While Dan Mangan‘s fantastic album Oh Fortune improbably was left off of the short list for the Polaris Prize, it did just walk away from the Western Canadian Music Awards with awards for best Independent Album, Rock Album and Songwriter Of The Year. It capped a busy summer for Mangan, who got married, became the subject of a soon-to-air CBC documentary, was nominated for SOCAN’s ECHO songwriting prize, and added tour dates in North America and Europe with The Rural Alberta Advantage and Jason Collett, respectively. And now, he’s released a track recorded during the Oh Fortune sessions on 7″ vinyl (entitled Radicals) along with a b-side featuring his cover of Yukon Blonde’s “Stairway.”
Spinnin’ Records unveiled a techno-centric crowd-sourced approach to 21st century A&R, releasing an app called Talent Pool that allows band to upload their demos, which are then curated for label consideration via feedback received via social media.
David Byrne of Talking Heads fame sat down with David Lowery of Cracker and NPR Music-intern-bashing fame, at a symposium at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., to discuss the balance between copyright and creativity in the digital age.
The Washington Post talks with Animal Collective’s Brian Weitz, a.k.a. “Geologist,” who reveals that even he doesn’t find their music to be particularly memorable.
When he’s not puking on stage, Justin Bieber scalps his own tickets…thus giving people a reason (beyond his music) to throw up, themselves.
When WE interviewed Heavy Cream a few months back, they spoke of an upcoming split 7″ with The Coathangers. Their contribution is no longer called “Train Wreck,” or “White Lightnin’,” but it rocks just as fast and hard with its current title, “Toasted.”
Russian punks / freedom of speech poster girls Pussy Riot have had their appeal delayed until October 10th after Yekaterina Samutsevich fired her lawyer(s).
The Foo Fighters are taking a break.
Adele confirmed that she’s singing the James Bond franchise’s theme in its latest iteration, Skyfall. The track will be released Thursday.
30 years ago yesterday, the first CD player was released commercially by Sony, costing the equivalent of about $1,630 in 2012.
Aimee Mann…took a nap. Apparently she’s been busy.
Lots of new releases today, including Jets Overhead, The Tragically Hip, Tori Amos, Matt & Kim, Beth Orton, The Mountain Goats, and Muse. After its release last Tuesday, Mumford & Sons’ Babel is Number 1 on charts at Amazon and iTunes, with the Billboard 200 almost certain to follow. Also debuting…a new Blood Orange written/produced record, recorded by Beyonce’s baby sis, Solange Knowles.
