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

Stream “I Might” and check out The Whole Love tracklist below. Solid Sound photos after the jump.

Wilco – I Might by ListenBeforeYouBuy

The Whole Love

1. Art of Almost
2. I Might
3. Sunloathe
4. Dawned On Me
5. Black Moon
6. Born Alone
7. Open Mind
8. Capitol City
9. Standing O
10. Rising Red Lung
11. Whole Love
12. One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend)

Photo credit: Samantha Cope

Ergo, each week, we round up every show’s scheduled performances and place them in a handy little list. For good measure, we’ve thrown in the other guests too. Happy watching.

“Conan”

Mo 5/23: Ken Jeong, Rebel Wilson, Yeasayer
Tu 5/24: Topher Grace, Melissa McCarthy, Beardyman
We 5/25: Dave Salmoni, Kevin Nealon, Ben Harper
Th 5/26: Dana Carvey, Mike Zohn & Evan Michelson, Tinie Tempah

“The Late Show With David Letterman”

Mo 5/23: Lady Gaga, Eric Stonestreet, the Vaccines
Tu 5/24: Ewan McGregor, Scott Pelley, Brad Paisley
We 5/25: Piedmont Bird Callers, Kevin Bacon, Augustana
Th 5/26: Ray Romano, Arctic Monkeys
Fr 5/27: Betty White, Rick Harrison, Morning Teleportation (Rerun 5/4/11)

“The Tonight Show With Jay Leno”

Mo 5/23: Dustin Hoffman, Meghan McCain, the Script
Tu 5/24: Meredith Vieira, Demetri Martin, Ben Harper
We 5/25: Chaz Bono, Brady Barr, Foster the People
Th 5/26: Piers Morgan, Scott Weiland
Fr 5/27: Paris Hilton, Dhani Jones, INXS with Pat Monahan

“Jimmy Kimmel Live”

Mo 5/23: Wanda Sykes, “Bachelorette” Ashley Hebert, Foster the People
Tu 5/24: The winners of “Dancing with the Stars”, Taylor Lautner, Britney Spears
We 5/25: Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sarah Vowell, Maybach Music Group featuring Rick Ross
Th 5/26: Christina Aguilera, Mike Tyson, Big Sean
Fr 5/27: Rerun TBA

“The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson”

Mo 5/23: Jack Black, Rampage Jackson
Tu 5/24: Courteney Cox, Carrot Top
We 5/25: Norm MacDonald, Julie McCarthy, Oh Land
Th 5/26: Seth Green, Lance Burton
Fr 5/27: Drew Carey, Rutina Wesley, the Electric Barbarellas

“Late Night With Jimmy Fallon”

Mo 5/23: Queen Latifah, Matt Bomer, Bon Iver
Tu 5/24: Ed Helms, the Cars
We 5/25: Lucy Liu, Justin Tuck, Wavy Gravy, David Crosby & Graham Nash
Th 5/26: James McAvoy, Gilbert Gottfried, Amos Lee
Fr 5/27: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Dennis Coffey

“Last Call With Carson Daly”

Mo 5/23: Adam Carolla, Mark Woollen, the Airborne Toxic Event
Tu 5/24: Mike Mills, Foster the People, MNDR
We 5/25: Todd Phillips, Buck
Th 5/26: Zack Snyder, Nick Frost & Simon Pegg, Ra Ra Riot (Rerun 3/24/11)
Fr 5/27: LL Cool J, DJ Z-Trip, Mona, the Knux (Rerun 3/25/11)


Pictured: Bon Iver

This week, fan favorite (and the only group invited back to Undercover) Wye Oak has stopped by to tackle Glenn Danzig’s post-Misfits era classic, “Mother.”

Wye Oak covers Danzig