For the 1-year anniversary of the release of Arcade Fire’s epic, Album of the Year Grammy-winning album The Suburbs, Merge will release a deluxe edition that will include two brand new tracks recorded during The Suburbs album sessions (“Culture War” and “Speaking in Tongues” featuring David Byrne), an extended version of album track “Wasted Hours,” Spike Jonze’s short film, “Scenes From The Suburbs,” and an 80-page booklet as well as other exclusive content.
Visit the Merge store to purchase the new songs, or pre-order The Suburbs Deluxe Edition to receive a download code for both songs.
Magnetic Fields frontman Stephin Merritt has just announced the release of Obscurities, a rare tracks compilation set to drop on August 23:
Obscurities features 14 tracks in all, including five previously unreleased songs, all recorded prior to The Magnetic Fields’ seminal album 69 Love Songs. Three of the unreleased tracks hail from The Song From Venus, the unfinished science fiction musical written by Merritt and Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snickett. Also included on the record are five songs culled from various Merge-era 7†vinyl singles by The Magnetic Fields, along with one from Merritt’s guest vocalist-laden side project the 6ths, one from an audio book, one from the Oh, Merge compilation CD, and a track from a rare K Records cassette-only release.
Death Cab for Cutie’s music has long had a certain innocence to it; a boyish, vulnerable charm that feels unmistakably collegiate. When the Bellingham, Wash., band broke big in the early ’00s, its records played like the soundtracks to breathless long-distance romances between young adults who’d always been just a little too smart for the rooms they were in. Hearing Death Cab’s music ringing over climactic scenes in The O.C. and Six Feet Under made all the sense in the world, because so few bands could convey Ben Gibbard’s gift for singing like his heart can’t quite fit in his chest.
TV on the Radio have announced that bass player Gerard Smith died this morning of lung cancer. The 34-year-old Smith was diagnosed with the disease only a month ago, and had been sitting out the band’s current Nine Types of Light tour.
All of TV on the Radio’s tour dates from April 20 to 26 have been cancelled. As of now, the May 2 show at San Diego’s House of Blues is still set to proceed as planned. If they do go through with the show, it’s sure to be a solemn and emotional event.
UPDATE: Though originally scheduled for May 2, according to SD Dialed In the show has been postponed until May 13.
Celebrated songwriters Thao and Mirah are working together, and they’re taking their show on the road. The collaboration, creatively called Thao and Mirah, has also spawned an LP, titled (you guessed it) Thao and Mirah. Continue reading…
