Frank Miller gets Hard Boiled for new movie
While known to the general public for writing and co-directing the movie Sin City (2005), comic book living legend Frank Miller is no stranger to the world of the silver screen. He wrote the two Robocop sequels (1990, 1993), his storylines have been used for major movies such as Batman Begins (2005), 300 (2006) and Daredevil (2003) (but don’t hold the latter against him), and he is directing his adaption of Will Eisner’s The Spirit (2009). Now, the auteur is in talks to bring another one of his creations to the big screen. Miller recently told MTV at this year’s... read more
Ron Sexsmith tours with Nick Lowe, unveils Strategy in July
Exit Strategy of the Soul may be Ron Sexsmith’s first release via Yep Roc, but the album is his 10th solo project to date. And though July 8 may seem worlds away from April, to help pass the time, Sexsmith has already started a spring tour with Nick Lowe. The tour began in Boulder, Colo., on April 15. Meanwhile, because he was in town, Sexsmith attended Feist’s set at Vanderbilt University’s Rites of Spring on Saturday. During her performance, she played “Secret Heart” from his self-titled album, which also was on her sophomore release Let it Die. Sexsmith's new album... read more
Ricky Gervais putting in Grand Theft Auto appearance
Early reports have indicated that Grand Theft Auto IV is attempting to bring a whole new level of realism to the GTA series, but things just got a little bit more serious(ly funny). Kotaku reports via ShortList that Ricky Gervais will be playing a part in the upcoming game, not just voicing a character but rather playing some embodiment of himself. "Ricky Gervais . . . will even perform three-minute skits of never-before-heard material and classic Fame gags in the digital comedy club in which you find him," writes the article. Still unclear is whether the character will literally be... read more
Nels Cline Singers kick off series of dates tonight in NYC
Nels Cline had been playing guitar for decades before he was "that totally awesome dude who wails for Wilco." In fact, the L.A.-born Cline has been working as a guitarist and songwriter since 1967. And so it makes sense that between promoting last year’s Sky Blue Sky with the band, Cline is playing a few shows with his Nels Cline Singers, showing off the experimental jazz he loves best. If you won’t be in New York City this April, or near the northern border this June, you can also listen to Cline’s audible genius on Cryptogramophone labelmates The Jeff Gauthier... read more
Coachella 2008 set times announced
The set times for the magical, mystical festival known as Coachella have just been announced. Reminiscent of Lollapalooza 2006, which featured My Morning Jacket paired against Iron & Wine and The New Pornographers overlapping both Broken Social Scene and the Violent Femmes, Coachella-ers will have to contend with scheduling dilemmas out the wazoo. Aesop Rock and Santogold, Cut Copy and Jens Lekman, the list goes on and on. And that's just Friday. Saturday will require black market cloning of people who really can't live with out seeing Prince, Calvin Harris, Akron/Family and Portishead (which should include pretty much everyone in... read more
Ry Cooder to release final album in California Trilogy
Master songwriter and storyteller Ry Cooder will release a new record, I, Flathead, and an accompanying novella June 24 on Nonesuch/Perro Verde Records. Flathead is the final chapter in Cooder’s California Trilogy, which began with 2005’s Chavez Ravine and continued with 2007’s My Name is Buddy. The new album contains the purported recordings of fictitious musician Kash Buk and his band the Klowns. The 95-page companion novella follows Buk and his alien friend Shakey as they trek across rural California, meeting a host of colorful characters along the way. Cooder produced the album and wrote or co-wrote all of its... read more
Hot Chip plans massive tour, releases new single
The boys from Hot Chip plan to take over the world (or at least the Western hemisphere) over the next few months. With a fresh (currently in the works) tour that spans as far into the future as October, and includes appearances at many A-list festivals of the season (Coachella, ATP vs. Pitchfork, Glastonbury, Austin City Limits), you'll have the opportunity to see them play "Over and Over" for the next few months. Get ready to "Shake a Fist," y'all. The London-based quartet will release a new b-side on May 11 along with remixes of "Ready for the Floor" and... read more
Bell X1 returns to the U.S.
It's a little rare for a band to decide to tour in the same foreign country on the same album twice in one year. It is even stranger that a band would consider it after its mode of transportation burst into flames the last time around. So, either the members of Bell X1 don't fear the reaper or they like the U.S. too much to care. This time around, the Irish quartet will concentrate its efforts on the East Coast, revisiting only two cities from before (with good reason as they've sold out New York’s Bowery Ballroom twice). We hope... read more
Ghostly International and Adult Swim team up for free comp
On Sunday (April 20), the record label Ghostly International digitally released its collaboration with Adult Swim, those purveyors of late night animation entertainment, called Ghostly Swim. It's a "genre-busting" collection of 19 songs, the label writes in a statement. "Ghostly Swim explores the Avant-Pop style that the Ann Arbor/New York City label has been been championing for the past 9 years." The free compilation includes tracks from the label's artists and friends, including Matthew Dear, Dabrye, Tycho, Aeroc, The Chap, School of Seven Bells, Deastro, Milosh, FLYamSAM and Dark Party. You can download the entire album and artwork here. The... read more
Land near Hollywood sign might be sold
Hollywood loves movies almost as much as it loves money, and it’s the latter form of affection that seems to be provoking a bit of an outcry in Tinseltown. /Film recently pointed to this article, which indicates that the land above and to the left of the dearly loved Hollywood sign might be for sale. Yes, that’s right, the aesthetic purity of nine white letters on a sparse hilltop might be threatened by a real estate deal. The 138 acres have been put on the market for $22 million, so it’s possible that we might start seeing little mansions grazing... read more
Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis work on new album
Willie Nelson is no stranger to collaborations. A partial list of his working buddies includes Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, Sinéad O'Connor, David Crosby, Kris Kristofferson, Julio Iglesias, Johnny Cash and Ryan Adams. Wynton Marsalis is also no stranger to collaborations. So it makes sense that these two non-strangers to collaborations have decided to record an album together. Although our preferred title, He’s a Little Bit Country, He’s a Little Bit Jazz and Classical, was sadly eschewed for the more evocative Two Men With The Blues, the album is still an exciting event. Two Men features songs recorded during... read more
David Byrne and Brian Eno reconnect with album, tour
Hey...did you hear the news over your local art-rock watercooler? You know, about David Byrne, former lead singer of the Talking Heads, and his new artistic collaboration? That's right, friends: Byrne's working with Fatboy Slim! But before you start to drool over the possibilities of that pairing, it's best not to bury the lead any longer: Byrne is also at work with his old partner in musical paradigm shifting, Brian Eno. As The Daily Swarm first alerted us, the two have produced a new album together that should arrive via Nonesuch by the end of the year. Byrne is calling... read more
HEALTH unleashes disco, tours Europe
“Beautiful noise” group HEALTH will release a remixed version of its self-titled debut album this month, and is currently amidst an extensive European tour. HEALTH//DISCO is not actually a disco album. However, it does feature 11 remixed songs from the band’s 2007 debut, including tracks from Crystal Castles, Acid Girls, Pink Skull and Thrust Lab. The album also contains an enhanced DISCO+ portion with remixes from artists including Toxic Avenger and Captain Ahab. The album is due May 13 on Lovepump United Records. The band recorded its debut, HEALTH, in one of the members’ favorite places: the downtown L.A. all-ages... read more
Zach Galifianakis and Kimmel chat on Between Two Ferns
People not to take interview cues from: 1. That NPR guy who had a painful interview with Sigur Rós. 2. Bill O'Reilly. 3. Zach Galifianakis. The bearded genius behind his and Will Oldham's alternate video for Kanye West's "Can't Tell Me Nothin'" and a recent Absolut-commissioned advertisement (featuring Tim and Eric) can now add "talk show host" to his colorful work experience. His series Between Two Ferns, posted on FunnyOrDie.com, has already featured a tickle-resistant Michael Cera and now, Jimmy Kimmel. Watch Galifianakis get barefoot, ask his guest about cocker spaniels and mispronounce every name but his own below: Between... read more
Weeds soundtrack to hit online right before season four
The Showtime network followed up its scandalous announcement of an early return for the hit show Weeds with a digital-only release of last season's soundtrack. The DVD of Weeds' third season will accompany the June 3 online release of its soundtrack, which starts off with the show's opening theme “Little Boxes,” covered this time by Randy Newman. Other noteworthy artists in the soundtrack include The Dresden Dolls, Ween and 4 to watch veteran Beirut. Meanwhile, season four begins June 16. Tracklist: 1. Randy Newman - Little Boxes 2. Page France - Chariot 3. That 1 Guy - Buttmachine 4. Beirut... read more
Abigail Washburn announces new album, extensive tour
Folk songstress and banjo master Abigail Washburn will embark on a 100+ date North American tour this week, in support of her new album to be released next month. Washburn’s sophomore record, Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet, will be released May 20 on Nettwerk Records. The album was composed and arranged by the Sparrow Quartet, comprised of Washburn, Bela Fleck (banjo), Ben Sollee (cello) and Casey Driessen. Fleck also produced the record, which Washburn described as an effort to “intentionally create art that is more than what I ever thought I was capable of.” Washburn visited China for the... read more
Matt & Kim, The Death Set, more to play Detroit's Rock City
Add another festival to your summer concert schedule: online music and culture magazine, Detour, has arranged for over 50 bands to play at four venues over a three-day weekend. They're calling it the 2008 Rock City Festival. From June 12-14, 2008 (the very same days some of you may be hanging out at some farm in Manchester, Tenn.), Detroit’s Majestic Theatre Center and the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit will be hosting national acts like Sloan, Von Bondies, Matt & Kim and VHS or Beta . Also appearing will be the Detroit-based Death Set, Terrible Twos, Child Bite, Benny Stoofy... read more
Jason Reitman, Kevin Smith, other celebs blog for NHL.com
In an apparent attempt to gather up new hockey fans, the NHL has recruited celebrities such as Jason Reitman, Lauren Conrad, Dierks Bentley and Kevin Smith to help out in this mission. During this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, they will be part of a strategy started last year: celebrities blogging about hockey. “As NHL.com bloggers, they can be irreverent and candid about their love for the NHL,” said NHL spokeswoman Bernadette Mansur. The participating celebrities will follow their favorite teams through the playoffs, contributing video and written commentary as the games progress. For the Eastern Conference, bloggers include artists such... read more
A Replacements reunion getting closer? Maybe...
Just in time for the re-release of the band's early material, The Replacements have started dropping (more) hints about a possible reunion. According to Billboard.com, principle songwriters Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson have been kicking around the possibility of reuniting, even going as far as considering (and turning down) a possible spot at this year's Coachella. In the article, Stinson frustratingly remarks, "We actually talked about it again this year, and I think there was a consensus that, you know, maybe it wasn't the right time (to reunite), or maybe it is the right time." Wait. What? Was that a... read more
Blondie to tour this summer
Are reports of punk rock's demise greatly exaggerated? Conflicting opinions on the subject abound both on the internet and off. The recent revamping of CBGB's East Village space into a pricey designer clothing store has perhaps given additional heft to one side of the argument. Now, the iconic Debbie Harry has re-emerged with her band that sprang from that particular late '70s scene. Contrary to Harry's announcement two years ago that Blondie's tour with The Cars would be its last, the band's new trek kicks off in early June. Dates: June 5 - Baltimore, Md. @ Ram's Head Live 6... read more
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Blind Pilot - The Story I Heard
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Gregory Alan Isakov - The Moon Song
Punch Brothers - Punch Brothers at CMJ
Anya Marina - Whatever You Like
David Bazan - Hard To Be
