Now, I’ll be the first to admit that seeing JJ “in concert” wasn’t at all impressive, in fact it was downright embarrassing for the crowd. They definitely are not a touring ensemble, that is for sure. That said, I am still an unabashed fan. Thanks go to Tug for turning me on to them (long ago) in the first place and for passing along this video.

Came up in a twitter conversation regarding the new Girl Talk album and figured I would share it here, as well.

Tim Kasher’s The Game of Monogamy was released October 5 by Saddle Creek. It’s the most cohesive and blatantly “pop” collection of songs that any of his bands have released.

Tim Kasher on tour:

NOV. 11 LOS ANGELES, CA THE BOOTLEG THEATER
NOV. 12 POMONA, CA GLASS HOUSE RECORD STORE
NOV. 13 SAN DIEGO, CA THE LOFT @ UCSD
NOV. 14 PHOENIX, AZ SAIL INN
NOV. 15 EL PASO, TX THE PERCOLATOR
NOV. 16 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO BLACK SHEEP
NOV. 18 LINCOLN, NE BOURBON THEATER
NOV. 19 OMAHA, NE THE WAITING ROOM
NOV. 20 CHICAGO, IL SCHUBAS
NOV. 21 ANN ARBOR, MI BLIND PIG
NOV. 22 PITTSBURGH, PA THUNDERBIRD CAFÉ
NOV. 23 WASHINGTON, DC THE RED PALACE
NOV. 24 CHAPEL HILL, NC LOCAL 506
NOV. 26 ORLANDO, FL THE SOCIAL
NOV. 27 TAMPA, FL CROWBAR
NOV. 28 ATLANTA, GA THE EARL
NOV. 29 ASHEVILLE, CA ORANGE PEEL*
NOV. 30 RALEIGH, NC LINCOLN THEATRE*
DEC. 1 NORFOLK, VA NORVA*
DEC. 2 YORK, PA STRAND*
DEC. 3 PHILADELPHIA, PA ELECTRIC FACTORY*
DEC. 4 NEW YORK, NY TERMINAL 5*
DEC. 6 PAWTUCKET, RI MET CAFÉ*
DEC. 7 BOSTON, MA WILBUR THEATRE*
DEC. 9 CLEVELAND, OH HOUSE OF BLUES*
DEC. 10 PONTIAC, MI CLUTCH CARGO’S*
DEC. 11 URBANA, IL CANOPY CLUB*
DEC. 12 COLUMBIA, MO THE BLUE NOTE*
DEC. 13 IOWA CITY, IA THE BLUE MOOSE*
DEC. 14 BLOOMINGTON, IN BLUEBIRD*
DEC. 15 ST. LOUIS, MO OFF BROADWAY
DEC. 16 CHICAGO, IL THE VIC THEATRE*
DEC. 17 MILWAUKEE, WI THE RAVE (Downstairs)*
* supporting Minus The Bear

forgetters perform “I’m Not Immune” in Chicago from WBEZ on Vimeo.

In its first year of existence, Blake Schwarzenbach’s new trio, forgetters, has released exactly one double seven-inch. With one song per side. That’s three trips to the turntable just to listen to four songs. I like the throwback nature of the release on double vinyl, despite all the effort, and I am slowly coming around on the songs. If you’re a Jawbreaker fan it’s difficult to listen to any of Blake Schwarzenbach’s subsequent bands without yearning for him to let loose on the vocals. But forgetters definitely has more in common with Jawbreaker than Jets to Brazil. This live performance on WBEZ in Chicago reveals the trio’s penchant for keeping its cards close to it chest, both musically and emotionally. I’m still kind of on the fence, though. [via PunkNews]

For a year when it feels like Ryan Adams has practically been in hiding, when you tally his songs-released total by year’s end, he still blows away most active bands. In addition to his “true metal album” Orion, Adams has a double album on deck that he recorded with the Cardinals during the Easy Tiger sessions back in 2007. III/IV will be released on Adams’ own Pax-AM Records, though his blog post on the matter contains no actual release date. It does, however, contain this nugget about the thematic content of his forthcoming archival purge in that it’s a “concept rock opera about the 80s, ninjas, cigarettes, sex, and pizza.” Well, I don’t know how anyone could not want to hear what that sounds like.

III/IV Tracklist:

SIDE A

Breakdown Into The Resolve
Dear Candy
Wasteland
Ultraviolet Light
Stop Playing With My Heart

SIDE B
Lovely And Blue
Happy Birthday
Kisses Start Wars
The Crystal Skull
Users

SIDE C
No
Numbers
Gracie
Icebreaker
Sewers at the Bottom of the Wishing Well

SIDE D
Typecast
Star Wars
My Favorite Song
P.S.
Death And Rats
Kill The Lights

As much as I resent being taken advantage of by record companies’ transparent marketing schemes, I do pony up for a reissue every now and again. News of Ride’s seminal Nowhere being given the fancy makeover by Rhino has me pulling out my Christmas list for editing. I literally wore this cassette out from over-playing it back in 1990. Pitchfork is correct in its assertion that Ride is not held in the same esteem as peers My Bloody Valentine for reasons unknown to me. I view Nowhere with equal reverence to Loveless. And I had Ride poster in my freshman dorm room, which must mean I prefer Ride overall. Anyway, the reissue will be a double disc affair, replete with the requisite remastering of the original album in addition to the Today Forever EP and a previously unreleased 1991 live show. If that’s not enough it will also come packaged with a 40-page hardcover book with an essay by critic Jim DeRogatis. In other news, Jesus God I cannot believe this album is 20 years old.

Nowhere: 20th Anniversary Edition:

CD1 (Nowhere and Today Forever):

01 Seagull
02 Kaleidoscope
03 In a Different Place
04 Polar Bear
05 Dreams Burn Down
06 Decay
07 Paralysed
08 Vapour Trail
09 Taste
10 Here and Now
11 Nowhere
12 Unfamiliar
13 Sennen
14 Beneath
15 Today

CD2 (Live at the Roxy, 1991):

01 Polar Bear
02 Seagull
03 Unfamiliar
04 Dreams Burn Down
05 Like a Daydream
06 Vapour Trail
07 In a Different Place
08 Perfect Time
09 Taste
10 Nowhere
11 Chelsea Girl
12 Drive Blind

If you happened to have turned on a television in the past week, you’re well aware that Elvis Costello has a new record out. The man is no slacker on the promotional front, having graced the couches of everyone from Letterman to Fallon to Colbert to Joe Scarborough  (!?!). Costello’s gagillionth album is entitled National Ransom and is available via Starbucks’ Hear Music venture. As big of a Costello fan as I am, I must admit I’ve fallen behind in the last few years. I think the last record I bought was Momofuku, which was only two years ago, so I guess I’m not that far behind. Anyway, Costello’s visits to these chat shows are always entertaining because he pulls out the random tunes every now and again, the highlight of which came on Jimmy Fallon’s show, where Costello played “Black and White World” with The Roots as his backing band. He looks and sounds great, as you’ll duly note in the video above. Might be time to catch up on my Costello discography. Slicing Up Eyeballs has done a fine job of following his appearances over the past week.