August 3, 2006

Today's Hotness: Swan Lake, Modest Mouse, Belaire

Swan Lake>> Official details came down late this afternoon regarding the newest Canadian supergroup (and perhaps the hottest Canadian trio since Triumph), Swan Lake. The act, comprised of Destroyer's Dan Bejar, Frog Eyes' Carey Mercer and Wolf Parade/Sunset Rubdown's Spencer Krug, will release its debut Beast Moans on Jagjaguwar Nov. 21. The three men's various prior connections are well documented, but what is less known is what Swan Lake's music sounds like. Today's presser offers these hints about the self-produced set: "beast moans, startling voices, cobra hi-hats and arpeggiating pianos." When the label makes MP3s available, they/it will probably be located here, in between Ladyhawk and Oneida. In the meantime, you can read the track listing here and listlessly daydream about a tour... [UPDATE: Miraculously, at the very same instant we put this item online, You Ain't No Picasso posted a Swan Lake MP3 right here for the brilliant Krug-sung tune "All Fires;" grab it while it's hot. Looks like Stereogum got it first, about an hour earlier.]

>> Whoah, also at Stereogum is the amazing news the former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr has officially joined Modest Mouse. Allow us to Keanu Reeves one more time: Whoah.

>> If the ads at Billboard don't remind you, don't forget that if you are a schlub like us who just doesn't go to rock festivals any longer, you can catch a live stream of Lollapalooza here. The festival starts tomorrow and goes for a few days. You can check out bands and set times at the link, too.

>> We’ve asked before and we'll ask again: how many Elvis Costello reissues are too many?

>> Speaking of reissues can hardly believe that the next batch of The Cure reissues is almost upon us. The street date is next week, and we just checked Amazon again certain that the date will be pushed back again. Nope. Still Aug. 8, their still coming, yeehahh.

>> Tripwire here gives :: clicky clicky :: faves Belaire a little love. The synth-pop band, which is comprised of a veritable who's who of the Austin, Texas pop scene, has been working the same very good E.P. for about a year. The act says on its MySpace here that it is still working on a full-length, which it has been concentrating on completing along with other various commitments since the band went on hiatus from playing live in early June.

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