Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it remaining debris from the collision of Russian and American satellites last week? No, it's a giant fireball! Central Texas was blessed with the sight of a giant flame hurling towards the earth last Saturday morning. Sonic booms punctuated the usually quiet countryside and prompted many Texans to alert the local authorities. No, it's not a plane, said the Federal Aviation Administration. No, it's not satellite debris, said Byron Tapley of the Center for Space Research at the University of Texas. Perhaps it was a meteor...perhaps we will never know. Perhaps it's just aliens that heard about the SXSW lineup and came a little too early. -AK

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The hosts of NPR's "Planet Money" recently interviewed Paul Krugman. They mentioned to the starconomist that he sounded much nicer than in his columns. To that he replied, "Oh, in person I'm just a pussycat."

You wouldn't imagine so reading Krugman. Since the start of the economic crisis, his columns have been doomsday polemics. Today's column Stop The Pain, while a bit more hopeful ("supply of houses is lagging behind population growth, which will eventually prompt a housing revival"), continues Krugman's prognostications of further economic turmoil.

At the end of today's column, Krugman offered President Obama a piece of advice: bite the bullet and take over the weak banks. That's not happening. And what shareholders, taxpayers and consumers have to gain from the banks like BOA and Citigroup remaining quasi-privately held is anyone's guess. If you want to free up credit for America citizens clearly Vikram Pandit isn't the guy to do it -- I don't care if he makes a dollar a year.

We can't just let CitiBank fail. Though if it did, could I get out of paying off my student loan? -SB

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M. Ward and John Wesley Harding played a live show together in Philadelphia that is being streamed on NPR today. You can take a listen here. Both guys now have Hollywood connections--M. Ward of course via his association with Zooey Deschanel, and John Wesley Harding via his highly acclaimed 2005 novel Misfortune, which has recently been sold for a film adaption. When Harding is writing books he goes by his real name, Wesley Stance. -AM

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I've always doted on the fact that Kurt Cobain and I share the same birthday, but this year it's a bit eerie owing to the fact that I'm 27 now - the same age as Cobain when he killed himself. A good friend of mine was then nice enough to remind me that several other famous musicians also died at the age of 27 (aka the 27 Club) - Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Brian Jones (founder of Rolling Stone). It's a strange and tragic coincidence, yes, but I think I'm in the clear because 1) I'm not famous, and 2) my only real addiction is pizza, which I have yet to hear of as being the cause of any deaths.

In any event, happy birthday to me and Kurt Cobain, who would be 42 today. Here's my favorite Nirvana song and video, "In Bloom."


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MySpace Music began streaming U2's latest album No Line On The Horizon today, a full week before the album's official release.

Every time U2 release an album, the usual "These guys are putting out another record" noises are made. Then everyone hears the first single and rethinks their blasphemy. Now if you wanna judge U2, you can do it off their entire record -- click HERE to listen on MySpace. -SB

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In addition to touring with Modest Mouse, surf rockers The Japanese Motors will also release a digital-only EP titled, Perception of Reality. Though the EP title sounds like the title of a paper you wrote in Freshman Philosophy, the Japanese Motors rock -- thinking man's pop, we tell you.

The full tour dates, which begin on 2/22 in California, are listed after the jump, and the EP will be released on March 3rd. -SB

2/22/09 OAKLAND, CA FOX THEATER
2/23/09 VISALIA, CA THE FOX THEATRE
2/24/09 LOS ANGELES, CA HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM
2/25/09 TEMPE, AZ THE MARQUEE
2/26/09 ALBUQUERQUE, NM ALBUQUERQUE CONVENTION CENTER
2/28/09 BOULDER, CO BATCH FIELDHOUSE
3/02/09 KANSAS CITY, MO UPTOWN THEATER
3/03/09 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK DIAMOND BALLROOM
3/04/09 AUSTIN, TX STUBB'S
3/06/09 OXFORD, MS THE LYRIC OXFORD
3/07/09 ATLANTA, GA THE TABERNACLE
3/08/09 FORT LAUDERDALE, FL REVOLUTION
3/09/09 LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL HOUSE OF BLUES
3/10/09 MYRTLE BEACH, SC HOUSE OF BLUES
3/11/09 RALEIGH, NC DISCO RODEO
3/12/09 BALTIMORE, MD RAM'S HEAD
3/13/09 WASHINGTON, DC 9:30 CLUB
3/14/09 PHILADELPHIA, PA ELECTRIC FACTORY
3/15/09 NEW YORK, NY TERMINAL 5

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Oh Family Guy... Why are you the best show on television? Check out the video below from last Sunday's episode. Sorry it's from TMZ but that's the only video on YouTube that didn't infringe upon FOX's copyright laws. In any event it's hilarious! - SK

Christian Bale: Fuck sake, man, you're amateur!
Peter Griffin: I don't know what that word means


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After touring with Radiohead, a few late night appearances and gracing the cover of Death+Taxes, one might wonder, "What's left for Grizzly Bear to accomplish?" Much.

The band is set to release Veckatimest on May 26th, an album nearly as anticipated as Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion earlier this year. They'll also be performing at BAM with the Brooklyn Philharmonic next Saturday and plan to tour nationally after an appearance at the Sasquatch Festival. More TV? You betcha -- they're photogenic enough for it. Of course, the big question: Will Ed bring the puppy? - SB

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Atmospheric pop group, Camera Obscura, will release a follow up to their lauded '06 album Let's Get Out Of This Country on 4AD later this year. The album is titled My Maudlin Career. As you could guess, the title track is lugubrious and gloomy -- quite a fit for modern times. It's plausible the song was inspired by the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

There isn't a super amount of details concerning their the band's plans, other than they'll be at SXSW, will tour, and will release a record this year that, given what we've heard, should be fantastic. -SB

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Who's coming with me?I trust that I'm not the only old-school Jane's Addiction nerd on this blog. For all you Jane's geeks out there, the news we've all been waiting oh, say, sixteen years for, has finally come. Eric Avery has finally agreed to join forces for an original-lineup reunion of Jane's Addiction. What's more, the news is delivered straight from Trent Reznor, in an awesome letter on his blog where he constantly writes in CAPITALS to express how EMPHATICALLY he feels! Check out the letter here. No specific dates or plans yet, just a vague announcement that the original lineup plans to tour with the original lineup of Nine Inch Nails (whatever that means). It's pretty awesome to know that the mind-melting juggernaut that was the original Jane's Addiction is coming back into the fold.
-AM

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The always lovely Mirah is heading out on tour in support of her forthcoming disc (a)spera. Phil Elverum (The Microphones, Mt. Eerie), Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Sufjan Stevens, Laura Veirs) and Adam Selzer (Norfolk and Western, M. Ward) helped shape the record. It will be released on March 10th. Tour dates below. -IL

03.19 - Austin, TX @ Flamingo Cantina [Team Clermont Day Show]
03.20 - Austin, TX @ KVRX Day Show
03.20 - Austin, TX @ Antone's [Billions Showcase]
04.01 - Anacortes, WA @ Department Of Safety
04.02 - Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project
04.03 - Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret
04.04 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
04.07 - San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo's 365 Club
04.08 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Soho Restaurant and Music Club
04.09 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
04.10 - Phoenix, AZ @ Modified
04.11 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
04.12 - Denver, CO @ Hi Dive
04.14 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
04.15 - Boise, ID @ Neurolux

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Do you love all things Brooklyn (read: Matt and Kim and PBR)? And do you especially love those all ages shows in decrepit warehouses way out in the cuts of Williamsburg? Well then do we have a new documentary for you! I actually watched this the other day and it made me nostalgic for a time-period that is currently happening, which I guess is like visiting the future in the present. In other words, this documentary BLEW MY MIND.

But here's a better description from FVMMO Films:

"TODD P GOES TO AUSTIN is a cultural snap-shot of America's underground, do-it-yourself music scene featuring unforgettable live performances from Matt and Kim, Dan Deacon, Mika Miko, The DeathSet and many more.

As record labels die, independents thrive. In the wake of Napster, MySpace and Facebook there is a generation of artists creating and performing music on their own terms. With the help of legendary DIY rock promoter Todd P, Brooklyn has become ground zero for these exciting young musicians.

Using never-before-seen footage, including material shot by the bands themselves, TODD P GOES TO AUSTIN exposes what life is like surviving and touring at the underground level. Interviews with Todd about the necessity of independent music and creativity connect the bands as they tour down to Austin, TX to appear in the DIY music scene's answer to the SXSW Music Festival."

And there you have it! - SK



TODD P GOES TO AUSTIN trailer from FVMMO FILMS on Vimeo.
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Dangerbird recording artist, Eulogies, are continuing to tour, hitting the road this Spring with Middle Distance Runner. Also did you know that Eulogies front man Peter Walker contributed a song to The Wrestler? Yeah he did. The track "39 Stars" plays during the thrift store scene, where Mickey Rourke buys Evan Rachel Wood a peacoat and she likes it, and then they both go to Asbury Park and Mickey Rourke not only cries but also manages to send a single tear from each eye simultaneously. My god, that was a great performance. Anyway, the Eulogies tour dates are available after the jump. -SB

3/19 || The Ranch (official SXSW showcase) || Austin, TX
3/20 || +1 House Party @ The Legendary Hank Sinatra's || Austin, TX
3/22 || Vaudeville Mews || Des Moines, IA
3/23 || 7th Street Entry || Minneapolis, MN
3/24 || Bottom Lounge || Chicago, IL
3/25 || Magic Bag || Ferndale, MI
3/26 || TBD || Columbus, OH
3/27 || Thunderbird Cafe || Pittsburgh, PA
3/28 || IOTA Club & Cafe || Arlington, VA
3/29 || Metro Gallery || Baltimore, MD
3/31 || Piano's || New York, NY

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If you ever worry about the constant stream of advertising from billboards, TVs, radios and a million other places seeping into your head and brainwashing you, read this and relax. At least advertising isn't on your head. That's not the case for 30 "cranial billboards" - a term coined by Air New Zealand - walking around with temporary henna tattoos of the company's advertisements on their freshly shaved heads. It's not like headvertising is something new - back in 2005 Andrew Fisher made it on Good Morning America by auctioning his forehead off to Green Pharmaceuticals' Snore Stop for $37,375. But ads don't even stop at foreheads now - British beauty supplier FeelUnique.com started a campaign in January asking people to temporarily tattoo their website on their eyelids and then wink at strangers. Really? The deflated economy has actually caused people to accept $150 for 1,000 winks?

Golden Palace casino even got one woman to permanently tattoo their website on her forehead - and convinced many pregnant women to bear it temporarily on their bulging bellies. In 2006, even Homer Simpson got in on the action, imploring the nation to "buy blue pants." So, I guess the question to ask yourself is - how much would it take to make your body an advertisement? -AK

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Pennsylvania's Black Moth Super Rainbow will be heading out on a U.S. tour with School of Seven Bells. Eating Us, their forthcoming album, will be released on May 26th on Graveface Records. Dates below. -IL

Black Moth Super Rainbow Tour Dates (all dates with School of Seven Bells except for the Sasquatch Festival):
Wed. May 20 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
Thu. May 21 - Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
Fri. May 22 - Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
Mon. May 25 - Quincy, WA @ Sasquatch Festival
Tue. May 26 - Portland, OR @ Holocene
Thu. May 28 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
Fri. May 29 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Sat. May 30 - Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar
Sun. May 31 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
Tue. Jun. 2 - Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
Wed. Jun. 3 - Denton, TX @ Hailey's
Thu. Jun. 4 - Little Rock, AR @ Sticky Fingerz
Fri. Jun. 5 - Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
Sat. Jun. 6 - Columbus, OH @ Circus

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James Iha, formerly of The Smashing Pumpkins, Cheap Trick's drummer Bun E. Carlos, Taylor Hanson (of Hanson, duh) and Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger have united like Voltron to form Tinted Windows. They've made a record but haven't announced a release date for it. If you want to hear them you'll have to go to Austin for SXSW and find yourself at Pangaea on March 20th. Like the collage I made? Yeah, I do too. -IL

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A long time ago J. Tillman was part of the instrumental band Saxon Shore. Since then he's released a few solo albums and most recently joined the Fleet Foxes. Vacilando Territory Blues is the name of his latest album. Peep the video below. -IL



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Here's a video from N.A.S.A. featuring David Byrne. Artist Marcel Dzama contributed to the video. He's the person behind Beck's Guero album cover among others. N.A.S.A.'s album, The Spirit Of Apollo, was released yesterday. What are you waiting for? -IL

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Though their Myspace page is still decked in The Crane Wife album art, a new song from the forthcoming The Hazards Of Love has been uploaded. It's called, "The Hazards Of Love 1."Check it out here. -IL

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Fever Ray is Karin Elisabeth Dreijer Andersson from The Knife. Here's the video for "When I Grow Up" off her self titled album released January 13th. By the way, David Lynch did NOT direct it. -IL


When I Grow Up from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

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