SXSW 2010: Muse & Metric

In what can be seen as an unholy alliance of the music gods, it turns out British statium rockers, Muse are planning a show at this year's SXSW.  What's more, those crazy Canadians, Metric will open for the band.

Crazy, right?

The show will take place on Friday, March 19 (tomorrow) at Stubb's BBQ - which, yes, seems odd for a show of this magnitude.  The show is of course open to everybody dumb enough to pay for a SXSW badge or wait in a line for 16 hours. 

Can't make the show?  Watch it on myspace.com, beginning Sunday, March 21.

In other Muse-related news...well, that can wait for tomorrow ;)

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Worst of 2009: The 5 Biggest Disappointments

Every year has its ups and downs, musically. For me, the worst downs are not when a bad album drops, but rather when a bad album that should have been great releases. These are albums from artists who have proven themselves to be capable of something amazing, but have instead opted to phone-in an album or make something so uninspired or bad that listening to it is more of a chore than a joy. 2009 certainly had its share of disappointments. Here are the 5 that really stood out to me.

#5. Our Lady Peace: Burn Burn - Of all the albums on this list, this is the worst. Of course, that doesn't make it the biggest disappointment of the year, especially considering how bad Our Lady Peace has been over the last decade. But when I heard the band was coming out with a new album, my thoughts immediately went to their work in the 1990s. Heck, Happiness was this blog's #5 Alternative Album of all freaking time. But alas, what Burn Burn is is a continuation of the band's post-millennial work, with sappy lyrics and big me sensibilities. Hey, they're back though. And they're still better than most modern rock bands. So that's something I suppose.

#4. Metric: Fantasies - If I seem conflicted on this one, it's because I am. I mean, there are some fantastic songs on Fantasies, don't get me wrong. But there are some downright bad ones too. If there's one thing Metric had never given us in their 10-years of music making it's a "hit or miss" album. But Fantasies has that locked down!

#3. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band: Outer South - Wow. Less than a year after they got together to make Oberst's brilliant self-titled, the Mystic Valley Band released this dud of an album to audiences. Thanks for that, guys. Outer South lacks all the charm, talent, and songwriting skills of its semi-quasi predecessor. That makes it quite the disappoint for yours truly, not to mention all of those other critics out there. With that said, I still must admit to liking "Air Matress." I mean, that's just a fun time.

#2. Cursive: Mama, I'm Swollen - I should've known something was up when Saddle Creek decided to sell this one for pennies in its opening days. I got mine for $1, which granted, isn't a bad deal, but still. After 2 amazing albums that really helped define my early adulthood, Cursive dropped this big lo' pile of mediocrity on us. The first 4 or 5 songs? Solid. The rest? No thanks. It was lacking all the bite, focus, and passion of past Cursive albums, so I stopped listening after 2 weeks or so.

#1. Zero 7: Yeah Ghost - Ugh, guys really? How do you follow up The Garden with this collection of abrasive, ugly pop music sung by the most mediocre of vocalists? Whereas every other album from this duo has been pretty much mellow, electronic pop, Yeah Ghost is just plain annoying. Whether they decided to go in an entirely different direction or just phoned this one in, there's no denying how awful this album is.

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The Top 31 Songs of 2009

Why delay things with a long and drawn-out introduction that you probably won't read anyway?  Readers, it's been a long year here at the ol' A/O, and I'm glad it's coming to an end.  Let's celebrate 2009 with a look back at the 31 songs that made it unique!

#31. "Get it Right Now" - Del the Funky Homosapien - Saying this is Del's best song in years isn't a difficult thing to do. Pretty much everything he's done since Both Sides of da 'Brain has been pretty poor. With that said, "Get It Right Now" is an awesome track, and one that was going strong on my iPod for months. It just may be the best rap track of 2009.

#30. "The Ruminant Band" - Fruit Bats - The title track to the new Fruit Bats album is a charming song, both lyrically and musically. It towers above the rest of the album and was its only song that I have listened to for more than a week.

#29. "I Belong to You" - Muse - Muse's most-recent record is a big ol' pile of hit or miss despite the fact that some of the band's best songs are contained on it. "I Belong to You" happens to be one of those tracks. It's got a danceable, "Supermassive" feel to it, plus a little bit of orchestration a-la "Butterflies & Hurricanes." And it's perfect. So there's that.

#28. "Black & Blue" - Miike Snow - The catchiest song on Miike Snow's self-titled album is also its greatest asset. The rest of the album? Meh, it can be good sometimes.

#27. "Daylight" - Matt & Kim - It's relentless in its awesomeness, despite Matt's sometimes grating voice. Once the drums kick in, I can't help but break out in a slightly-embarassing groove.

#26. "El Caporal" - My Morning Jacket - The only song on Dark was the Night''s second disc that is any good, "El Caporal" is actually reeeeaaaally good, which is nice in a year without a proper MMJ record.

#25. "Swing Tree" - Discovery - In my time with this great album, there have been multiple songs that have slid in and out of my "favorite song on the album" spot. "Swing Tree" currently resides there, where it has for the last month.

#24. "Give It Up" - Datarock - I first listened to Datarock's Red about 3 months ago. I stopped listening to it about 3 months ago as well. However, about a week ago, this song started playing on my iPod. I've been hooked ever since. Is a week enough time to determine whether a song deserves a spot on this list? That's debatable. What isn't is the greatness of "Give it Up." It rocks.

#23. "Little Bribes" - Death Cab for Cutie - I usually stay away from EPs, opting instead for a full LP for my musical enjoyment. But "Little Bribes" is a great song, and The Open Door EP is pretty good too.

#22. "I'm On a Boat" - The Lonely Island f/ T-Pain - For as goofy and bizarre as this song is, it's also pretty damn catchy. It's been stuck in my head multiple times in 2009, and chances are it'll still be getting some plays in 2010. Not bad for a bit of musical comedy.

#21. "Ray Gun" - The Bird & the Bee - The Bird & the Bee's latest is filled with some outstanding pop gems, "Ray Gun" just happens to be the best on here. If you have yet to listen to it, you owe to yourself. Trust me. I'm Cale.

#20. "Waters of March" - Anya Marina - This is the second-best cover song of 2009. The first? Keep reading.

#19. "Young Adult Friction" - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Young Adult Friction" has the uncanny ability to sound like both an early 90s indie rock song and a song off of an 80s John Hughes movie. How that works is anyone's guess, but it does, and it's a beautiful song.

#18. "Remember Severed Head" - Clues - This song almost sounds like a Unicorns song. Almost. Sometimes almost is good enough.

#17. "Take On Me" - A.C. Newman - I was in love with A-Ha's "Take On Me" long before Newman decided to cover it for the Sweetheart Compilation this year. It's one of the best pop songs of all time, in my opinion. What he does to it here is slow it down and make it a bit more somber, which suits the lyrics perfectly. It's a new spin on an old classic. I love it!

#16. "11th Dimension" - Julian Casablancas - Under the Radar magazine called this song "the best 80s jam of 2009," which I totally agree with. Casablancas' synth-heavy grooves can get repetitive if you focus too much on that aspect of it. I choose to focus on the coolness of it all, and "11th Dimension" is the coolest track on the album.

#15. "1901" - Phoenix - It's a minor travesty that I did not include this song in my first draft of this list. Problem solved. This album isn't just good, it's fantastic. It's the Mercedes of indie rock songs, which may or may not be a subtle reference to its use in a car commercial. Okay, it is.

#14. "Actor Out of Work" - St. Vincent - My first time through Actor, I was all but convinced that "Marrow" would be my favorite track from the album. Rip a couple months off the calendar and it's actually "Actor Out of Work" that receives that honor. It could be the lyrics, which are a cut above, though it's probably due to the absolutely genius music video.

#13. "The Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing" - The Decemberists - Shara Worden's work on The Decemberist's Hazards of Love is a priceless contribution to the music world. Case in point: this brilliant song from the album that not only captures the essence of her talent, but the awesome energy and storytelling that made the album such a true work of art.

#12. "Sleepyhead" - Passion Pit - 2009 may be the year of the commercials featuring indie-music, as I just saw a Palm Pixi commercial featuring Passion Pit's most-popular song. Personally, I don't think it fits in the ad at all, but I still love the energy of this song.

#11. "Stillness is the Move" - Dirty Projectors - Having 3 songs from one artist in this list is in achievement in and of itself. The fact that Dirty Projectors' first appearance here is at #11 should tell you a lot about the kind of year they had. "Stillness is the Move" is a perfect example of what made Bitte Orca such a great album: bizarre compositions and vocals mixed with pop sensibilities.

#10. "French Navy" - Camera Obscura - I've been singing along to this song in my vehicle for weeks now, and I'm pretty sure I look pretty ridiculous doing it. The joy captured in this song makes the embarrassment worth it, though. So if you ever see a tall ginger kid freaking out in his white Ford F-150, chances are that's me listening to this song.

#9. "I Got Soul, I'm So Wasted" - Wallpaper. - The genius of this song will be expounded upon in future articles. For now, just listen and enjoy everything that it has to offer.

#8. "Harm/Slow" - Loney, Dear - The imagery of solitude and loneliness in this song is absolutely heartbreaking. It's one of the most depressing songs I've heard in a while. Clearly, it's also one of the best. Sometimes there is beauty in darkness.

#7. "Gimme Sympathy" - Metric - There was a time that I thought this song would end up in the #1 spot on this list. It is a perfect pop/rock song and easily one of Metric's greatest tracks. How it slipped to #7 is anyone's guess, but still…7 ain't bad.

#6. "Temecula Sunrise" - Dirty Projectors - Song #2 from Bitte Orca is the album's most-impressive track. I love singing along to songs when I'm by myself. It gives me something to do. Learning the melodies to this one was tough, but worth it. I listen to it at least a few times a week, and have been doing so for most of the year.

#5. "I Ain't Most Dudes" - Wallpaper. - Coming up with what Wallpaper. songs would be on this list was difficult. It was even more strenuous figuring out which one would be ranked highest. In the end, "I Ain't Most Dudes" is my favorite song from Doodoo Face because it is the most timeless of them all, and has one of the most infectious melodies of recent memory.

#4. "Everything Turns to You" - Loney, Dear - On a perfect album like Dear John, narrowing down a top song is usually a chore. Not for this one though. For as great as every song on that album is, "Everything Turns to You" is still a shoe-in for its greatest track.

#3. "Knotty Pine" - Dirty Projectors f/ David Byrne - And the award for "Song that's been stuck in my head for pretty much all of 2009" goes to…

#2. "The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)" - The Decemberists - Some may knock the closing track to The Decemberist's masterpiece as a sort of Titanic-esque ending, but it is one of 2009's most beautiful and poignant songs when taken in the context of the remainder of the story. Any song that brings me close to tears has to be something worth remembering.

#1. "Little Secrets" - Passion Pit - No song has brought me more joy in 2009 than Passion Pit's "Little Secrets," the second track on their debut LP. Sure, it may be about doing drugs or whatever, but every time those kids sing "higher and higher" I can't help but have the biggest smile on my face. This song is great, in almost every aspect and if someone came up to me with a Men In Black mind eraser thing and said, "Hey, I'm going to erase all of 2009's music from your head, except for one song. What song would you like to keep?," I wouldn't hesitate in my response. It'd be this one. Not the live version, mind you. The real thing. The live version sucks, mainly because…well…dude can't sing.

You can listen to this playlist on Last.fm right now.  Well...most of it.

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Metric: "Fantasies"

Metric have been around for a decade now, bringing their take on New Wave Pop/Rock to the masses. In 2003 the band released their "debut" album, Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? to almost universal acclaim. The album helped lay the foundation for their sound, one that would be expanded upon by 2005's equally-endearing Live it Out. Then, while the band was already at work on the follow-up to that album, Last Gang Records released the group's long-ignored real debut and perhaps their most impressive album, Grow Up and Blow Away. Finally after a long wait, Metric fans are getting what they want; a legitimate follow-up to Live it Out. Unfortunately, Fantasies is nowhere near as solid an album as the band has proven themselves capable of creating.

It starts off well-intentioned, with a distant breakbeat and Emily Haines' now-familiar vocals, both fragile and empowered, singing "They're gonna eat me alive!" "Help, I'm Alive," Fantasies' first single leaves a lot to be desired. For one, it seems incredibly repetitive and without any real drive. Haines' repeated "Beating like a hammer" chorus builds and builds throughout its length, but eventually just collapses into the same guitar riff every time. Just once I'd like it to build into something greater than itself. It never does. "Sick Muse" is a much more rewarding song, with a fun verse and better chorus than the lead-off track. It still feels a bit repetitive, however, if only for the repeated one-line chorus and somewhat annoying guitar line that carries the verses.

"Satellite Mind" finally gives Metric fans something worthy of true admiration. Emily's vocals are at their best here, and the guitars and drums evoke some of the best moments of 90s rock! The first couple of times I heard this song, I wasn't really sold. Since then, it has easily moved up to one of my favorites. Unfortunately, it's followed by "Twilight Galaxy," a song that has no legitimate reason for existing other than acting as filler. It almost sounds like Metric trying to recreate "Calculation Theme," but it lacks the charm needed to fill those shoes. The band smartly follows this bore with "Gold Guns Girls," an upbeat sex-rocker that is about as exciting as the band has ever been. The production on this song is amazing! From the subtle guitars, to Haines' sultry vocals, everything is exactly as it should be. This is a definitely one to play on repeat.

Fantasies' best track, however, comes next in "Gimme Sympathy," a remarkably addicting listen that hasn't aged a bit in the last month, despite the fact that I've listened to it well over a dozen times. Haines seems to be analyzing the state of Metric's fame by singing, "We're so close to something better left unknown" and asking the question "Who'd you rather be, The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?" Ironic considering that if there was ever a song to catapult the band into that next level of fame, this would be the one to do it. It's not only radio-friendly, but has a sweet music video and enough familiarity to maintain their already loyal following.

From here, however, the album quickly heads downward. "Collect Call" is a quick comedown track after the intensity of "Gimme Sympathy." It has a few admirable traits, like a cool guitar riff and an infectious drum beat during the chorus. At the same time though, Emily's vocal melody goes absolutely nowhere. She sings "When you move, I move with you," but at this point, I'm already moving on and the track just keeps going. The next track, "Front Row" does an even worse job at garnering my attention. It sounds like a b-side to Live It Out, complete with overly-aggressive guitars and the most boring vocal melody ever heard on a Metric song. Haines is catchier on "Rock Me Now" - and yeah, she just talks on that one!

"Blindness" is a strange track, starting off as an eerie synth-rocker and then catapulting into a more upbeat affair at the 2-minute mark before returning back to where it started for the song's final minute. It's not the catchiest of Metric songs - which is always a bit disconcerting considering that the band is essentially a pop band - but it is an interesting song, and worth at least a couple listens. "Stadium Love" wraps the album up on a "meh" note. Metric's sound has never been louder or more deserving of the "stadium love" to which they claim to have. At the same time, I get the sneaking suspicion that this song is going to be simply mind-blowing at a live show. Here, it just sort of seems like a false high note for an unfocused album.

Fantasies is in no way a terrible album, but for every song that feels like it is perfectly executed, there's another that feels like it could have used a little more tweaking. The album has very few tracks that feel like they could hold their own against a "Dead Disco" or a "Monster Hospital," and that's a little disappointing coming from a band who has consistently put out great music for the past decade. But as far as disappointments go, I get the feeling that Fantasies could have been a lot worse. What we end up having is an average collection of songs; some great, some okay, and some not worth listening to after the first couple of spins. Up to this point, Metric has given me 3 albums full of amazing tracks, so I can deal with a few disappointments. Just don't let it happen again.

Key Tracks:

1. "Sick Muse"

2. "Satellite Mind"

3. "Gold Guns Girls"

4. "Gimme Sympathy"

6 out of 10 Stars

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Perfect Summer Soundtrack - Week 7

Again, I'd like to reiterate that unless you have all of these songs on your iPod or have rigged up some ingenious contraption that allows you to carry your laptop on your bicycle, this playlist may just be a waste of time for you.  At the very least, you can close your eyes and imagine the scene while sitting at your desk.  Totally your call on that one.

The Bike Ride Through the Country Playlist

Allow me to preface this playlist by noting that while I have been through the country, and have in fact ridden a bike, I have yet to combine the two into one awesome, soothing experience.  But having knowledge of both parts of this one activity gives me enough of a reason to post this playlist.  It's got the predictable highs to keep you going, as well as some accompanying lows that will hopefully allow you to better appreciate your surroundings.  

Week 1 - Rooney's Self-Titled Debut (Beach Trip, Road Trip, Skateboarding)
Week 2 - The Picnic Playlist
Week 3 - Of Montreal: The Sunlandic Twins (Road Trip Sing-a-longs, House Parties, Frisbee Tossing)
Week 4 - The 4th of July Party Playlist
Week 5 - The Pump Me the F*** Up! Playlist (Mountain Climbing, Fight Clubbing, Wakeboarding, Kayaking, Parachuting, Murdering, Running)

Week 6 - The Elected: Sun Sun Sun (Road Trip)

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Perfect Summer Soundtrack - Week 4

Well, I'm back from vacation and things are getting back to normal around here. That means that it's time for another post for our Perfect Summer Soundtrack series. This week's post is monsterous!

The 4th of July Party Playlist

America celebrates its independence this Friday, and there will be plenty of festivities to celebrate this occasion. Personally, I'll probably be laying low. But for those of you out there who are throwing - or attending - a bitchin' house party, I've assembled my largest playlist to date!

88 songs. That's how long this one is. How that translates into minutes, I have no idea. Though considering how imeem is prone to shorten some songs down to 30-second clips, I'd have to imagine that it would be a bit shorter than some would like. Like any good party mix, it's filled with upbeat songs (though nothing too overwhelming), conversation-starters (oh, who is this?), and even a few quiet songs that stay out of the way to let you actually have that conversation.

If you happen to be throwing a party this Friday with a bunch of hipsters, plug this one into the stereo system and let me know how it goes. I'm interested in finding out just how amazing this playlist is. Oh, and set it to "shuffle."

Week 1 - Rooney's Self-Titled Debut (Beach Trip, Road Trip, Skateboarding)
Week 2 - The Picnic Playlist

Week 3 - Of Montreal: The Sunlandic Twins (Road Trip Sing-a-longs, House Parties, Frisbee Tossing)

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Moods - Horny

Oh yeah.  I'm totally going there.  Let's face it folks, sometimes you just want to hear some sexy music to play during your sexy times.  So I've created a playlist of songs that could all be considered "sexy" (with the exception of song #2, which is just flat out inappropriate).  The next time your lady or man gets that look in their eye, say, "Hold that thought," run to your computer, pull up this post and turn those speakers up!  Or if you want to add a little something to spice up all that boring internet porn, this should also do the trick.  Oh yeah.  I totally went there.

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Moods - Antsy

Have you ever just wanted to move? You've been sitting at your desk all day, or wasting your Saturday just lounging around. Get up! Go do something! Just move! Me and my restless legs syndrome totally know all about this sensation. Well, as always, I'm here to help you with this most dire of predicaments. Here is a playlist that is almost sure to get you moving. It may make you dance, it may make you bob your head, tap your foot, or defiantly throw a fist in the air. Or it may do all of those. But it will get your antsy ass moving. That's kinda the point.

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The Top 31 of 2007 - #15

Cale's Pick

Okkervil River: The Stage Names

Released: August 7, 2007

For Okkervil River, The Stage Names was nothing special. Coming two years after their brilliant and definitive album, Black Sheep Boy, this one kind of was exactly what you wanted it to be, and everything you expected it to be. The band didn't set out to drastically change their sound or their approach to making music. They just did what they always do: impress. Will Sheff's vocals are drenched with emotion and earnesty. His lyrics are so vivid, so real, that you can close your eyes and get a crystal clear picture of what he's singing about. Then of course the instrumentation is just as impressive as it's always been. Okkervil River is folksy, to be sure, and the album does a great job of balancing out their soft, somber moments with their more rockin' moments. As a result, it feels more cohesive than it probably should. Like I said, it's not that huge of an achievement for Okkervil River. But any other band striving to reach these heights of artistry will have a long, tough battle ahead of them; and few will actually get there. The Stage Names is nothing special for Okkervil River, but Okkervil River, themselves, are extremely special.

For being special in these especially un-special times of unspectacular speciality, Okkervil River winds their way into the #15 spot.

The Top 31 Songs of 2007 - #15

"The Twist" by Metric, from the album, Grow Up and Blow Away.

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Jill's Pick

Serj Tankian: Elect the Dead

Released: October 23, 2007

Here's what I know: I'm not the biggest fan of Metal/Hard Rock/whatever we're calling it these days. After a few minutes it all sounds the same to me and it's just whining guitars with a screaming voice thrown over the top of them. If I listen to it for too long, I start to feel edgy and angry because that's the effect Metal/Hard Rock/whatever we're calling it these days has on me, but on occasion you will find me listening to it and even more so, enjoying it. There are a few really great System of a Down songs, ones I keep on my iPod for warm up music or for when I'm feeling particularly angry and want to fuel that anger. (If you didn't know, Serj Tankian is the frontman for SOAD and he's gone solo.)

Here's what else I know: Serj Tankian has the most distinctive and unusual male voice I've ever heard. I don't care what anyone says, the man has an awesome voice that can go from quiet to screaming to bellowing in the span of 3 seconds. In fact, every time I hear him being particularly screechy, I say the same thing: I wish he'd quit that because he's wasting that voice on it. He's also a genius writer and while I prefer not to listen to other people's politics in music (I know, I know, hard to avoid) he's one of the few people where I don't mind hearing it. His world views are insightful and he's somehow managed to capture some kind of voice of his generation.

Doom and gloom is never a bad thing to have on hand. In small doses.

Bonus points for the use of Opera singer Ani Maldjian on his album.

The best track on the album: "Unthinking Majority"

Songs you should give a listen to:

--"Unthinking Majority"

--"Saving Us"

--"Baby"

--"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition"

--"Elect the Dead"

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The Top 31 of 2007 - #18

Cale's Pick

Metric: Grow Up and Blow Away

Released: June 26, 2007

One could make the argument that Grow Up and Blow Away does not belong on a Best of 2007 list for the simple fact that it was made the better part of a decade ago. Of course, I could make the argument that that person is an idiot for thinking that (and I'd be right). The fact is that even though Grow Up and Blow Away was meant to be released when I was still in high school, it didn't ever get a formal release until 2007. It's a shame too, because this is a fantastic album. Emily Haines doesn't portray herself as a rough, opinionated figure of femininity as she does nowadays. She sounds girlish and innocent, and you can tell that she has yet to mature into the strong female that she would later become. Grow Up and Blow Away features Metric as a two-piece too, so there's no resemblance to the four-piece new wave rock band they've grown into; sounding more like a pop act than anything else. In the end, it's just a fun, satisfying album that doesn't try to make a statement or be overly complex. It's a couple of kids playing around with synths and drum machines, stumbling upon greatness in the process. And it's all the more magical because of it.

It may be old, but it's still deserving of the #18 spot on my list.

The Top 31 Songs of 2007 - #18
"Hold Music" by Architecture in Helsinki, from the album, Places Like This.

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Jill's Pick

Jill Scott: The Real Thing - Words and Sounds Vol. 3

Released: September 25, 2007

I am a HUGE Jill Scott fan. HUGE. She has this philosophy about music that I apply to pretty much everything (try to at least): Who cares what kind of music you make as long as you make it and it's around to be heard?

(HUGE Jill Scott fan) (So much so she's on my list twice)

I think the word ironic works for this album: it's a reflection of a breaking up relationship and watching someone you love move on to someone else but at the same time, it's a like a D'Angelo hook up album. It's sexy, it's soulful, it's...dirty. Well, except for that one song "Hate On Me", which is dedicated to an online forum she found of people who dislike her.

It's a short (weak, maybe) review, but that isn't because I don't like the album. I just don't have the right words for how this album works for me: Jill Scott's powerful sense of self just rubs off on me.

My favorite track: "Whenever You're Around"

Songs you should give a listen to:

--"Hate On Me"

--"Epiphany"

--"Whenever You're Around"

--"Breathe"

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Metric Plays Live on Myspace!

As part of Myspace's "Hey Play This..." series (which I'm only just now hearing about because I totally dig the Metric), Metric will play a live show on Myspace this coming Thursday, October 4th at 9pm ET/8pm CT.

The show will follow an all-request format, and requests will be taken via MyspaceIM before and during the show. So bust out the T1 internet connection, hook up the computer to the surround sound and prepare to be wowed by the limitations of streaming video.

That is all.

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Go News Go! - The Weekly News Recap

Drinkin' water from a cup.

• All types of Viva Voce goodness.
• *gasp* Kevin Barnes is a Bookeater!
• Apostle of Hustle + Do Make Say Think Tour Dates
• Midlake + Maria Taylor + Conor Oberst + Har Mar Superstar?
• Of Montreal releases an acoustic EP and an album not worth listening to (trust me)
• Spoon cancels shows for SNL. Wait, SNL is still on?
• PAY ATTENTION!
• ACL TV Dates
• Honestly, who doesn't want to see Emily Haines writhe on the floor?
• Ugh, let's hope not!

I added two new shows to Show Watch: Houston. Caribou and Smashing Pumpkins. Woo!

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