The rumblings have been growing for a while thanks to frontman Geoff Barrow's blog entries, but now, according Pitchfork, Portishead's first album in over ten years will drop in April via Island Records. There's just one problem for stateside fans -- a U.S. release has yet-to-be detailed. Either way, the long overdue and yet untitled effort will follow the band's much-anticipated performance at All Tomorrow's Parties' holiday event, slated for Dec. 7-9 at Butlins Holiday Centre in Minehead, U.K.

Merge Auctions Spoon, Arcade Fire Posters for Charity

Just like years past, Merge is auctioning off memorabilia from recording artists, including Arcade Fire and Spoon, via eBay in an effort to benefit charity. This year, the Chapel Hill, NC-based industry folk are offering rare, silk-screened, autographed gig posters from many recording artists, with all proceeds to be split between Oxfam American and the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Items have begun to hit the auction block already, and according to Merge spokesperson Lindsey Kronmiller, will continue for a while.

"[It] will probably be through the beginning of the year because we've got so much," Kronmiller told CMJ.com. "It's going to take a while because we're still sending some out to the bands first, and they're all over the place."

Currently, signed posters from Arcade Fire ($760!), David Kilgore, Shout Out Louds, and the Rosebuds are up for auction here.

Boris 'Smile' for New LP

Steadfast Japan-based purveyors of doom and gloom rock, Boris, have revealed a few details on the band's forthcoming LP, the follow up to 2006's Pink. The new album, entitled Smile, is expected to drop on a currently unspecified date next April via Southern Lord. Like previous efforts, Smile will feature contributions from Michio Kurihara and Sunn O)))'s Stephen O'Malley, among others. [Via Pitchfork]