Yo La Tengo Light Up the Airwaves This Week
Classics, prepare to be MURDERED ANEW

Radioland tends to favor booming voices, big personalities, and a lotta drive-time giveaways. But despite his involvement with one of the finest rock'n'roll bands in modern history, Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan rarely speaks above a whisper, seems far from ostentatious in his manners, and has nothing to give away but his song and a few well-honed witticisms.

Still, Ira's long been a fan and a favorite of New Jersey radio station par excellence WFMU. Over the next few days, both Ira and his band will grace the WFMU airwaves to help the station with its annual pledge drive, on and poppin' from now through March 4.

First, Ira will don the cans awful early tomorrow morning (February 28), stepping in-- as he's been doing a bit lately-- from 6-9 AM EST for a web-only broadcast. He will, as he says, "wake up at an ungodly hour to do whatever I can to help WFMU raise the money they need to stay on the air for another year."

Then on Sunday March 2 from 5-8 PM EST, Yo La Tengo-- accompanied by Bruce Bennett of the A-Bones-- will once again perform extemporaneous covers at the behest of WFMU listeners. Folks call in and, in exchange for a pledge, get Ira, Georgia, James (and Bruce) to play whatever song their heart desires.

I hope you folks know "Crank That (Soulja Boy)", cuz I am so getting paid this weekend!

All this should prove a fine warm-up for Yo La Tengo's March 13 appearance at South by Southwest, which will be broadcast live on several NPR stations and webcast on NPR.org. Hey, this band really does love radio!

In other Yo La Tengo-related SXSW news, The Toe Tactic, the newest addition to their film-scoring resume, will premiere at the SXSW Film Festival. Directed by Yo La Tengo drummer Georgia Hubley's sister Emily, the film is a live action/animation hybrid starring David Cross, Mary Kay Place, Lily Rabe, and Kevin Corrigan.

They'll be back with more-- plus sports and weather-- after the jump. [MORE...]

Video: Yo La Tengo: Kaplan's Korner, or How Yo La Tengo Got Their Name

The Verve Schedule More U.S. Dates, Work on New LP

Video: The Verve: Lucky Man [from the Urban Hymns LP]

Air's Moon Safari Reissued for Tenth Anniversary

If you've never made out to Air's Moon Safari, you're probably doing it wrong. The slinky, synthy 1998 debut from the debonair French duo has served as soundtrack to many an indie rock love affair over the years, and, in addition to its many other musical merits, happens to sustain a pretty perfect rhythm throughout for smoochin' and such. Try it! You'll like it.

In celebration of ten years of contributing to the population explosion, Moon Safari will be reissued in an expanded, limited edition form March 31 in the UK on Virgin (according to NME) and April 15 in the U.S. on Astralwerks (according to Astralwerks). Tucked inside a DVD-sized bound book, the three-disc set includes original ten-track LP, another disc sporting ten more "remixes, rarities and radio sessions,"-- including Beck's pretty strange take on "Sexy Boy" and the Moog Cookbook remix of "Kelly Watch the Stars"-- and a DVD.

The DVD features the documentary Air: Eating, Sleeping, Waiting & Playing, a 60-minute chronicle of Air's first tour directed by Mike Mills (not that one) and originally released in limited edition in 1999. Also included on the disc are the video clips for "Sexy Boy", "Kelly Watch the Stars", "All I Need" and Premiers Symptomes' "Le Soleil Est Pres De Moi", and some previously unseen album graphics by Mills himself.

But how am I supposed to look at the telly when you are kissing on my face?

Air have a pair of appearances at the Australian V Festival in late March and have added a few more dates around the fest sets, though that seems to be about it for their touring plans at the moment. If I made music like this, I'd find excuses to stay home and "listen," too. [MORE...]

Video: Air: Sexy Boy [from the Moon Safari LP]

Carbon/Silicon Bond With Matt Pond PA on Tour

MP3: Carbon/Silicon: The Crackup Suite [free mini-album]
MP3: Matt Pond PA: Closer [from the The Nature of Maps LP]

Techno Overlord Carl Craig Anthologized on Sessions

Stream: Junior Boys: Like a Child (Carl Craig Remix) [from the forthcoming Sessions compilation]

Shins, Wolf Parade, Rilo Kiley Design Charity Shirts
So do Au Revoir Simone

Many moons ago, we reported on the Yellow Bird Project, a fairly ingenious bit of rock'n'roll largesse. The Montreal-based non-profit drafts indie rock stars like Devendra Banhart, Stars, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and My Brightest Diamond to design t-shirts, with money from the sale of the shirts going to the charity of each band's choice.

Well, a little birdie-- or, rather, the Shins' MySpace blog-- reminded us that Yellow Bird's still doing their thing, and whaddya know, they've got a few noteworthy new designs since we last checked in. Experienced shirt designers the Shins contributed a sad sack guy standing in front of an exit sign, to benefit the Nature Conservancy. Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade scrawled a bird-like creature about to get swallowed by a dragon tail (or something), with the proceeds going to Eugene, Oregon's Glass Casters Union. Rilo Kiley doodled a leafy branch, to benefit the Elliott Smith Memorial Fund. And Au Revoir Simone have a little fun with squares on theirs, which gives it up to Transportation Alternatives.

All of these t-shirts are $25, available now. Many of the designs we mentioned way back when are still available as well.

Here are the Wolf Parade, Shins, Rilo Kiley, and Au Revoir Simone designs:

Pattern Is Movement Unveil New Album, Tour

MP3: Pattern Is Movement: Right Away [from the forthcoming All Together LP]

Vampire Weekend Axe Two UK Shows, Add Many More

Vampire Weekend's current mood? BUMMED! So says the band's most recent MySpace blog post anyhow, which explains the cancellations of tonight's gig in Manchester, England and tomorrow night's in Glasgow, Scotland. The reason? That towering beast, illness. But frontguy Ezra Koenig promises, "at least we'll be back in May."

So, how's about a bunch of new Vampire Weekend dates in the UK come May? The band have added a whole slew of shows to their itinerary across the pond, centered around their recently announced appearance at the ATP vs. Pitchfork festival. Both of the axed dates have already been rescheduled

Before heading across the pond, though, Vampire Weekend head out on a big North American tour in March and April, which will take them from Langerado through SXSW and all the way until Coachella. And even if you're not able to make it to SXSW, you'll be able to hear their set at the Parish on March 13 at 4:00 via a live webcast on NPR.

For now, though, get some rest, ya'll: being sick has a way of putting a damper on a perfectly good Weekend. [MORE...]

Video: Vampire Weekend: Various Tracks [live on Morning Becomes Eclectic]

The Dodos Add Dates With Silje Nes

MP3: The Dodos: Jodi [from the forthcoming Visiter LP]
Video: The Dodos: Winter (live in a tunnel in San Francisco)
MP3: Silje Nes: Ames Room [from the Ames Room LP]

Knife's Karin Dreijer Andersson on New dEUS Album

Stream: dEUS: Various Tracks

Andrew Bird Guests on Dianogah Album

Chicago post-rock three-piece Dianogah and indie-folk whistler/heartthrob Andrew Bird go way back. Dianogah member Jay Ryan is an accomplished designer and visual artist (you might recognize his work from our Pitchfork Music Festival posters and t-shirts), and he's created many album covers and posters for Bird over the years.

Last year, Bird and Dianogah teamed up for a Daytrotter session, and tomorrow night, February 28, they'll perform together at a Barack Obama benefit show at the Hideout in Chicago. But the collaboration has now stretched to Dianogah's new album. Unpronounceably titled qhnnnl, the record features Bird's contributions on four songs: "a breaks b", "andrew jackson", "sprinter", and "es posible fuego?". Yes, all of that is supposed to be in lower case.

Southern will release qhnnnl in the U.S. on June 10 and in Europe on June 16. In addition to Andrew Bird, the album also features guitarist Billy Smith (Hubcap), vocalist Stephanie Morris (the Pawners' Society, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir), and Mark Greenberg.

Dianogah will play a record release party with all of the record's guests at the Hideout on May 31, and the show will serve double duty as the only place to pick up qhnnnl prior to its proper release.

Bird just has a few dates scheduled, including the MusicNOW and All Points West festivals. [MORE...]

MP3: Andrew Bird ft. Dianogah: Fiery Crash / Lull / a breaks b / Plasticities (Daytrotter Session)

Frog Eyes Extend Tour

Photo by Sarah Cass

It was less than a year ago that Frog Eyes released Tears of the Valedictorian, and the Canadian band still has plenty of energy to expend on supporting it on the road.

Carey Mercer and co.'s newest jaunt starts with three dates at the Owen Pallet-curated Maximum Black festival, then heads across Europe for a couple weeks before heading back to North America for a pair of New York dates. [MORE...]

MP3: Frog Eyes: Bushels [from the Tears of the Valedictorian LP]

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