After the smoke cleared and the hangovers faded from the weekend’s big bombs and bashes, the party raged on as the Smashing Pumpkins unveiled plans to celebrate their 20th anniversary, the fruits of Beck and Danger Mouse’s partnership arrived, and Albert Hammond Jr. went to bat. Let’s recap:
What we learned from the Smashing Pumpkins: Twenty years is a long time and a great excuse for a summer tour. First Billy Corgan reformed the alt-rock project — unbeknownst to the other original members — via a newspaper ad and now he plans to celebrate the group’s 20th anniversary with a series of August dates, despite the inclusion of only two original members. James and D’arcy who?
What we learned from Beck: After 14 years of reinvention, the SoCal kid still has it. Teaming with Danger Mouse for his 10th LP, Modern Guilt,Beck scored some encouraging words and earned a career-spanning Artist of the Day retrospective of his history within the pages of Spin.
More highlights from this week…
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AUDIO/VIDEO:
— Exclusive New Apollo Sunshine MP3 “Boston’s brightest sons offer a dose of summertime joy with ‘Singing to the Earth (To Thank Her for You),’ available for download.”
— New Fleet Foxes Video: ‘White Winter Hymnal’ “Seattle-bred psych-folkies get animated, mystic with video for heavenly tune off their eponymous debut album.”
— Download New Dungen MP3 Here, Read Chat With Frontman Gustav Ejstes “The Swedish pysch outfit’s leader gives insight into the recording process in first interview to support 4; grab download of ‘Sätt Att Se’ here.”
NEWS:
— New Deerhunter Album, Tour With Nine Inch Nails “Atlanta’s princes of atmosphere return with Microcastle and an opening slot for Trent Reznor and co.”
— New Secret Machines Album Due Fall ’08 “With the aid of the World’s Fair Label Group, the New York-based psych-rockers will self-release their yet-to-be titled third studio full-length.”
— Shudder to Think Reunite, Announce Tour Dates “The D.C. legends live another day, play select gigs across the country. Hoorah!”
— Ratatat Add Dates to Summer Tour“Brooklyn’s eclectic electronica duo return with more U.S. dates behind LP3, which drops stateside today (July 8).”
— New Albert Hammond Jr. Video for “GfC” “VIDEO! Watch the trippy clip for solo Stroke Albert Hammond Jr.’s “GfC”, off of his newly released record, ¿Cómo Te Llama?“
IT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT:
— Albert Hammond Jr. Knocks MLB All-Star Party Out of the Park “The Stroke hit a homerun with his hometown crowd to launch his new album and baseball’s All-Star festivities.”
— The Mae Shi Tear Apart Minneapolis’ Uptown Bar“L.A. noise-rockers roll through town with their distinct style — and a bedsheet parachute.”
REVIEWS:
— Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III (Cash Money/Universal Motown)
— Beck, Modern Guilt (DGC)
— Albert Hammond Jr., ¿Cómo Te Llama? (Black Seal)
— Leila, Blood Looms and Blooms (Warp)
— Patti Smith and Kevin Shields, The Coral Sea (PASK)
— Ratatat, LP3 (XL)
— Killer Mike, I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II (SMC)
— Mugison, Mugiboogie (Ipecac)
— Son Ambulance, Someone Else’s Déjá Vu (Saddle Creek)
