Watch: Vampire Weekend Video With RZA, Jake Gyllenhaal, Lil Jon, Joe Jonas

Under the Radar: Stroke - Songs of Chris Knox

Cool Feb. 23rd release through Merge and it's for a good cause.

In June 2009, Chris Knox suffered a life-altering stroke at his home in Grey Lynn, New Zealand. This album is a celebration of Chris and his music. Chris Knox was instrumental in bringing New Zealand punk and alternative music to international audiences with Tall Dwarfs, Toy Love and with his solo work. Artists from the US (Jeff Mangum, Yo La Tengo, Mountain Goats, Will Oldham, Stephin Merritt, Bill Callahan, Lou Barlow, Jay Retard), New Zealand (The Bats, The Verlaines, The Chills) and the world over have donated their time and talents so that all proceeds can go toward assisting his recovery. All proceeds from this LIMITED EDITION CD will go to aid Chris Knox s recovery. It features deluxe die cut packaging, designed by Alec Bathgate (Chris Knox s bandmate in Tall Dwarfs). The collection features the first new music from Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) in over ten years.

Tracklisting:

Disc: 1
1. Pull Down The Shades (Jay Reatard)
2. Rebel (The Checks)
3. Ain t It Nice (The Bleeding Allstars)
4. Don t Catch Fire (Peter Gutteridge)
5. Luck Or Loveliness (The Chills)
6. Nothing s Going To Happen (David Kilgour)
7. All My Hollowness To You (The Crying Wolfs)
8. Beauty (Stephin Merritt)
9. Nostalgia s No Excuse (Portastatic)
10. Crush (The Mint Chicks)
11. I ve Left Memories Behind (Jay & Sam Clarkson)
12. Burning Blue (Skygreen Leopards)
13. The Slide (Shayne Carter)
14. Grand Mal (Pumice)
15. Knoxed Out (Hamish Kilgour)
Disc: 2
1. Not Given Lightly (Boh Runga)
2. Bodies (Red & Zeke Featuring Bill Doss And Neil Cleary)
3. Sign The Dotted Line (Jeff Mangum)
4. Lapse (Bill Callahan)
5. Growth Spurt (Genghis Smith)
6. Coloured (Yo La Tengo)
7. Dunno Much About Life But I Know How To Breathe (AC Newman)
8. Glide (Alec Bathgate)
9. Inside Story (Don McGlashan)
10. The Outer Skin (Sean Donnelly)
11. What Goes Up (Lambchop)
12. Brave (The Mountain Goats)
13. Round These Walls (The Tokey Tones)
14. Just Do It (The Bats)
15. My Only Friend (Will Oldham)
16. It s Love (The Pyjama Party)
17. Becoming Something Other (Jordan Luck)
18. Driftwood (The Verlaines)
19. Song Of The Tall Poppy (Lou Barlow)
20. Napping In Lapland (The Nothing)
21. Sunday Song (Tall Dwarfs)

Under the Radar: Various Artists - The Minimal Wave Tapes Vol. 1

Vinyl and CD out now! Here is the product info. from Stones Throw:

The Minimal Wave Tapes
CD/2LP/Digital
Release Date: Jan 26, 2010

Minimal Wave: both a genre of underground DIY electronic music from North America and Europe in the late 1970s and 80s, and the name of the label devoted to unearthing these recordings. The Minimal Wave Tapes is the first official anthology (on CD, LP and digital) of Minimal Wave music from this label. Most of the songs were originally released on limited edition cassettes or vinyl by the artists themselves, and only a handful of people knew about them. They’ve been remastered from their analog source tapes and compiled here by Minimal Wave's Veronica Vasicka and Stones Throw's Peanut Butter Wolf.

The Minimal Wave musical genre was hallmarked by the use of the analog synths and drum machines manufactured in the 70s and 80s, and characterized by simple music structures made by musicians working in the early D.I.Y. asthetic: recording on tape in their home studios, creating their own album artwork, and often collaborating via postage mail. The fanzine CLEM (Contact List Of Electronic Musicians) was very influential in creating a worldwide community for this sort of music, before digital technology and the internet came into play.

Minimal Wave the label was founded in New York City in 2005 by Veronica Vasicka, who focused the label solely on obscure Minimal Wave recordings, remastering and releasing them on limited vinyl and digital.

The Minimal Waves Tapes fits neatly into Stones Throw Records' own tradition of compiling or reissuing the independent music of the past which influences the independent music we make today - 60s funk (The Funky 16 Corners), early 80s hip-hop (The Third Unheard) and West Coast Electro/Rap (Arabian Prince's Innovative Life) to name a few.

Pitchfork just gave the album an 8.0 Best New Music Rating:

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13910-the-minimal-wave-tapes-vol-1/

Dixie Chicks Side Project Gets Release Date

Court Yard Hands (the Dixie Chicks sans Natalie Maines) project will be release May 4th.

Beach House - Record Store Day Exclusive

Courtesy of www.pitchfork.com :

Record Store Day, which falls on April 17 this year, gets closer and closer every day. And now we can add Charm City float-poppers Beach House to the list of bands making new releases available exclusively at independent record stores in honor of that day.

Sub Pop has announced that the duo will release the new EP Zebra for RSD 2010.

Zebra will feature four songs, including new versions of two tracks from Beach House's BNM'ed new album Teen Dream. Maybe the most intriguing inclusion is "10 Mile Stereo (Cough Syrup Remix)". Since virtually every Beach House song already sounds like a syrup-dazed remix of itself, we can only begin to imagine how that might sound. Tracklist below.

Zebra:

01 Zebra (UK Radio Edit)
02 The Arrangement
03 Baby
04 10 Mile Stereo (Cough Syrup Remix)

Fucked Up - Record Store Day Exclusives

Courtesy of our friends at www.pitchfork.com

Record Store Day (April 17 this year; don't sleep) is the day that bands across the universe honor the independent retailers that helped incubate many of them, releasing exclusive limited edition goods available only at those very independent record stores.

But the singles-happy hardcore bashers in Fucked Up, a band that claims to have released "more than 35" 7" singles, are doing their peers one better. As the Daily Swarm points out, Fucked Up have announced on their blog that on Record Store Day, they will release 11 different versions of the same 7", with 10 of them dedicated to specific record stores across the U.S.

The single includes three songs from Fucked Up's Daytrotter Session-- the two tracks that were included on the Couple Tracks comp ("Magic Word" and "David Comes to Life"), as well as "Crooked Head". But the real selling point here is the cover art. Fucked Up picked 10 different record stores to honor, those record stores sent the band pictures, and now those pictures adorn 10 of the single covers. (There's also a generic cover.) You can collect all 11, but trust that it's not going to be easy.

Here are the record stores represented: Wax Trax in Denver, Waterloo in Austin, Spiral Scratch in Buffalo, Speakertree in Lynchburg, Lunchbox in Charlotte, Grimey's in Nashville, Generation in New York, Fingerprints in Long Beach, Disc Exchange in Knoxville, and CD Alley in Chapel Hill.

AC/DC Provide the Music for "Iron Man 2"

CD/DVD & Vinyl versions out April 19th (Special Monday release??)

CD includes 15 AC/DC classics and fan favorites.

1. Shoot to Thrill
2. Rock 'N' Roll Damnation
3. Guns for Hire
4. Cold Hearted Man
5. Back in Black
6. Thunderstruck
7. If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
8. Evil Walks
9. T.N.T.
10. Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be
11. Have a Drink on Me
12. The Razor's Edge
13. Let There Be Rock
14. War Machine
15. Highway to Hell

DVD features over 60 minutes of music videos, behind the scenes footage, exclusive interviews, and fan stories.

Packaged in a hardback case with 32-page booklet of band photos, Iron Man 2 film scenes, and essay by David Fricke.

"Greenberg" Soundtracked Scored by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem

The new Noah Baumbach film is called Greenberg and it features a score by LCD Soundsystem mastermind James Murphy. The soundtrack boasts 11 Murphy solo pieces and one new LCD Soundsystem song, along with tunes by Nite Jewel, Albert Hammond, Galaxie 500, the Sonics, and Duran Duran.

Talking about the soundtrack to Drowned in Sound recently, Murphy said it "sounds NOTHING like LCD, really. it's made to fit the movie, not be 'my record'." Segue: LCD Soundsystem's new album is due out later in the Spring.

Soundtrack scheduled for release on March 23. The Greenberg movie is out in select U.S. cities March 26.

Greenberg Soundtrack:

01 James Murphy: "People"
02 Nite Jewel: "Suburbia"
03 James Murphy: "Sleepy Baby"
04 James Murphy: "Thumbs"
05 Albert Hammond: "It Never Rains in Southern California"
06 James Murphy: "Plenty of Time"
07 James Murphy: "Photographs"
08 James Murphy: "Gente"
09 Galaxie 500: "Strange"
10 LCD Soundsystem: "Oh You (Christmas Blues)"
11 James Murphy: "Birthday Song"
12 James Murphy: "Dear You"
13 The Sonics: "Shot Down"
14 Duran Duran: "The Chauffeur"
15 James Murphy: "If You Need a Friend"
16 James Murphy : "Please Don't Follow Me"
17 James Murphy: "Photographs (Piano)"

(courtesy: Pitchfork.com)

Roky Erickson and Okkervil River Album Due Out April 20th

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2010/02/roky-erickson-backed-by-okkervil-river-on-new-albu.html

Under The Radar: Lost and Found - Real R&B and Soul by Keb Darge and Paul Weller

Cool release came out on CD & LP on Jan. 19th.

Keb Darge's 'Lost and Found' series sets out to expose lesser known or forgotten lights of soul music from the 50's and 60's. The soul of the fifties and sixties was much purer, and more honest. Therefore it reaches parts that the modern day pish cannot reach. However at last thanks to a new generation of youngsters influenced by the likes of Amy Winehouse, thousands of clubbers worldwide are now turning to the past for real pleasure during their nights out.

"I look into the sea of smiling faces on the dance floor every Saturday night at Madame Jo Jo's, and get a feeling that somehow this music has saved these people from a false and dreary nightlife." - Keb Darge

Tracklisting

Keb Darge's Choice

1. Big Mama Thornton - They Call Me Big Mama
2. The Brothers Of Soul - Come On Back
3. The Tempos - (Countdown) Here I Come
4. Epitome Of Sound - You Don't Love Me
5. Daddy Cleanhead & C. Higgins Band - Something's Goin' On In My Room
6. The Casanova Two - We Got To Keep On
7. The Creations - A Dream
8. Elsie Wheat - Tippin'
9. Sarah Dean With Freddie Mitchell Orchestra - Long Lean Daddy
10. Billy Fair & Orch. - I'll Be True To You
11. The Cadets - I Want You
12. Velma Cross & Her High Steppers - I'll Be Oh So Good
13. Big T. Tyler - King Kong
14. The Flirtations - Stronger Than Her Love
15. The Great Experience - Don't Forget To Remember

Paul Weller's Choice

16. The Intruders - Hang On In There
17. Major Lance – Rhythm
18. Margie Joseph - One More Chance
19. Tammi Terrell - All I Do Is Think About You
20. The Dells - Wear It On Your Face
21. Bobby Bland - Honey Child
22. The Radiants - Ain't No Big Thing
23. Albert King - Crosscut Saw
24. Jimmy Witherspoon - Money Is Getting Cheaper
25. Billy Watkins - The Ice-Man
26. Eddie Giles - Losin' Boy
27. Emmitt Long - Call Me
28. Slim Harpo - I Got Love If You Want It

Stream the New Peter Gabriel Album!

"For his first studio album in eight years, Peter Gabriel came up with an audacious plan. He decided to cover the work of his favourite artists and, in exchange, they would do the same for him. Scratch My Back is the first instalment of this project, and sees the 59-year-old, ex-Genesis man cover the likes of Radiohead, Talking Heads and David Bowie. The artists whose songs you hear here will be returning the favour by performing Gabriel's songs on a forthcoming album, I'll Scratch Yours." (courtesy Guardian UK)

Album scheduled for release on March 2nd.

Stream the entire album here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/feb/04/peter-gabriel-scratch-back

Radiohead Finish New Album?

Rumor has it after being holed up in a house in the Hollywood Hills recording with producer Nigel Goodrich, Radiohead held a "wrap party" for the recording sessions. Is a new album release in the near future?

http://stereogum.com/archives/radiohead_wrap_up_new_album_112991.html

The T.A.M.I. Show Collector's Edition (1964) Due Out March 23rd

It is the Greatest, Grooviest, Wildest, Most Exciting Beat Blast Ever to Pound the Screen!

Filmed just eight months after The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, THE T.A.M.I. SHOW introduced rock n soul youth culture to America in the first concert movie of the rock era. One of the rarest and most sought-after performance films from its time, the 1964 concert event featured future Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Rolling Stones, James Brown, Chuck Berry, The Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Supremes and many other American and British Invasion hitmakers in their prime.

This legendary film has never been available on DVD and has not been seen in its entirety since it originally appeared in theaters in 1964. Mastered from a new High Definition transfer and UNCUT, this complete version features the Beach Boys performances that were removed following the films initial theatrical run. This is what music fans have been waiting for: the ultimate collectors edition of this long-unavailable landmark film.

Filmed at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, October 29, 1964

New MGMT Due Out April 13th

Pitchfork Best New Music

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/best/albums/

List of the most recent Pitchfork picks for best new stuff released over the last couple of months. Beach House, Surfer Blood, Gil-Scott Heron, Hot Chip, etc.