If you are anywhere near Philadelphia this week you'll want to drop by the World Cafe Live for the Beta Hi Fi Music Festival, sponsored by Paste Magazine and WXPN. The Squirrel Nut Zippers, along with the Kin, Ruder Than You, the Pawnshop Roses (Thursday night 8/23), Blue Sinatra, Grimace Federation and more are set to rock your socks off. More info at WorldCafeLive.com.

I meant to post about the soundtrack for The Hottest State awhile ago, but the day I wrote up my mp3s, news and notes post to include it I lost the whole thing and was running late for work so I'm just gettting back around to it (and some of the mp3s below). Anyway, the disc would do Zach Braff proud for its lineup of hip acts as well as old school heroes like Willie Nelson, who never goes out of style. Feist, Cat Power, Bright Eyes, M Ward, Norah Jones and more lend tracks recorded just for the film. You can sample Feist and a few others on the film's myspace page.

State Radio, who we caught with Michael Franti last fall, is readying a new release. Year Of The Crow will come out on their own Ruffshod label on September 18th. They are also embarking on a fall tour, you can get the dates and downloand "Unfortunates" here.

Mp3 Offerings:
New Idea Society (from new record out now): Don't Sleep
Squirrel Nut Zippers: Blue Angel
Pawnshop Roses: Here We Go
Schoolyard Heroes: Dude, Where's My Skin
Sharon Jones (with the Dap Kings): 100 Days, 100 Nights
Junior Senior (mash): Can I Get Low

Andrew Bird, who we also caught at SXSW this year, released a new video a few days ago. If you haven't seen it yet, the video for "Imitosis" is on Andrew's
Myspace page. You can also get a complete list of fall tour dates there, which kicks off September 1st in Seattle.

Labels: Cat Power, Feist, Mp3s, Norah Jones, Pawnshop Roses, Willie Nelson