Via Tug, who says “I’ll bet you didn’t know that Phoenix’s Thomas Mars did the vocals for Air’s terrific theme to Virgin Suicides. Or maybe you did. That’s cool too.”

Iron & Wine performed last night on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to promote its rarities collection Around the Well, which came out yesterday on Sub Pop. Sort of ignoring protocol, the perennially hirsute Mr. Beam opened with a new song not featured on the compilation entitled “Godless Brother in Love” but then bent slightly (it’s a web exclusive) to the promotional machine by playing a cover of New Order’s classic “Love Vigilantes”, which is indeed on the commercial release. Stripped of New Order’s idiosyncrasies, “Love Vigilantes” works well as a folk song. An ad precedes the music, as this is a Hulu clip. [via Stereogum]

With all the activity in the Blur camp, fans on this side of the pond have been wondering if they’ll get a taste of the action. Rumors are pointing to some US dates later this year. To coincide with the live shows, the band’s label is prepping a compilation for those who might have missed out on Blur the first time around. It’s a dollar-sign deal to be sure, but the track listing is interesting, if it speaks to what the band might be thinking in terms of setlists. The 25-track double disc set is called Midlife: A Beginners Guide To Blur and is set for release on June 15 by EMI.

Tracklist:

CD1
Beetlebum
Girls & Boys
For Tomorrow
Coffee & TV
Out Of Time
Blue Jeans
Song 2
Bugman
He Thought Of Cars
Death Of A Party
The Universal
Sing
This Is A Low

CD2
Tender
She’s So High
Chemical World
Good Song
Parklife
Advert
Popscene
Stereotypes
Trimm Trabb
Badhead
Strange News From Another Star
Battery In Your Leg

(see also) Via Flavorwire

In 1990 Echo & The Bunnymen resurfaced with a new lead singer and an album doomed for the cutout bin. Longtime fans were horrified, as was original vocalist Ian McCulloch’s ego. But that was the point, I think, as Mac and the other surviving members were not on the best of terms. So, if we start with the premise that the Reverberation album was a mistake, then it’s easier to judge. I was a pretty big Bunnymen fan, but curiosity got the best of me. I bought the record (sorry, Mac) and ended up listening to it a good bit. It doesn’t sound much like Echo & The Bunnymen, which only adds sense to the argument that should your band lose its lead singer CHANGE YOUR NAME IMMEDIATELY, but it has its moments. It mixed guitarist Will Sergeant’s penchant for psychedelic guitar lines with even more throwback psychedelia, which made the record ironically current amidst the burgeoning “baggy” Manchester scene of the time. The lyrics are a tad heavy-handed and sung that way by poor Noel Burke, who joins an uncomfortable list of unwelcome replacement singers led by Sammy Hagar, John Corabi, and Ian Astbury. Burke’s earnestness is quashed by the overwhelming shadow of McCulloch’s artful, irreplaceable swagger. I randomly stumbled on this video, which I had almost forgotten existed. Cursory re-listen doesn’t bode well for this era of the Bunnymen, but I’m willing to sit through the full set at least one more time.

Been hearing a good bit of Solid Gold on Sirius XMU lately. Something about the whole sad disco thing that perks up my ears. Must be all that growing up on New Order. Anyway, both Solid Gold singles I’ve heard are top notch, including “Bible Thumper.” Since the new Junior Boys is kind of meh, this certainly picks up the slack. Download the single below, or you can buy the full length here.

Solid Gold – Bible Thumper.mp3

15 July 1956 – 18 May 1980