Will This Be the Year for Annuals?
It might seem odd to regard a modestly successful band like Annuals as “emergent”... read more
Scarlett Johansson: Anywhere I Lay My Head
New standards or... read more
Mates of State: Re-Arrange Us
We all know That Couple: professionally accomplished, interpersonally fluid, slaloming between challenges... read more
Spiritualized preps A&E, sets tour dates
Has it really been almost five years since the last Spiritualized record? Sure, Jason Pierce (aka J Spaceman) has kept busy recording soundtracks to beautiful-looking, idiosyncratic indie films and touring the world a bit, but five years without a mind-expanding, heroin-use-referencing, orchestra-arranging Spiritualized record is at least three years too long.... read more
Bee Gees catalogue heading for nights on Broadway
It makes sense for the singers of one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time to pen a West End/Broadway musical. They’ll know how to do it, they’ll know how to show it. Don’t need no help for them to make it.... read more
The Faint to release Fasciinatiion, tour
Omaha quintet The Faint is releasing its fifth album, Fasciinatiion, on August 5. It will be the band's first album in four years, and the first album the group has written, recorded, produced, art directed and released completely by itself.... read more
Duffy: Rockferry
Soul music is finding a bit of a revival these days... read more
Mates of State announce tour dates, free MP3
Mates of State have announced a barrage of summer tour dates and festival appearances in support of their upcoming album, Re-Arrange Us, due May 20 on Barsuk Records. Re-Arrange Us will be husband-and-wife duo Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner’s fifth studio album. In anticipation of its release, an MP3 of the song “My Only Offer from the new album is available for free download here. The duo's new album will be a departure from the band's traditional sound. Gardner's organ playing will take a back seat to organic piano, synth sounds and additional instumentation. Prominent lead vocals from both Mates... read more
Catching Up With... J.Tyler Helms
Like it or not, you and Bruce Springsteen have something in common. Something deep and emotionally binding. Something real. You’ve both seen 24-year-old graphic designer J. Tyler Helms’ homemade video for the Arcade Fire’s “My Body Is a Cage,” and you’ve both... read more
Catching Up With... The National
It’s been quite a year for The National. The band released Boxer, Paste’s favorite album of 2007, just less than 365 days ago on May 22. Ever since, the band has been taking the masterful collection of songs to audiences around the world, and the trip isn't finished yet. May 23... read more
David Byrne plays NYC ferry terminal...literally
David Byrne is all growns up, and still seeing music everywhere he goes. The former lead Talking Head has gone from (metaphorically) burning down houses to using them as musical instruments. Before you shamefully throw your homemade mandolin or hurdy-gurdy out with last nights dinner, remember: Byrne's had practice converting buildings into giant instruments. A few years ago, he turned an old dilapidated factory in Sweden into an enormous organ-like structure, complete with pipes that created a cacophony of sound. Now, he's bringing the idea to America, and building a colossal instrument inside an abandoned ferry terminal, smack in the... read more
Kelly decries Darko sequel, collaborates with Arcade Fire
Director Richard Kelly will not, he repeats, will not be involved with the upcoming Donnie Darko sequel in any way, shape or form. Oh, and by the way, the Arcade Fire is scoring his new film The Box. That’s pretty much been the news swirling around the director in the blogosphere this week. It all began with film studio Velvet Octopus’ announcement last week that a sequel to Kelly’s cult favorite Donnie Darko would begin production May 18. S. Darko will take place seven years after Donnie’s death, and will follow his sister Samantha and her best friend on a... read more
Steven Spielberg tackles America's bloodiest war in next film
Hot off of the set of the fourth Indiana Jones film, Steven Spielberg refuses to relax. Now that he's tackled the latest adventures of Jones and company (that sadly but unsurprisingly does not include Sean Connery), Spielberg promises to finally focus on a biopic of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, a project that has been on the director's back-burner for nearly seven years. It's possible that the movie may begin shooting as soon as 2009, since the script has already been written by Tony Kushner. Liam Neeson is said to be on board to take on the formidable role... read more
King Khan brings his Shrines to North America for summer
Above: The wrath of Khan That King Khan sure is a mysterious and prolific gent. Having recorded under/collaborated with numerous entities (The King Khan & BBQ Show, The Spaceshits, The Sensational Shrines, King Khan & His Lonesome Guitar, The Ciaoculos) over the years, the man who claims his legal name is Blacksnake will hit the road this summer for a series live shows. What's the occasion? Why, King Khan and the Shrines' first ever North American tour dates, natch. The "massive 9 piece psychedelic soul big band explosion" will be out promoting the June 17 release of its Supreme Genius... read more
Stereolab sets dates for fall tour, new album
The busy, summer-concert season is officially upon us. When planning the ultimate warm season of music, though, it is important to consider the abundant possibilities that follow in the cooler autumn months. Namely, Stereolab will tour in support of its album Chemical Chords, the group's first full LP in four years. The album will be released Aug. 19 in the U.S. and Aug. 18 everywhere else. According to our calculations, Stereolab fans should reserve approximately 14 cents per day for Chords. Set aside even more to enjoy one of the following shows, several of which feature Laetitia Sadier playing double... read more
Frightened Rabbit to thump across the U.S.
The Glaswegian lads of Frightened Rabbit seem to have picked the perfect name to fit their appealing, cheeky rock 'n' roll. It's odd, but not off-puttingly so, and has that elusive cute/anxious quality—plus, it gets them into Paste's Field Guide to Animal Bands! It's been a busy 2008 for the fledgling quartet. The second Frightened Rabbit full-length, The Midnight Organ Fight, landed on American shores in April, accompanied by an adorable video for "Heads Roll Off." It's set in a preschool, where a group of tiny children (making tiny changes?) bust some moves and occasionally look pensive (see, it's that... read more
Iggy Pop, X, Jenny Lewis and more get down with puppets
Remember that time R.E.M. was on Sesame Street and how cool it was? Of course you do, and if you don’t want to admit it, here’s a reminder: In any case, if you can’t get enough of your favorite rockers rocking out with puppets, then don’t miss Pancake Mountain. What is it, exactly? Well, we’re not quite sure, but it seems all of our favorite indie musicians given their songs over to the furry people to make them happy. In a new DVD that collects the ninth and tenth episodes of the show, performers such as Iggy Pop, X, Built... read more
New album on the horizon, Metallica begins a Mission
Rumors are swirling about the release date of Metallica's forthcoming album. NME reports October 28, while Billboard says September, which jives with what Lars Ulrich told the BBC back in March. It's kind of like on the playground that time when Julie heard from Charles who heard from Billy that got it secondhand from Abigail that you totally picked your nose in math class. Clearly, the as-yet-untitled album will arrive in the fall. Official word has come, however, that the band will augment the release of its ninth studio opus with a recently launched website Mission:Metallica.com. The site promises fans... read more
Broken Social Scene’s Canning to release solo debut
Broken Social Scene member Brendan Canning will release his debut solo album Something For All of Us July 22 on Arts & Crafts. Canning first had the idea for a solo album back in January of 2007 when he started assembling songs he had written over time into a single, decidedly album-like format. He produced the album in Toronto with Ryan Kondrat and John La Manga, and emerged with 11 diverse tracks that showcase his wide range of musical influences and talents. While Canning has only performed lead vocals on three BSS songs, he has scored music for several films,... read more
Indigo Girl Amy Ray readies Kinder album
Indigo Girl Amy Ray recently announced that her third solo album, Didn't It Feel Kinder, will be released on August 5 on Daemon Records. The album features songs that deal with heavy fare that includes the Virginia Tech killings, religious conservatism and our cultural obsession with war. “What ties the record together for me is this human yearning to be understood and the yearning to become empathetic with other people," Ray said in a statement. "How to love each other and be kind even when we're brutally angry." Ray doesn't merely write and sing about issues of import; she tackles... read more
The 20 Best Gadgets of the Decade…
The 17 Best Romantic Comedies This Decade
The 50 Best Albums of the Decade…
The 25 Best Movie Performances of the…
Blind Pilot - The Story I Heard
Kim Taylor - Days Like this
B.O.B. - Put Me On
Gregory Alan Isakov - The Moon Song
Punch Brothers - Punch Brothers at CMJ
Anya Marina - Whatever You Like
David Bazan - Hard To Be
