How friggin’ cool is this?

Via The Daily Swarm.

I may just have to form the world’s first second GBV cover band.

Not sure how I missed this…

Sub Pop is streaming a song from Grand Archives’ forthcoming second album, Keep In Mind Frankenstein.

Check it out:

Grand Archives, “Silver Among the Gold

On first listen, it’s a damn good song. Not quite as perfect and pretty as “Torn Blue Foam Couch” off the first album, but definitely a strong song that bodes well for the album.

Keep In Mind Frankenstein comes out on September 8th. As soon as I see pre-order info, I’ll post it here.

This… is awesome.

Friday, August 28
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Columbia, MD

THE FLAMING LIPS
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY
STARDEATH AND WHITE DWARFS

Confirmation can be found here. No word as to on-sale info yet.

This same lineup will also be playing at Red Rocks (8/23), Atlanta’s Chastain Park (8/26 – on sale 7/10), Philadelphia’s Penn’s Landing (8/29) and Bank of America Pavilion in Boston (8/30).

Can you guess what I’m about to say?

Pics now… discussion later.

Wheat @ DC9

Patterson Hood and the Screwtopians @ Black Cat

Will Johnson @ Black Cat

I can think of no greater tribute.

R.I.P., Michael.

One of my favorite songs from Wilco’s generally-disappointing new album.

There are tons and tons of GREAT music options in DC tonight. If you do anything other than go see live music tonight, you’re goofy in the head. And if you go see Transformers, well, you need help.

Tonight’s Shows (my picks in bold)
9:30 Club: MN8* presents Fertile Ground, Indelible
Black Cat: Patterson Hood (of Drive-By Truckers), Will Johnston (of Centromatic)

Patterson Hood, “Pollyanna”

DC9: Wheat, The XYZ Affair, The Black Fortys

Wheat, “H.O.T.T.”

Fort Reno: Electrocutions, Meow vs. Meow, Noon:30
Rock and Roll Hotel: Telepathe, Lemonade, Loderunner
Velvet Lounge: Pansy Division, Troll Tax, Static Jacks

I still owe some words on Tuesday night’s Mittenfields show, and will try to do that, as well as talk about this show, later today… hopefully.

Tereu Tereu

Oblio

Typefighter

Pics now, discussion later. Promise!

Mittenfields

We Were Pirates

Vox Pop

(Edited several times. Full details and confirmation HERE.)

Just caught this nugget on the Twitter feed of the Washington Post’s PostRock blog:

VIRGIN FREEFEST
Sunday, August 30
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Cost: FREE

Weezer
Blink-182
Franz Ferdinand
Public Enemy
Jet (the joke that never dies)
The National
Girl Talk
The Hold Steady
St. Vincent
Wale
Taking Back Sunday
The Bravery
Holy Fuck
Mates of State
Pete Tong
Danny Howells and Lee Burridge (Dance Tent)

Gotta say, this is better than I thought it was gonna be. Rumors had been that it was just going to be Weezer/Blink-182 and maybe Holy Fuck. But with the addition of The National, Hold Steady and Public Enemy, this is now a show that I might go to. (I say might because those are the only bands I really care about.)

I already mentioned this on my Twitter feed, but figured it’s a cool enough piece of news to post here on the blog.

Baltimore, Maryland’s Wye Oak are set to release their second album, The Knot, via Merge Records on July 21st. If you don’t want to wait, however, Merge is streaming the album in its entirety for free right now here.

I’m only a couple of songs in, but so far it’s pretty fantastic. Which shouldn’t be a surprise if you saw the band playing many of these songs out on tour this past spring.

Oh, and if you like the album as much as I think you will, be sure to pre-order it here.

Wye Oak Tour Dates
July 21: Baltimore, MD (Ottobar – CD Release Show w/ Oakley Hall)
July 26: Chapel Hill, NC (Memorial Hall – XX Merge show w/ She & Him, American Music Club)

I totally meant to write about this show earlier but completely forgot.

Anyway, if you’re in or around DC tonight, I strongly recommend that you head to the Black Cat to catch a fantastic rock and roll show with locals Mittenfields, We Were Pirates and Vox Pop.

Of note, this is Mittenfields’ final show for the summer before they hole up to do some recording, as well as to work on a few side projects. (One of which I just heard for the first time last night, and can tell you it’s gonna be freakin’ awesome.)

Additionally, this is the CD Release Party for We Were Pirates’ debut LP, Cutting Ties. I haven’t had a chance to listen to the album yet, but apparently none other than Greg Cot of the Chicago Tribune referred to one of the songs on the album as “pure pop. This should be the next Fountains of Wayne single… genius.” Good enough for me.

So I expect to see you all there!

Although the lineup for this year’s Lollapalooza festival in Chicago didn’t impress me enough to convince me to shell out the money for a pass, hotel and plane ticket, the festival’s official “Aftershow” lineup sure does have me reconsidering.

Here’s the full Aftershow lineup that was announced this morning. For full details for each show, go here.

Thursday, 8/6
Congress Theater: Beastie Boys
House of Blues: Thievery Corporation, Federico Aubele
Metro: The Decemberists, Heartless Bastards

Friday, 8/7
Bottom Lounge: Lykke Li, Miike Snow, Esser
Congress Theater: Crookers, Major Lazer, Simian Mobile Disco DJ set, more
Double Door: TV On the Radio, Chairlift
House of Blues: Band of Horses, Cass McCombs
Metro: Arctic Monkeys w/ TBD
Schubas: Delta Spirit, Other Lives

Saturday, 8/8
Empty Bottle: The Raveonettes, Living Things, others
The Hideout: Joe Pug, The Low Anthem
House of Blues: STS9 w/ TBD
House of Blues (back porch): Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, Blind Pilot
Metro: Fleet Foxes, Dungen
Schubas: Dan Auerbach, Cage the Elephant
Smart Bar: Kaskade, James Amato, DJ Nigel O’Reilly

Sunday, 8/9
Bottom Lounge: MSTRKRFT, LA Riots, Dark Wave Disco
Logan Square Auditorium: Deerhunter, No Age, Dan Deacon