DOWNLOAD: Marissa Nadler - I Love My Man (MP3) (via)

Definitely looking forward to the previously reported Marissa Nadler black metal collaboration. Here's a bit of news from her about that:

Portal of Sorrow, Xasthur's new full length record, will be available in early April, featuring some vocal contributions by me. As soon as It is available, I will tell you where to find it. As seemingly disparate the worlds of ambient black metal and whatever it is you want to call my music are, this collaboration actually gels quite well. It is really dark and heavy and ethereal. Xasthur (rhymes with disaster) is a one man ambient black metal machine.

In the meantime there's a Buffetlibre Amnesty International comp with a new song (downloadable for free above) to tide us over (full album out April 12th after a slight delay) and two live dates:

Continue reading "Marissa Nadler track on Amnesty International comp (MP3), voice on Xasthur record (out soon), 2 live shows (Littlefield)"

Awesomeness below...

Continue reading "new Portishead song & video for Amnesty International!"

STREAM: Regina Spektor - Laughing With (WINDOWS, QUICKTIME)

Radiohead have gone back into the studio to start work on the follow-up to their 2007 album In Rainbows.

"We just went in last week," bassist Colin Greenwood said. "It was really good. It was really noisy and chaotic and really fun."

But the group do not have fully formed songs yet, he said.

"We're at the stage where we've got the big Lego box out and we've tipped it out on the floor and we're looking at all the bits and thinking, what next?"

The new album, which will be their eighth, will again see producer Nigel Godrich work with the band. [BBC]

Listen to a new Regina Spektor song above. Listen to a new David Byrne EP below...

Continue reading "Radiohead in the studio, David Byrne releases/streams new live benefit EP, and another new Regina Spektor song"

By Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Le Loup - "Shenandoah" (MP3) (on Amnesty comp)
DOWNLOAD: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts & guests - Silent Night (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Deer Tracks - Christmas Fire (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Twiggy Frostbite - Bells & Chimes (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Emotron - Santa Claus (I Still Believe In You) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: (Savanteous Q Malmsteen) - What Do You Get A Wookie for Christmas
DOWNLOAD: The Revelations - It's That Time Of Year (MP3)

With holiday mixes in the air, Amnesty International has released I'll Stay 'Til After Christmas, a benefit comp featuring No Kids, Blitzen Trapper, Parentheitcal Girls, Sally Shapiro, and more (full tracklist below).

Then there's the free all-Swedish Xmas mix up at Swedes Please. Among the songs posted is the new duet between The Hives and Cyndi Lauper, "A Christmas Duel," video below (or buy the song on iTunes).

Speaking of Cyndi and good causes, True Colors is auctioning off a chance to hang out with the Best Electronic/Dance Album nominee as part of its first annual online charity auction to benefit GLBT equality groups the True Colors Fund, CenterLink, and Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

The package includes "1-hour voice lesson, plus lunch, with Cyndi Lauper, in NYC. 2 roundtrip domestic coach tickets on American Airlines and a 2-night stay at Hotel on Rivington included." It's currently going for $4,000. Full list of items on auction here.

And speaking of Christmas music and female 80's icons that have toured for True Colors...

"Blackheart Records, the rock label Joan Jett started over 25 years ago, has released its holiday compilation record, and it's available at the iTunes store. The 11-song digital album features rocked-out holiday standards and originals recorded by Jett and Blackheart bands including Girl in a Coma, The Dollyrots, The Cute Lepers and more."

You can grab "Silent Night" at the top of this post for free. Full tracklist below.

Also for download up there is a selection of holiday MP3's from the inbox.

Other Christmas album options this year include new ones by Sufjan's friend Rosie Thomas and Neutral Milk Hotel's Julian Koster, and one by The Raveonettes. For a Christmas show, check out the always fun McGarrigle Christmas Hour this Wednesday night at Carnegie Hall. Guests this year include Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Emmylou Harris and Justin Bond.

Videos (including one by Glasvegas) and tracklists below...

Continue reading "more Christmas songs & comps & charities - the Hives, Joan Jett, Cyndi Lauper, Sweden, No Kids, Glasvegas & more"