Waits, Bruce, Bright Eyes on Body of War Soundtrack
Plus: Public Enemy, Neil Young, Lupe Fiasco, Kimya Dawson, Talib Kweli

Body of War is a documentary focusing on the daily struggles of Tomas Young, a 26-year-old veteran of the Iraq War who was paralyzed from a gunshot suffered within his first week of service in Iraq. Produced and directed by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro, the film has been racking up awards (including the National Board of Review's "Best Documentary of 2007" prize) on the festival circuit, and will be released theatrically all over in the coming weeks.

Body of War's resolute anti-war message is backed up by a politically-charged double-disc soundtrack entitled Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran, due March 18 on Sire. Pretty much anyone with an eye on the electorate and a pen of poison shows up here, including Tom Waits, Public Enemy, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Bright Eyes, Lupe Fiasco, Against Me!, Kimya Dawson, Rage Against the Machine, Bad Religion, Talib Kweli, and John Lennon. All proceeds from the sale of the soundtrack go to Iraq Veterans Against the War, a charity chosen specifically by Tomas Young.

What's more, Body of War will be screened this Thursday, March 13 at Austin, Texas' Paramount Theater as part of the SXSW festivities, with Young and the filmmakers answering questions as a postscript. After that's wrapped, Stubb's will host performances from another who's who of politically-minded folks, including Billy Bragg, Kimya Dawson, Tom Morello, Serj Tankian, and Ben Harper. [MORE...]

Sonic Youth Reissue Remastered EP, Prep SYR 7 Vinyl
Band, copious side projects line up dates

There's never a dull moment for indie rock's resident Energizer Bunnies Sonic Youth, who have swiftly followed up news of more art-world dabblings and the unlikeliest festival appearance in the history of ever with a flaming slew of activity.

On the release front, Kim and the boys recently served up a remastered reissue of 1987's Master-Dik EP, marking the release's debut in compact disc format. The EP includes a Ramones cover ("Beat on the Brat") and a "sound collage of psycho-distorto-soundscapes" (ooo!), among other sonic treasures. Copies are available right now, exclusively via the band's website.

Sonic Youth also keep going and going and going with the seventh SYR release, due April 22. The limited edition self-released slab of vinyl includes an NYC Ghosts & Flowers-era "22 minute drone-piece" and a composition intended for an aborted collaboration with a fashion designer. Keen!

On the live front, you can't sneeze over the next couple months without getting germs all over a member of Sonic Youth performing in some capacity. In addition to the full band's sure to be legendary appearance at the Dickson St. Music Festival and a gig the night before in Nashville, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore will team as Mirror/Dash tonight (March 11), Moore will bring all manner of ruckus to SXSW this week and No Fun Fest in May, and Lee Ranaldo will team with the Bang on a Can All-Stars and hit up No Fun himself. We've put our asterisks to good use below in the hopes of sorting everything out for you; have a look.

Finally, Free Kitten have returned! And a few more details recently came to light regarding Sonic Youth's career-spanning traveling art exhibit: it's called "Sonic Youth Etc.: Essential Fix", and it has a museum tour of its own shaping up. Get your "Essential Fix" at Saint-Nazaire, France's LIFE from June 17 to September 9, Bolzano, Italy's Museion from October 10 to January 4 of next year, and Dusseldorf, Germany's Kunsthalle from January 31 to April 26, 2009.

Tum tum tum tum tum tum tum tum... [MORE...]

Malkmus Whips Up New 10" for Record Store Day

Photo by Nilina Mason-Campbell

Above the din of your Soulseek client's insistent friend request beep and that nasty "server seems to have been compromised" message they throw at you whenever you've got too many torrents open, you may have caught wind of the troubles the record industry's been facing lately. People just aren't buying Bow Wow records in the numbers they once did, and the same, of course, could be said for the artists that generally grace these pages. Sucks for Wal-Mart, but whatevs, they deserve it.

But it sucks in a totally sucky way for indie record shops, where you should be acquiring a vast majority of your recorded music and related bric-a-brac. Seriously.

With that in mind, a group of artists and record labels have come together to support Record Store Day, taking place April 19 at a mom and pop shop near you. Participating record stores-- and there are a lot of 'em-- are hosting special events throughout the day, and will have special merchandise for sale. One of those pieces of merchandise comes from a young man by the name of Stephen Malkmus (via his record label, Matador).

Anyway, Malkmus and the Jicks are issuing a limited-edition 10" single for Real Emotional Trash's "Cold Son", featuring a trio of unreleased jams. The disc will only be available through stores participating in Record Store Day, though some will also be available on the Jicks' tour.

There's a song on here called "Carl the Clod"! Good cause and all, but how could you not want this thing?

Oh, and that Malky tour? Dates after this. [MORE...]

Citay Embrace the Road

Photo by Alissa Anderson

Cosmic wailers Citay are extending the reign of last year's Little Kingdom with some U.S. tour dates in support of the record. The San Francisco many-piece begin schlepping their psychedelic jams with a trip to SXSW this week.

Throughout the tour, the Dead Oceans band will play shows alongside Sunburned Hand of the Man, Old Time Relijun, Bodies of Water, Howlin Rain, Rings, and Wooden Shjips, among others. [MORE...]

Human Bell Tour, Play Dates With Boredoms

Human Bell-- the guitar-slingin', no singin' Baltimore duo featuring Arbouretum tender Dave Heumann and former Lungfish-er Nathan Bell-- rang in the new year with a top-notch pun and a self-titled debut LP.

But as spring rolls around, their self-styled reverberations will sound through clubs (and record stores) the world over. Indeed, Human Bell are doing that touring thing this very instant, with gigs in the States this month to be followed by a trip to Europe and the UK the next. Quite a few of the pair's U.S. dates find them ushering their Thrill Jockey labelmates Boredoms around the country. Show those Boredoms a good time, gentlemen, and maybe they'll come back more often! [MORE...]

Learn the Way of the Wu
Enter for a chance to win one of 10 custom-designed RZA sampler/synthesizers

How does the Wu do it? Over 15 years on, the Staten Island ruckus-bringers remain one of the most formidable forces in hip-hop, while the wide-ranging influence of RZA's distinctive production touch cannot be understated.

RZA recently played teacher to a handful of eager Wu protégés at a Hollywood Guitar Center during the unveiling of the Roland RZA/Forat MV-8800, a sampler/synthesizer custom-designed by RZA and audio technician Bruce Forat.

Now you, the Pitchfork faithful, have the opportunity to win one of these unique music-making machines. All you need do is sign up for the Pitchfork email list, which will not only guarantee you Pitchfork updates and assorted fun absolutely free of charge, but will also enter you in a drawing for one of RZA's MV-8800s-- one of only 10 in existence.

Sign up and enter to win HERE.

And that's not all! The winner will also receive round-trip airfare to Los Angeles and two nights' accommodations so that he/she may rendezvous with the RZA himself and receive a personal MV-8800 tutorial session. This sweet contest is presented by our friends at Guitar Center.

We know what you're thinking-- not another email list! But believe us, this one is well worth your while. Of course your email address will not be sold or otherwise used without your consent. Details on that and all the captivating fine print you crave lie just below the jump. And HERE.

Sign up between March 11 and March 24 to be entered to win. And click "MORE" for photos of the MV-8800 and RZA's Hollywood Guitar Center tutorial session as well. [MORE...]

Devin the Dude Starts Smoke Sessions Mixtape Series

Devin the Dude is taking a break from taking it easy to issue Smoke Sessions Vol. 1, a brand new mixtape and Dude's first release for the BCD Music Group since leaving his label of 14 years, Rap-A-Lot, earlier in 2008.

As its name would suggest, Smoke Sessions Vol. 1 is the first in a planned series from Devin and his Coughee Brothaz crew. The inaugural installment arrives April 1 and features collaborations with a bunch of Devin's constant companions, including a ton of Coughee Brothaz and Todd Fisher's crazy ass. Expect more from this lot soon.

Devin's currently gearing up for SXSW, and has scattered dates planned through May. [MORE...]

Issac Brock Guests on New Love as Laughter Album
Album also happens to be coming out on Brock's label

Brooklyn five-piece Love as Laughter will soon bring to fruition their partnership with pal and Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock's Glacial Pace Recordings. The band's fifth album and first for their new label is called Holy, and Glacial Pace will release it in June.

Holy features guest contributions from TK Webb, Robin Peringer (ex-Band of Horses, Modest Mouse), Tommy Mandel (who has played piano with the Clash, Dire Straits, and Bryan Adams), and Brock himself, who plays guitar on "Paul Revere" and "All Parts of Me".

Of his own involvement with Holy, Brock said, "I'm so happy with this record. It makes me feel great in the way I always imagined running a label and helping put out badass music would feel. I really am proud to have had anything to do with this."

Love as Laughter have one date scheduled right now-- a set at former label Sub Pop's SXSW showcase on Friday, March 14 at Bourbon Rocks.

In other Glacial Pace news, the label's first signing, singer/songwriter Mason Jennings, has left the imprint for Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records. [MORE...]

Leonard Cohen Announces Tour

As promised all the way back in January, Leonard Cohen-- singer/songwriter, poet, and recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee-- has announced a world tour (via NME).

In addition to his previously reported stop at Glastonbury, Lenny will hit cities in Canada, the UK, Scandinavia, and Europe throughout June and July.

It's rumored that more dates, including a North American trek, are in the works, as is a new album. [MORE...]

Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip, "Shalt" Come to U.S.

"Thou Shalt Always Kill"-- the funky and somewhat fresh self-help book in song form from British electro-rap duo Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip-- has finally come to America to offer a little bit (okay, a lot) of friendly advice.

The tune, coupled with the duo's "Beat That My Heart Skipped", hit this continent for the very first time digitally today from Cold Sweat Records. Lay down that Coca-Cola product and that Nestlé product and pick up the track right now on the internet.

And, hey, while they're busy traveling through the wires, Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip will hit the States in physical form for a handful of live dates this week (plus Coachella in late April). There'll be UK dates aplenty and some festival action as 2008 goes on, and there's talk of a full-length LP by the end of the year as well. Don't overextend yourselves, fellas! Remember, you're just a band. [MORE...]

Photos: Be Your Own Pet [Portland, OR; 03/07/08]

Photos by Nilina Mason-Campbell

Self-domestication advocates Be Your Own Pet have been out there encouraging the kids to Get Awkward, as you know. Those kids can take the lesson home beginning March 18 in North America (via Ecstatic Peace/Universal) and March 17 in the UK (via XL).

This past weekend found the rabble-rousing quartet in fine form at Portland, Oregon's Doug Fir Lounge. They head to SXSW tomorrow, then see what kind of trouble they can stir up in Europe over the weeks beyond. Quite a few new dates have entered BYOP's itinerary since our last dispatch, so have a look below.

BE YOUR OWN PET









[MORE...]

Breeders' Kelley Deal Writing Book About Knitting Bags
She's crafty, she's just my type

We already knew that Kelley Deal rocked. The Breeders, her band with sister Kim, has been making some of the coolest music on the planet on and off for years.

And they aren't stopping any time soon: As previously reported, the new Breeders album Mountain Battles is out April 8 (the day before in the UK) on 4AD. It will be preceded by the single for "We're Gonna Rise", out March 17.

But did we know that Kelley Deal's bags rocked? No we didn't. Well, apparently they do, and she's writing a whole book about it! Bags That Rock: Knitting on the Road With Kelley Deal will be published by Lark this October. Here's the description:

"Tag along with Kelley Deal as she gives you a privileged backstage pass to her cool rock'n'roll world and her knitted bag obsession. Knitters of all skill levels will get to explore Kelley's stylish choices of fibers and gear and get the lowdown on bag-specific features. Get all the basics on felting, embroidery embellishments, and 20 fabulous projects, each with its own 'remix' variation."

Hot damn. Kelley Deal can kick my ass with a guitar and with a pair of knitting needles? I didn't think the Breeders could get any awesomer than they already were, but I think they just did. [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.)