Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, The Hold Steady and KT Tunstall all contribute songs for SERVE2, a charity compilation put together by Hard Rock International (remeber the Hard Rock Cafe?!?!). All net proceeds from the record will benefit World Hunger Year, a nonprofit organization fighting hunger and poverty in America and around the world. Many of the tracks on the record are live and most are previously unreleased.

Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü fame has signed to Anti- Records. Mould is working on a new disc to be released in February (talk about advance promo!) and will feature another old schooler - Fugazi’s Brendan Canty - manning the drum set. Mould is also out on tour now promoting Circle of Friends, which is a DVD shot live at one of my favorite venues, the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. The tour (dates here) features a screening of the film, an acoustic set from Mould and an interview "in front of the audience" (the PR person wrote that as if someone besides the audience will be asking Mould questions, which would be a bit odd in today's interactive society).

My friends over at Wednesday Records announced that Jon McKiel has finished his debut record for the label. Jon and the band recorded The Nature of Things at the old Fort Apache studios (Pixies' "Come on Pilgrim," Radiohead's "The Bends," and Dinosaur Jr.'s "Green Mind") in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The record was mastered by Noah Mintz (The Dears, Stars, and Broken Social Scene) at Lacquer Channel in Toronto, and will be released in the U.S. in early 2008. Meanwhile, McKiel is finishing up a Canadian tour swing and you can get the remaining dates and hear more songs (in addition to the stellar track below) from the new record on his MySpace page.

Division Day (from Beartrap Island): Tigers
Division Day (Depeche Mode cover): Enjoy the Silence
Division Day (Sponge cover): Plowed
Debbie Harry (Soul Seekerz remix): Two Times Blue
Robbers on High Street (from Grand Animals): Crown Victoria
John McKiel (from Nature of Things): War On You
Poison Control Center (from Glory Us EP): Glory Us
Hellogoodbye (from Serve2): Baby It's Fact (Live From New York, NY)
British Sea Power (from Krankenhaus? EP): Atom

Cutie pie Jennie Owen Youngs is heading out on tour with Sean Hayes that includes a stop in Philadelphia's World Cafe Live on Tuesday October 30th. Get all the dates here and if you haven't seen it yet check out Jenny's funny send up of Nelly's "Hot In Herre" complete with a little "Global Warming" message. Al Gore would be proud! As much I'd like to see Jenny "take off her clothes" I kinda dig this school girl outfit. It's gettin' hot in here indeed.

In case you missed it, here is a video of Bloc Party debuting their new single "Flux" on Conan O'Brien. The single is a preview of a new EP and will also be available on a re-release of A Weekend in the City, both of which are set to hit stores on November 20th. For those international travelers out there, you can catch Bloc Party at the Iceland Airwaves Festival on October 20th or catch them back in the UK on one of several fall dates they have lined up in the Old Country.

Labels: Bloc Party, Jenny Owen Youngs, Jon McKiel, Mp3s

Kele Okereke of Bloc Party seems to have taken a page out of the Lily Allen book of self promotion. Just weeks after proclaiming Oasis is overrated, Okereke has apparently picked a public feud with the "bad boy rocker" image of Pete Doherty (ok, he's more idiot than bad, but some people depend on these cliche's so who am I to disappoint?).

Okereke slammed Doherty for drug use and hits out at the genius tag some have placed on Kate Moss' flame. He's quoted as saying "it's easier to be a misfit or a dropout than be a genius and actually create something." Taking the rant directly to the Babyshamble singer he quipped "Someone like Pete Doherty, with his drug taking and refusal to adhere to a traditional lifestyle, makes people think that his art is more relevant because he's a f**k up."

No doubt Okereke will later claim the pair are buds.

Labels: Bloc Party, Pete Doherty

Usually Noel or Liam Gallagher is the bloke making headlines insulting some other band or artist. But, Kele Okereke of Bloc Party has apparently turned the tables on Oasis. Okereke is quoted as saying: "I think Oasis are the most over-rated and pernicious band of all time. They had a totally negative and dangerous impact upon the state of British music."

Not content to leave the commentary there, Okereke also reportedly mocked the Oasis brothers' oft attempts to link themselves to the Beatles' legacy. He's further quoted as sniping: "They claim to be inspired by the Beatles but, and this so saddens me, they have failed to grasp that the Beatles were about constant change and evolution. Oasis are repetitive Luddites."

"...repetitive Luddites" - now that's not an insult you here everyday. Surely, one of the Gallaghers will respond. I'm betting they won't be able to help themselves.

Labels: Bloc Party, Oasis

While various internet sites are wondering if Bloc Party will cancel their current UK tour due to reported respiratory problems ailing drummer Matt Tong, the band seems to think not as they've announced a new gig.

Bloc Party announced they are confirmed to play this years Rock Werchter Festival in Belgium. The festival runs from June 28th to July 1st. Tickets are expected to go on sale February 27th.

The band is also set play at the SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas on March 15th.

Labels: Bloc Party

Bloc Party has a new video for "I Still Remember" - you can check it out here. Meanwhile their other new tune "The Prayer" topped the NME charts for the second week in a row, and if you haven't seen it yet you can check that clip here.

Labels: Bloc Party

E-Music conducted both a writers poll and a users poll to compile the best independent discs released in 2005.

The writers poll had Konono on top:

01 Konono No. 1, Congotronics (Crammed Discs)
02 Antony & The Johnsons, I Am A Bird Now (Secretly Canadian)
03 Animal Collective, Feels (Fact Cat Records)
04 Sufjan Stevens, Illinoise (Asthmatic Kitty)
05 Hold Steady, Separation Sunday (French Kiss Records)
06 Mountain Goats, The Sunset Tree (4AD)
07 Annie, Anniemal (Big Beat)
08 Various Artists, Run the Road (Vice Records)
09 Slits, Cut (KOCH Records)
10 Bettye LaVette, I've Got My Own Hell to Raise (Anti Records)
11 Spoon, Gimme Fiction (Merge Records)
12 New Pornographers, Twin Cinema (Matador Records)
13 Art Brut, Bang Bang Rock & Roll (Fierce Panda)
14 Bobby Bare, The Moon Was Blue (Dualtone)
15 Danger Doom, The Mouse & The Mask (Epitaph)
16 Bloc Party, Silent Alarm (Vice Records)
17 Supersystem, Always Never Again (Touch & Go Records)
18 James Blood Ulmer, Birthright (Hyena Records)
19 Decemberists, Picaresque (Kill Rock Stars)
20 Go-Betweens, Oceans Apart (Yep Roc Records)
21 Eels, Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (Vagrant Records)
22 John Doe, Forever Hasn't Happened Yet (Yep Roc Records)
23 Deerhoof, The Runners Four (5 Rue Christine)
24 Washington Phillips, Key to the Kingdom (Yazoo-Shanachie Records)
25 Clientele, Strange Geometry (Merge Records)
26 Gang Gang Dance, God's Money (Social Registry)
27 Of Montreal, Sunlandic Twins (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
28 Blackalicious, The Craft (Anti Records)
29 Albert Ammons, Hey Piano Man (JSP Records)
30 Gogol Bordello, Gypsy Punks (Side One Dummy)
31 Lyrics Born, Same!@#$ Different Day (Quannum Projects)
32 Nortec Collective, Tijuana Sessions Vol. 3 (Nacional Records)
33 The National, Alligator (Beggars Banquet)
34 Black Mountain, Black Mountain (Jagjaguwar)
35 Iron & Wine/Calexico, In the Reins (Overcoat Recordings)
36 Yo La Tengo, Prisoners of Love (Matador)
37 Cocorosie, Noah's Ark (Touch & Go Records)
38 Isaac Hayes, Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can You Dig It? (Fantasy/Stax)
39 So Percussion, Steve Reich: Drumming (Cantaloupe Music)
40 Vasti Bunyan, Lookaftering (Dicristina)
41 Serge Gainsbourg, Love And The Beat Vol. 1: Love Gainsbourg's Way
(Sunnyside Records)
42 Ladytron, The Witching Hour (Rykodisc)
43 Dave Douglas, Mountain Passages (KOCH Records)
44 Attileo Mineo, Man in Space with Sounds (Subliminal Sounds)
45 Various Artists, Sun Spots: The Story of Sun Records (Sun Records)
46 Blueprint, 1988 (Rhymesayers)
47 Dr. Dog, Easy Beat (National Parking)
48 Horace Andy, Dance Hall Style (Wackies)
49 Various Artists, Thai Beat A Go-Go 2 (Subliminal Sounds)
50 Fieldwork, Simulated Progress (Pi Recordings)

Sufjan Stevens topped the readers poll:

01 Sufjan Stevens, Illinoise (Asthmatic Kitty)
02 New Pornographers, Twin Cinema (Matador Records)
03 Decemberists, Picaresque (Kill Rock Stars)
04 Spoon, Gimme Fiction (Merge Records)
05 Bloc Party, Silent Alarm (Vice Records)
06 Antony & The Johnsons, I Am A Bird Now (Secretly Canadian)
07 Hold Steady, Separation Sunday (French Kiss Records)
08 The National, Alligator (Beggars Banquet)
09 Josh Rouse, Nashville (Rykodisc)
10 Danger Doom, The Mouse & The Mask (Epitaph)
11 Great Lake Swimmers, Great Lake Swimmers (Misra Records)
12 Lemon Jelly, '64 - '95 (XL Recordings)
13 Echo and the Bunnymen, Siberia (Cooking Vinyl)
14 Sun Kil Moon, Tiny Cities (Caldo Verde Records)
15 Ladytron, The Witching Hour (Rykodisc)
16 Art Brut, Bang Bang Rock & Roll (Fierce Panda)
17 Matisyahu, Live at Stubbs (Or Music)
18 Iron & Wine/Calexico, In the Reins (Overcoat Recordings)
19 The Pernice Brothers, Discover a Lovelier You (Ashmont Records)
20 The Frames, Burn the Maps (Anti Records)

Labels: Art Brut, Bloc Party, Deerhoof, Dr. Dog, Gogol Bordello, Of Montreal, The Hold Steady

Something irrational happens when a good band only you seemed to know about becomes the band du jour; they lose their appeal. It's not that you've outgrown them, but more likely that you are weary of what the hype will do to them. You fear that today's OC- bred hipster will over consume and then move on to the next thing and the band will waste away trying to recapture their attention.

So I entered the Black Cat on April 9 seeking some proof that Bloc Party has a staying power much greater than their hype. Sure enough, at the Black Cat I was greeted by an army of pre-pubescent, image-conscious young hipsters desperate to jump on the bandwagon of today's It band. They were a uniform and faceless mass of ringer tees, piercings, bed head and unchecked volatility.

As the surprisingly competent and fun opening band, The Ponys, warmed up the crowd I could already hear high-pitched squeals of "he's soooooo cuuuuuute." Ugh. These people can have The Killers and the bevy of other definite article bands - why can't they leave me the one band who fulfills my occasional longing for new British post-punk without making me feel as if I have to clean myself off from all of the regurgitation?

Anyway, Bloc Party came out calm, relaxed and as unassuming as I've ever seen a headliner. There were no scowls, no stances and no sneers. This was a band with a lot to prove, but they weren't taking themselves seriously. I mean come on, they had a freaking yellow Care Bear on stage with them.

On their eponymous EP and newly-released Silent Alarm, Bloc Party's sound is clean. The guitars pop in and out and tear off on riffs unexpectedly, but the lines and bridges are all well formed. Because of that, I expected a disciplined, if not sterile, performance of their recordings. Instead they breathed new life into the songs: guitars were muddier, the rhythm section was more prominent, and Kele Okereke's voice seemed even more emotional and free as it danced on top of Gordon Moakes' ominous background vocals. While upbeat and jovial, they slashed through their limited catalog as if the lyrics of "Luno" were their gigging mantra, "[t]here will be no hesitation, there will be no bullshit."

The singles "Banquet" and "Like Eating Glass" were the predictable crowd pleasers in their disappointingly short, but consistently tight and charismatic set. This band isn't nearly as important as the hype which threatens to transcend them, but they have the substance and potential to persevere long after the hipsters have moved on to the next flavor of the week.

The band is touring in Europe now. If you missed them in the States, look out for more dates beginning in late May.

Labels: Bloc Party

No, that picture on the left is not a juvie hall line-up. Believe it or not, this group of fresh-faced lads are Bloc Party, the next big thing in the current UK new-wave revival. This band of youngsters from London kicked off their UK career with Dim Mak Records just three months ago with the release of their self-titled EP. (Though they have also released singles and EPs this year on Wichita Recordings and V2). The instant buzz surrounding the EP and the single "Banquet" in particular sparked a frenzied bidding war between several labels for the rights to the band's music outside of the UK. According to Billboard, they have decided to sign with Vice Records (Atlantic), also home to The Stills and The Streets. Bloc Party will reportedly release their US debut album in March, but don't wait that long -- check out three of their songs here and the video for "Banquet" here. Their music isn't incredibly deep or complex, but even the biggest indie snobs won't be able to sit still or maintain a scowl while listening. Kele Okereke (vocals, guitar) has an incredible falsetto and a sound reminiscent of Robert Smith -- although more like Smith would sound after choking down a handful of Zoloft.

Labels: Bloc Party