get your Shellac on at noon.

Shellac don't have any other activity planned at the moment, but they do have that rather excellent Italian Greyhound LP, out now on Touch and Go. [MORE...]

School of Language (ex-Field Music) Sign to Thrill Jockey, Memphis Industries

Amidst David Brewis' talk of "Field Music The Company" and "Field Music The Band", Field Music The Music got kind of lost. Where are the sly little jams like the ones found on Tones of Town (and especially the band's debut)? Well, the closest approximation can be found on Brewis' debut album as School of Language, which will clear the semantic barricade for release next year.

Ships is the album's working title (hmm, sounds familiar), and Field Music home Memphis Industries will handle its release in the UK and Ireland while Thrill Jockey takes care of North America and the rest of Europe.

Brewis will play show and tell this fall on a handful of scattered dates. The first one is in Newcastle, England on September 21. [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.)