Relient K's first single from the upcoming album Five Score and Seven Years Ago is called 'Must Have Done Something Right', and it's been released to radio this week. Jon Foreman of Switchfoot lends his talents on another song on the album - and the band have upwards of 360,000 Myspace friends. What the hey. [JFH]
A band we've likely never once mentioned around here, Everyday Sunday, blew through Ottawa last night on the Out of the Cold tour featuring The Silent. A good time was had by the few who came out on a Wednesday night, and EDS' 'Wake Up! Wake Up!'(listen here) is by far one of the catchiest singles of the year. I'm a new fan.
Hot on the heels of their surprise - to some - re-signing with Tooth & Nail Records, MxPx(seriously, does pop-punk get any better?) have said in a new interview with Alternative Press that their next album is faster and more hardcore sounding. The album in question may or may not come out on T&N next summer, as the band kinda like having the autonomy of not being signed to a label at the moment. [absolutepunk]
Throwdown have spread the word that they'll be recording and releasing a new album called Venom & Tears next spring through Trustkill Records. They're still working on it wherever it is they do such things. [punknews]
It's about time: after touring literally non-stop for the last year on the trail promoting Thrill Seeker, Pennsylvania's August Burns Red have announced they're taking the next two months off to relax and write their next album. They'll record said album in...Nashville, Tennessee? Weird.
The immeasurably rich Tony Hawk and his latest franchised game Downhill Jam will feature music from the likes of The Bouncing Souls, Thursday, Descendents, Anti-Flag, Bad Brains, Lagwagon and loads more. The entire tracklisting can be found over here.
It was only a matter of time, I suppose, what with being on his label and all - Jay-Z, president and CEO of Island Def Jam Records, will appear on one of the label's flagship acts' new record, that being Fall Out Boy's Infinity On High, due out February 6th, 2007. Apparently the Jiggaman does a voiceover intro for the record.
Raised Fist had to cancel an Ontario/Quebec tour a couple of months ago, but they're back to avenge our loss: Sweden's finest mechanized hardcore band will lay waste to Ontario and la belle province starting December 7th in Ste-Hyacinthe, QC(I was there once with the deceased Is Grace Enough - nothing in the quaint little village square was open to serve food at seven pm on a Friday night. Ridiculous.) Ottawa gets a visit at Babylon on December 14th. C'mon out.
Buffalo icons Glassjaw(that's a funny-haha on our part, since there's a club in Buffalo called the Icon that Glassjaw frontman Daryl Palumbo used to book, but anyway) have announced some touring this winter. Some dates are confirmed, some "100% Maybe", and Deftones are rumoured to be somehow involved. Innnnteresting. The New Year's Eve show in New Haven, Connecticut looks particularly fun, as it features hometown boys Hatebreed headlining. I wanna go. Who wants to drive??
Still one of the best 'zines reviewing records out there: the kids at pastepunk.com know whassup.
While he's still known to most as his Jazz character on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, DJ Jazzy Jeff remains one of the kingpins of the turntable in the hip hop world, and he's coming back with his second record The Return of the Magnificent. Check his guests on this slab: Method Man, Big Daddy Kane, De La Soul, Rhymefest and KRS-One - and that's just for starters. Wow. [Paste]
Speaking of rap, Atmosphere's new album You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having is dope. Pick it up on the Rhymesayers Entertainment label.
Thrice frontman's solo acoustic/folk debut Please Come Home releases January 23rd on Equal Vision(man, they're a great label), but since you can't wait til then - CAN YOU??? - go listen to two cuts at his Myspace page pronto. So impressive, his talent.
This may be the greatest thing since Christ's birth: Christopher Walken will reportedly portray the Prince of Darkness Himself, Ozzy Osbourne, in a new biopic on Motley Crue called The Dirt, based on the 2001 book on the Crue. The film is now in preproduction and will be in theatres in 2008. Wonder which theatre chains will bar this one? I can't wait.
I like her, and if that makes me not punk or hardcore, screw you: Norah Jones will release her third album Not Too Late January 30th. Thirteen songs, guests galore and Norah's breathy, sexy voice. Can't wait for that either.
Last year and the year before, New Jersey's Thursday held 'Hometown Holiday' shows right around Christmas; in '04 Converge and The Dillinger Escape Plan were invited to open, and last year Thursday had in the lads from Circle Takes the Square and mewithoutYou. This year? Oh, nobody - unless you're stoked about Thursday headlining a show with support from From Autumn to Ashes and friggin' Lifetime. I should move to Jersey. [punknews]
The first confirmed headliner for next summer's 2007 Warped Tour is Bad Religion(fittingly enough). By that time, their followup to The Empire Strikes First will be out, and the throngs o' punks will have new songs to learn the singalong parts to.
Good tour lining up for March, when it's still getting freakin' cold here and we need all the hot rock action we can get: Anti-Flag are hitting the road with Alexisonfire, Set Your Goals and incomparable punk band The Explosion. The first four shows are listed, but none of them mean the big squatoosh to me, so I shan't bother listing them. Stay tuned.
Cornerstone 2007 has announced its first two headlining acts: Pacific northwest rapper/label owner/performer/Christian-contemporary music icon Toby Mac and Florida metal beasts Underoath. Rather diverse, as Cornerstone tends to be. More acts will be announced over the next six months or so.
Get on this before it disappears: Killswitch Engage's entire new record As Daylight Dies can be streamed at their Myspace page, for presumably a very limited time. Move! [theprp]
Norma Jean's video for 'Blueprints For Future Homes' can be found at the ever-bustling Zambooie.com.
Been a while since we had news from Poison the Well(speaking of bands from Florida) - the lads have officially jumped on board with the Good Ship Ferret Records in New Joizey, who will release the band's next album Versions in April 2007.
Stone Sour have a new single. Fortunately, we don't care much for Stone Sour around here, so we'll leave it at that.
Bloodjinn, whose new album This Machine Runs On Empty will be out through Pluto Records in February, have raided the He Is Legend alumni camp to find a guitarist, adding former HIL axeman McKenzie Bell to their camp.
Know who's still an active band? CANDLEBOX! Yes! Seattle '90s vets LIVE!!
Holy crap, what an awesome show happening right here in Ottawa - on my birthday. February 9th, 2007: Slayer, at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa's west end, with Unearth opening. Are you kidding me? Someone better buy me tickets to this!! They're also playing the 7th in London, Ontario and the 8th in Hamilton, if you're down there or like to travel.
Hot off selling eleven thousand copies - not too shabby - of their new album Eat, Sleep, Repeat in its first week out(good enough for #90 on the Billboard Top 200), Copeland have followed a band I've always likened them to(Acceptance) to Columbia Records. Here's hoping Copeland don't split up less than a year from now, as Acceptance did. [buzzgrinder]
mewithoutYou's new album Brother, Sister(a very solid piece of work, by the way) was slapped with a Parental Advisory sticker in certain chain stores down in the United States - we haven't heard of this happening north of the 49th parallel yet - to great consternation among their fanbase. mwY's Richard Mazzotta gave buzzgrinder some feedback: "We have no idea why there is a parental advisory on the record. We were not informed of this; we suspect it is because of the Arabic prayer or language in general being on there, you know, America and all it’s freedoms. Yup." That about covers it.
It took long enough: after over ten years of crafting amazing guitar pop and rock, Starflyer 59 are getting the cover treatment, as Map and Gary Murray will cover SF59 tunes on a 7" vinyl due November 28th. It'll be limited to 400 hand-numbered copies for all your audiophile freaks out there. I really want one! Order here if you want yours. It's called, amusingly enough, Friends Who Play Guitar.
A few things from the past week to report.
Firstly, not only are the guys in Boston's No Trigger rad, but they're a kickass punk rock band in the vein of Strike Anywhere slugging it out with Comeback Kid in a dark alley in New York City. They spent two companionable evenings at my home in suburban Ottawa with van trouble, and it was my pleasure, and that of my roommates, to chill with them a couple days. Check them out.
Secondly, I've never been prouder of the Ottawa hip-hop community than last night at the New Capital Music Hall, when we welcomed Jurassic 5 from Los Angeles to the nation's capital for the first time. It was a sellout, but beyond that, the crowd was more amped up than I've ever seen for a rap show. Kudos to you, Ottawa.
And I did J5's laundry before the show in a weird confluence of events that only illustrate how bizarre my life gets sometimes.
Our friends at TruthExplosion in Toronto are turning three soon! Go have a party with them! Visit the site for deets!
Hopesfall will ideally have their next album out in the spring; they're working on it now with producer Mike Watt(As Cities Burn, As Tall As Lions).
Hawthorne Heights have come out on top in their legal dispute with Victory Records; a judge ruled yesterday that they have grounds for terminating their contract with the label. Ergo, the dispute is NOT "over," as Victory honcho Tony Brummel said earlier this week.
Those who are big into the Taste of Chaos tour concept, here's the confirmed lineup for the next trek: 30 Seconds to Mars, Senses Fail, The Used(a repeat engagement), Saosin and more.
Cursed's Blackout at Sunrise EP contains this new song, so go listen to it. Cursed are awesome.
Speaking of Saosin - and you better believe we were - they're on tour with Underoath and Taking Back Sunday presently, and since TBS' Fred Mascherino has been absent of late, Underoath drummer Aaron Gillespie is singing three songs for TBS while his band's singer Spencer Chamberlain is singing one. And as if that wasn't quite enough interaction, Saosin's Beau and Justin have been alternating on guitar during TBS' sets. I'd like to see this.
Protest the Hero, in between touring overseas with DRAGONFORCE(capitalized because they're awesome), have found time for a little Canadian headlining tour with support from - wow - God Forbid and newcomers The Human Abstract, who are apparently quite good. The tour includes a stop here in Ottawa December 15th at Babylon Nightclub on Bank Street. Be there or I will find you.
When No Trigger were staying Chez Sweetdisaster earlier this week, guitarist Jon Strader had his laptop open on my kitchen table and told us that MxPx have re-signed to Tooth & Nail Records, and I had a hard time believing that til I just read it again. T&N will release the re-done Let It Happen album November 21st.
Word on the web is that bassist Clint Norris(who supplied the clean singing vocals on Shadows Are Security) has left As I Lay Dying. UNconfirmed, so don't get all freaking out and stuff. Yet. [lambgoat]
Ordinarily we do not care about such matters here at the D, but this is too funny: it's being reported that Britney Spears dumped that schmuck Kevin Federline(what a greaseball) via text message as the "rapper"(quotations ours) was filming some sort of reality-TV idiocy for MuchMusic in Toronto. K-Fed apparently took thirty minutes off before resuming filming.
Like mewithoutYou? Like, a lot? Well, then, here's some pictures of Aaron Weiss and company in speedos, courtesy of the deranged kiddies at buzzgrinder.
It was only a matter of time before Fox decided to start abusing Myspace for their own purposes: Louisiana band Bones one day found their Myspace profile - with 2100 'friends' - removed, and in its place was a profile for the Fox show of the same name. There was a mutiny such that Fox actually relented and restored Bones' site. Wow. I mean, it's clear why Fox bought Myspace, but I didn't know if the network would actually go ahead and screw with individuals. Nice.
Indie darlings Cool Hand Luke will release a retrospective album covering their eight year career on January 23rd of the new year.
Apparently Kanye West was pissed that he didn't win for Best Video at the MTV Europe Awards that he stormed the stage for a tirade about how he should have won because the vid cost millions, and Pamela Anderson is in it, and he was jumping across canyons, and on and on and shut up already. "If I don't win, the award show loses credibility," West reportedly said. Look, Kanye, brah, just take your money, do your art and enjoy your blessings, okay? Honestly. [Decoy]
The Used bassist Brandon Steineckert was shown the door a few weeks back by his compatriots, but fear not, fans of Brandon, for he's found quite the new gig: how 'bout Rancid? Longtime bassist Brett Reed has left the band, opening the door for Steineckert to join a band with staying power. I hope everyone gets the implied commentary here.
I'd been wondering a couple weeks ago how Dave "Brownsound" Baksh was doing post-Sum41; well, his band Brown Brigade(awesome name) has signed with Aquarius Records(Autopilot Off, Sum, Treble Charger), who will put out the label's debut in the first half of next year.
I've been doing this writing shtick for six years now, and I never thought I'd say these words: Converge's new record No Heroes debuted in the Billboard Top 200, at #151 with six thousand copies and change sold, and named Top Heatseeker. How 'BOUT that.
I for one had no idea they were still an active band, but here it is for what it's worth: Van Halen have announced the hiring of Wolfgang, son of guitarist Eddie, as the band's new bassist, following a falling-out between Eddie and longtime VH low end Michael Anthony.
Set Your Goals ran into a deer last night en route, and are now stuck in Nebraska, cutting them off the Terror tour for the time being. Eesh.
Unearth are touring Canada and the US this winter as part of a reportedly "huge package." I could make a sick remark right now about what a sausage factory the metal/hardcore touring scene already is, but that would be superfluous, yes?
A side gig for Strike Anywhere bassist Garth Petrie: Memorial have enlisted him to do vocals while their singer attends medical school. I don't know for fact that Garth plays bass for Strike A, that's an educated guess.
This might sound weird(ly awesome!): Coheed & Cambria have lost their rhythm section, who are being replaced - temporarily - by Matt Williams and Chris Pennie, better known as the rhythm section(and what a rhythm section!) of The Dillinger Escape Plan. I can't even conceive how C&C's songwriting would be affected by this if it got that far. Amazing.
Snoop Dogg's been arrested again, this time for trying to walk through a metal detector in California with a 21-inch collapsible baton in his laptop computer case. If he's convicted - not that I for one second think he will be - D-O-double-G faces three years in the big house.
Bad Brains are back! Woohoo! Rejoice!!
Yesterday, November 3rd, marked my dad's 50th birthday. Now that it's not a secret or some fool thing, I can simply say it and honour the most influential man in my life - in any son's life, I would hope. Congratulations, Pops.
On a completely different topic, when did American Christianity completely turn into accusations, denials and politics?
Tony Brummel never quits: the head of Victory Records, after staving off(sort of) a lawsuit by the label's top act Hawthorne Heights last month, has in turn sued Virgin Records and its parent company EMI for poaching, alleging that Hawthorne were "induced" to declare themselves free of contract with Victory. Ugly situation overall. The suit remains in the courts. [Radio & Records]
Remember the hype around the Left Behind series of books(and terrible movie I never saw but somehow still know is terrible)? It's now a game for your home computer. It'll be released later this month. Whyyyyyyy?
Some acoustic tracks from the Foo Fighters(opening for Bob Dylan here in Ottawa in the near future) have surfaced on their Myspace page. Enjoy. [soundthesirens]
This month was supposed to see the release of Five Score and Seven Years Ago, the new album from Relient K, but as is often the case the record's been delayed til March. Suck it up. [TVU]
The legendary Lollapalooza festival will be back in 2007, August 3-5 in Chicago. The organizers announced that they've signed on through 2011, according to their website. [SPB]
Two of the greatest men in American have made the cover of Rolling Stone. Sweet!
Rjd2 has jumped ship from Definitive Jux; the Ohio-native beatmaster/composer has signed with XL Recordings, who will put out a new RJ record in 2007. For a preview, check out 'You Never Had It So Good' on his Myspace. The sound has changed, the label has changed, but I'm guessing the man himself has not. Incidentally, Kris Chen, formerly of Domino Recordings, now works for XL, and his first two signings have been Rj and Radiohead's Thom Yorke. Impressive resume.
Some news from our favourite kiddies at Smallman Records: Things Couldn't Be Better is the new record from Windsor, Ontario's The Reason, the followup to 2004's Ravenna; it'll be out March 6th. And a couple weeks before that - mark your calendars, kids - February 20th will see the release of Comeback Kid's third studio album; same producers, hopefully the same urgency and skill. Sylvie and Ghosts of Modern Man are also active and rocking, so hit up Smallman's website and go crazy.