As is well documented on the web lately, a new album from Ryan Adams is on the way, and from what we’ve heard so far, DRA’s going back to his acoustic roots. Some, meanwhile, are calling Ashes & Fire “possibly the album of his career.” And though its October 11 release date still seems like an age away, the good people at NPR have the whole thing up right now for streaming.

We’ll doubtless spend much time and many words dissecting the album, which was produced by Glyn Johns and features Norah Jones on seven tracks. For now, take a first listen right here.

Image by David Black

An announcement posted today on the band’s website states, “To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band.”

Rolling Stone reports that the band’s decision was partially due to label politics. Ethan Kaplan, former Senior Vice President of Emerging Technology at Warner Bros. Records, states: “[The label] changed starting last September, and I think the demands on a band now to get a record out were more than [R.E.M.] might have wanted to commit.”

Individual messages from each member, also posted on the band’s site, claim there is no dissonance. “We’ve made this decision together, amicably and with each other’s best interests at heart,” states Mike Mills. “The time just feels right.”

The release will contain all of Cohen’s 17 albums, including live material and studio recordings. Throw in a 36-page booklet and an essay written by Pico Iyer, who’s contributed liner notes to four of Cohen’s albums, and who needs Christmas this year?

The whole bundle will be out October 11—both as a 17-disc set and as an 11-disc one that includes only Cohen’s studio releases.

And here’s the list of albums included:

Songs of Leonard Cohen
Songs From a Room
Songs of Love and Hate
Live Songs
New Skin for the Old Ceremony
Death of a Ladies’ Man
Recent Songs
Various Positions
I’m Your Man
The Future
Cohen Live – Leonard Cohen in Concert
Field Commander Cohen – Tour of 1979
Ten New Songs
Dear Heather
Live in London
Live at the Isle of Wight 1970
Songs From the Road

German producer Sascha Ring’s music achieves what much electronic music doesn’t (dubstep, I’m looking at you): It brings emotions—many different kinds—to forefront of each track while understating the more typical elements of the genre (handclaps, shuffles, etc.). His fourth album, The Devil’s Walk, proves Ring hasn’t lost his touch. From the first guitar pluck on opener “Sweet Unrest” to the isolated vocals of “Your House Is My World” that end the album, he lives up to his forte of masterfully merging shoegazy electronic with traditional pop, rock and acoustic.

According to NPR, the album originated in a makeshift studio in Sayulita, Mexico and later finished back in Europe. Mute will release it on September 27.

Take a listen, right here.

Beck, who produced her 2010 album, IRM, returns for production duty on the track, while Nathalie Canguilhem directed the video.

The song is off her forthcoming EP, also titled Terrible Angels and set for release on September 6 via Because Music/Elektra.

Pitchfork reports that the release will be followed by a double-LP of live and unreleased material set to drop November 8.

Charlotte Gainsbourg – “Terrible Angels”





Terrible Angels

It’s not that I didn’t dig the jangly, arena-rock-like anthems on III/IV and the prog-metal album Orion, both released in 2010 (though the former was actually recorded in 2007). But the Ryan Adams persona (and let’s face it, dude’s got a few) I’ll take over any other is the one found on gems like Cold Roses, Gold, and Easy Tiger.

So in my world, at least, the new Ryan Adams track is appropriately titled. “Lucky Now” hearkens back to the melodic, country-rock musings found on those latter albums, and the song is hopefully a taste of more to come when Adams’ next full-length, the Glyn Johns-produced Ashes & Fire. The record is apparently inspired by Adams’ newfound love of hiking and will be released on October 11 via PAX•AM.

The mostly acoustic “Lucky Now” features minimal drums, just a touch of electric guitar and piano courtesy of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Benmont Tench. Stream it below, where you can also find album artwork and the tracklist.

Ryan Adams – “Lucky Now”


Lucky Now by ryanadams







Ashes & Fire
01 Dirty Rain
02 Ashes & Fire
03 Come Home
04 Rocks
05 Do I Wait
06 Chains of Love
07 Invisible Riverside
08 Save Me
09 Kindness
10 Lucky Now
11 I Love You But I Don’t Know What to Say

Songs, which are off band’s latest album, The Grand Theatre, Volume One, include “Champaign, Illinois,” a song for which Miller splits a writing credit with Bob Dylan. (Dylan’s eleven-minute “Desolation Row” is the melody.)

Listen to the full set here.

In news of The Old 97′s, the bank continues it’s trek around North America. Check ‘em here:

02/18 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant *
02/19 Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre *
02/20 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue *
02/22 Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall *
02/23 Newport, KY – Southgate House *
02/24 Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel *
02/25 Atlanta, GA – The Buckhead Theatre *
02/26 Charleston, SC – The Music Farm *
02/27 Jacksonville Beach, FL – Free Bird Live *
03/01 Orlando, FL – The Plaza Theatre *
03/02 Tampa, FL – Skipper’s Smokehouse *
03/03 Tallahasse, FL – The Moon *
03/04 New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s *
03/05 Houston, TX – House of Blues *
03/31 Omaha, NE – Slowdown ^
04/01 Madison, WI – The Barrymore Theatre #
04/02 Bloomington, IL – Castle Theater #
04/03 Indianapolis, IN – Vogue #
04/05 Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall #
04/06 Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern #
04/07 Rochester, NY – Water Street #
04/08 Boston, MA – Royale #
04/09 New York, NY – Webster Hall @
04/10 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club #
04/12 Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater #
04/13 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle #
04/14 Charlotte, NC – Visulite Theater #
04/15 Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theater #
04/16 Birmingham, AL – Workplay Theatre #
05/30 Quincy, WA – Sasquatch Festival

* = with Those Darlins
^ = with The O’s
# = with Teddy Thompson
@ = with Kevin Devine

Image © Brittney Bush Bollay/KEXP

The signing also coincides with news of a forthcoming new album. Team Love released the band’s last three albums, Adventures of the Felice Brothers Vol. 1, The Felice Brothers, and Yonder is The Clock. Fat Possum’s site says the new record will arrive at some point this Spring.

In the meantime, the band will tour the U.S., hitting SXSW before heading to the other hemisphere for a handful of Australia and New Zealand shows—and they’re not taking many breaks in between cities. Check ‘em at one of the many dates below.

For a little inspiration (and since we’re particularly excited about whiskey-related news this week), here’s a whiskey-themed video clip of The Felice Brothers performing live:

“Whiskey in my Whiskey”

Felice Brothers:
03/19 Austin, TX – Auditorium Shores (SXSW)
03/25 Oneota, NY – Oneota Theater
03/26 Hudson, NY – Club Helsinki Hudson
03/27 Hoboken, NJ – Maxwell’s
03/30 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian
03/31 Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
04/01 Huntington, WV – V Club
04/02 Lexington, KY – Buster’s Billiards and Backroom
04/03 Knoxville, TN – Rhythm ‘N Blooms (Dogwood Arts Festival)
04/05 Charlotte, NC – Visualite Theater
04/06 Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club
04/07 Nashville, TN – Exit/In
04/08 Birmingham, AL – The Bottletree
04/09 Memphis, TN – Hi-Tone
04/10 Dallas, TX – The Loft
04/12 Lubock, TX – Blue Light
04/13 Santa Fe, NM – Corazon
04/16 Indio, CA – Coachella
04/20 Sydney, Australia – Annandale Hotel
04/21 Melbourne, Australia – The Prince Ballroom
04/22 Melbourne, Australia – Boggie Fest
04/23 Meenyan, Australia – Town Hall
04/24 Auckland, New Zealand – Grassroots Festival
04/28 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
04/29 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
04/30 Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
05/02 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
05/03 Denver, CO – Hi Dive
05/04 Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room
05/06 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall

With that in mind, the label will release two albums a month for the rest of the year, on limited-edition clear vinyl. Some are previously released albums, some have never appeared in vinyl format (hello, Whiskeytown!), and some are from Lost Highway’s current release schedule. Already out is Ryan Adam’s GOLD and the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack. The rest we’ve listed below.

South by Southwest goers, take note. Lost Highway and BMI will hold a show at the Austin City Limits studio that will include performances by Lucinda Williams, Robert Earl Keen, Hayes Carll, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, and “surprise guests.”

Here’s to another ten.

Lost Highway Tenth Anniversary Clear Vinyl Releases

02/15
Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO (& other American stories)
Drive-by-Truckers – Southern Rock Opera

03/13 Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears – Scandalous

04/12
Willie Nelson & Ray Price – Run That By Me One More Time
Whiskeytown – Pneumonia *

05/10
Various Artists – Timeless: Hang Williams Tribute *
Johnny Cash – American VI: Ain’t No Grave

06/14
Elvis Costello – The Delivery Man
Lucinda Williams – Essence *

07/12
Robert Earl Keen – Gravitational Forces *
Ryan Bingham – Mescalito

08/09
Shelby Lynne – Just a Little Lovin’
Willie Nelson – You Don’t Know Me

09/13
Hank Williams – 20 of Hank Williams’ Greatest Hits
Ryan Adams – Love is Hell *

10/11
Lyle Lovett and His Large Band – It’s Not Big It’s Large *
Ryan Adams – Rock N Roll

November/December TBA

* = previously unreleased in vinyl format

And with that, the first show dates are now on the Wilco site. The band has already announced a new label and a new album, so expect to hear some new songs at this latest batch of shows, which we’ve listed below along with some Jeff Tweedy solo dates.

Finally, Wilco will once again curate its Solid Sound Festival in Massachusetts this summer. Photos from last year are still up at the Wilco site, along with some pics of the band recording at the loft, and proof that someone, in the near future, may need to mail Pat Sansone a shaving kit.

Wilco:

03/22 Toronto, CA – Queen Elizabeth Theatre *
03/23 Toronto, CA – Queen Elizabeth Theatre *
03/25 Montreal, CA – L’Olympia De Montreal *
03/26 Portland, ME – State Theatre *
03/28 Madison, WI – Capitol Theater *
03/29 Rochester, MN – Mayo Civic Ctr.Presentation Hall *
03/30 Iowa City, IA – The Englert Theatre *
05/02 Montgomery, AL – Montgomery Performing Arts Centre
05/03 Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre
05/05 New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
05/06 Houston, TX – Verizon Wireless Theater
05/07 Denton, TX – University of North Texas Main Auditorium
05/08 Tulsa, OK – Sasquatch Festival @ The Gorge Amphitheatre
06/24 – 06/26 North Adams, MA – Solid Sound Festival @ Mass Moca

* = Jeff Tweedy solo show