On the next episode of Gossip Girl…Sonic Youth (?!?) will play an acoustic version of the EVOL classic “Star Power.” To cash in on celebrate the occasion, Sonic Youth will be offering the acoustic track as a digital download the following day over at Sonic Youth dot com. If commemorating the band’s first appearance on the ought’s answer to Cruel Intentions with a measly digital single isn’t enough for you, then you can grab the “Star Power” pack, which includes the single,  a limited edition, handmade poster (pictured above), as well as a “Star Power” t-shirt. Rumor has it Chuck and Nate were all “yeah yeah yeah, Sonic Youth, blah blah blah…but do you know Kings of Leon?”

The fact that Mission of Burma’s second post-reunion record, The Obliterati, was so good that it ranked amongst the band’s best work was a feat few bands could pull off. Typically, when bands reunite the “new” stuff pales in comparison to the “old” stuff, but somehow Mission of Burma beat that cliche to a pulp. Now the band is faced with topping its own standard-bearer, The Obliterati, which, even as an ardent fan, I would be crazy to expect. This past Tuesday Matador released The Sound The Speed The Light, Mission of Burma’s third post-reunion LP. I’ve only given a perfunctory listen to a handful of its songs, so it’d be premature of me to claim defeat on its behalf. But I’m quite certain the first single, “1,2,3, Partyy!”, is not quite on the same level as anything on The Obliterati. Oh, it sounds exactly like Mission of Burma; it just lacks the fiery tension that catapulted The Obliterati to the top of so many “best of” lists in 2006. And on an unrelated note, Pitchfork makes you sit through ads before viewing videos? Ugh.

K’s Nouvelle Vague post sent me off to listen to the original Echo & the Bunnymen version of “All My Colours”, which then prompted me to Google what the band’s been up to lately. Turns out it just performed its new single “I Think I Need It Too” on Later with Jools Holland two nights ago. Despite a slightly worse for the wear appearance, the two remaining Bunnymen can still emulate the sound that made them famous. It’s just kind of weird when reunited bands play with guys half their age to flesh out the spots left by members past. The original Echo & the Bunnymen produced a few of my favorite records of all time, so it’s still hard to wrap my head around this ghost of a once great band’s new stuff, even five reunited records and 12 years back in. Still, the music sounds legitimate so long as you close your eyes, which you may want to do anyway because the audio in this clip isn’t synched very well. Ian McCulloch still has that snarling, cocksure voice and guitarist Will Sergeant hasn’t lost his touch for instantly memorable guitar runs. And it’s tight and rocking enough that I’d still go see it live.

Another video from the forthcoming Fun and Laughter EP by Land of Talk has premiered via Spinner, so apologies in advance for having to sit through an ad. The EP, which consists of four new songs plus three videos of tracks off the band’s debut full-length, Some Are Lakes, hits stores this coming Tuesday, October 13th. The video for this bare-bones acoustic ballad was directed by LOT bassist Joseph Yarmush and features vocalist Elizabeth Powell wandering through the Appalachian trails of Southeast Quebec. Powell’s vocal is raw and vulnerable, as she often straddles the line between hazy disaffection and emotional turmoil. I’ve been borderline obsessed with this album for weeks now. Very much looking forward to the EP.

Speaking of new albums, The Clientele have a new one as well, titled Bonfires On The Heath. I couldn’t find any videos from the new release, but I did find this nice live performance of their classic, We Could Walk Together from TheCurrent.org

The new album, 3, from Nouvelle Vague lands stateside on October 20th. The fact that they’ve parlayed their cover schtick thus far is rather impressive.