JD Samson and her art/performance collective MEN are once again taking to the streets of North America to bring their special brand of electro dance pop to the masses.

08/31 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
09/01 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
09/02 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy Hariet’s Pioneertown Palace (Joshua Tree)
09/03 – Phoenix, AZ @ Club Sancton
09/04 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
09/05 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
09/06 – Denver, CO @ Hi Dive
09/07 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
09/09 – Vancouver, BC @ The Media Club
09/10 – Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
09/11 – Portland, OR @ Rotture
09/16 – San Francisco, CA @ SF MOMA
09/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ Echo
09/18 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Muddy Waters
09/25 – Washington, DC @ Phase 1
10/09 – Atlanta, GA @ Piefmont Park (Atlanta Pride)
10/19 – New York, NY @ Santos Party House (w Salem and Restless People)

“I remember being young and hearing music and thinking, ‘I didn’t know music could do that.’ That can be a feeling of a release, of pent-up tension or aggression, or just being transported through a beautiful moment or an emotional setting. It’s just something that connects. I don’t know why it does it, but it’s there, and I’m bloody glad it is.”

– Ivo Watts-Russell on starting 4AD

As a fan of Bowie and chiptunes, this brings a tear to my eye. (via)

As put off as I was by all the hoopla surrounding Wavves’ debut, it was Nathan Williams’ subsequent “meltdown” that really made me wish the whole thing would just go away. So, I was shocked to like the band’s first single off its Fat Possum debut, King of the Beach, as much as I do. “Post-Acid” is a great pop song couched in stridently accented chords and herky-jerky rhythms. Willliams’ voice still rides a sunny slacker wave, but he injects enough Kurt Cobain in the breakdown to pique my interest. Great chorus, too.

Interpol follows up the most bizarre video of its career with a much more conventional short-form take on “Barricade”, the first actual “single” off Interpol, out September 7th via Matador. With the departure of Carlos D., Interpol is “officially” a trio, since there’s no sign of Dave Pajo on bass in this clip. On the first few listens, “Barricade” sounds like formulaic Interpol, but I’ve grown to appreciate its nuances with repeated plays. It’s by far the most aggressive and danceable track off the band’s fourth LP, which hasn’t left my stereo in a week. Couldn’t resist the higher quality leak that eventually surfaced, but I did pre-order the record. Thus, my conscience rests easy.

Ok, I’ll admit it. I used to worship Alec Empire. I was young and impressionable. It was the ’90s. (Lash the 90ties!) I’m older now and I while I don’t regret my youthful ATR/Empire dalliance, I’m not likely to find myself at an ATR show any time soon. That said, if Aphex ever came out of hiding, I’d probably fly anywhere in the world to see him. He jilted me at Coachella many a moon ago. Of course, Squarepusher filled in and if ever there was a suitable replacement for Richard D James it was Tom Jenkinson. Though, at the time I would have gladly taken Mr. Empire.