8-bit sounds meet a jazz classic. Just $5.

I’m a few days behind on hearing this because I kind of wanted to avoid it, but I finally broke down and listened. “Supergroups” don’t really appeal to me, as they’re usually some masturbatory, just for shits cash cow, but I’ve got to say this fourteen second snippet has me intrigued. I’d buy the record based on it alone. I’m a fan of all three people (Josh Homme, Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones) in various capacities, so the potential for something good is obvious. The riff has a big enough Led Zeppelin influence that I’m already craving more. And knowing Dave Grohl is behind the drums and part of a rhythm section with John Paul Jones is admittedly pretty bad ass. Ok, I’m sold. When’s the record out? [via Rock Daily]

bizarrely listenable. Though, I think the instrumentation really makes that album. I’d like to hear a version sans vocals. (via ToddAwesome, via BoingBoing)

I can’t really remember what the mid-90’s band Lotion sounded like offhand, but I do remember the rumor that reclusive author Thomas Pynchon was allegedly a big fan, which was as random as it was puzzling. Well, it turns out the rumor was little more than some fancy meta-publicity stunt created by the band, though born out of a kernel of truth. Back in 1996 New Yorker writer Andrew Essex fell into the band’s PR trap and published a Talk of the Town piece exploring the seemingly random association of a much lauded, extremely reclusive author and an obscure indie rock band. It was just weird enough that it kind of made sense. Pynchonesque, even. Pynchon had indeed met the band through, get this, one bandmember’s mom’s accountant and had actually written some liner notes for one of their records. Seems like that’d be plenty of a story. The band took it a little too far, though, claiming that Pynchon pretty much followed them around the country all stalker-like, wearing “ill-fitting pants” and “Godzilla t-shirts.” The author never commented on the ruse, so it was assumed by the band that he either approved of the shenanigans or just didn’t care. Well, the whole thing came to and end this week when the New Yorker writer followed up on his story only to learn that, according to lead singer Tony Zajkowski, it was all a “bullshit.” Well played, though. [via Gawker]

Interpol’s Paul Banks brought his pseudonymous solo project, Julian Plenti, to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and showed more than a little musical muscle. Banks’ voice always sounds better in person than on television for some reason, but his sparse, post-punk sounds tightly wound here. I’ve been warming up to the full-length, which is a surprisingly diverse collection that dabbles in electronics and folk in addition to an undeniable strain of Interpol’s dark stoicism. Banks told NME this week that he plans to tour the record.

As with any reunion, The Verve’s motives had to be viewed with a few extra grains of salt. This is a band that has notoriously imploded multiple times. So, anyone who didn’t see the dollar signs flashing behind them when they reformed in 2007 just didn’t want to. With news that The Verve has once again disbanded, I trust most you of met it as a matter of course. Drugs and fame and money fuck bands up. Some weather the storm, while others stew in vitriol for decades. The Verve has always been one of those bands I wanted to like more than I did, but whose arrogance too often outweighed its actual chops. I’ll cop to liking a few songs here and there, even some of the reunited ones, but the lyrics seemed to stymie my enthusiasm every time. The reason for the break up this time (allegedly from a source “close” to the band): “They think Richard was just using the reunion as a vehicle to get his solo career on track.” That sounds about right.