Shazad Ismaily

Beth Orton preps first album in 6 years, 'Weather Alive,' shares the title track

‘Weather Alive‘ is out in September via Partisan and features Alabaster dePlume, Tom Skinner (The Smile, Sons of Kemet), Shahzad Ismaily, and Tom Herbert (The Invisible)

Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog prep new LP, touring (listen to "Pennsylvania 6 6666")

Along with his bandmates Shahzad Ismaily on bass and drummer Ches Smith, Marc has crafted a genre-defying, angry, funny, and fun record.

Jonsi / Olof Arnalds collaborator Ulfur preps solo LP (listen to "Vakandi")

Icelandic musician and composer Úlfur Hansson has made a name for himself over the last decade collaborating with Jónsi of Sigur Rós, Ólöf Arnalds, and Anna Von Hausswolff, and has had works commissioned by The Icelandic Symphonic Orchestra, the Kronos Quartet and l’Orchestre de Radio France. Now based out of NYC and going simply by Úlfur, he’s set to release new solo album Arborescence on November 3…

Sam Amidon announces tour, played Prospect Park w/ Nels Cline (pics, dates)

Folk musician Sam Amidon released his new album, Following Mountain. The album features legendary jazz percussionist Milford Graves, saxophonist Sam Gendel, multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily and others, making for his most ambitious, jazzy album yet….

Leif Vollebekk preps 'Twin Solitude' (watch "Elegy" video), touring

Leif’s expanded his sound a bit this time, as can be heard on the lovely, soulful and spare lead single, “Elegy.”

pics: Laurie Anderson's "Habeas Corpus" @ Park Avenue Armory w/ Merrill Garbus, Omar Souleyman & more

You can’t miss the no-joke political import of Anderson’s collaboration with onetime Guantánamo prisoner Mohammed el Gharani. As he is barred from entering the US, Anderson’s use of “telepresence” to stream his image live into an Upper East Side venue serves a refreshingly clear conceptual purpose…

Ben Frost releasing 'A U R O R A' (feat. Greg Fox & Thor Harris), contributing to Unsound Fest + more (dates, streams)

Avant-garde composer Ben Frost will release his new album, A U R O R A, on May 27. Like his previous work, it’s ambient but you’d be hard pressed to call it mellow…

Colin Stetson played Ecstatic Music Festival w/ Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Sarah Neufeld, Greg Fox & more (pics/setlist)

The Ecstatic Music Festival continued this past Saturday (3/22) at Merkin Concert Hall with sax great Colin Stetson (collaborator of Arcade Fire, Bon Iver and many others), joined by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus…

Bonnaroo 2014 line-up announced! (Kanye West, Vampire Weekend, Arctic Monkeys, Nick Cave, Damon Albarn, Jack White, Elton John, Neutral Milk Hotel & more)

Bonnaroo 2013 (more by Katherine Hansen) As mentioned, Bonnaroo 2014 happens June 12 – 15 in Manchester, TN. The fest has already been dropping hints as to who’s going to play this year (Kanye and Elton John seem likely as headliners) but will finally spill the beans tonight via a web show called “Blam…