By ANDY VIHSTADT
DangerKeys
Photo by Melanie Pullen for Fat Possum Records
Akron, Ohio’s Black Keys called on Danger Mouse and a handful of guests to flesh out their two-piece sound for LP5. Stream the first single, “Strange Times,” at the duo’s MySpace page. Attack & Release hits stores April Fool’s Day on Nonesuch.
Thought @ Work
The Roots return with Rising Down on April 29. Lyricist Black Thought has been quoted as saying, “I want to be the first rap artist to actually make a good 10th record,” although there isn’t much competition (LL Cool J?). “75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)” is the first taste from the upcoming LP. Listen to it at Okayplayer.com.
Flashlight
Kanye West has released the Glow in the Dark mixtape in anticipation of his upcoming supertour of the same name. The collection of live and unreleased material includes tourmates Rihanna, N.E.R.D. and Lupe Fiasco. Download it at Pretty Much Amazing.
On the Air
NYC’s Enon made a detour to the Daytrotter studios to perform a few songs. Included in the setlist is a new one titled “The Little Ghost of Jon Benet,” which will appear on the upcoming 7”, Silver Rocket. Get it here.
Deaf Indie Elephants has posted last month’s Cat Power performance on French radio’s Black Sessions: Allez-y.
Hot Chip doesn’t begin its American tour until April, but the UK outfit popped into AOL’s Interface studios to perform a few from Made in the Dark. Watch it here. (link)
The National played a short set on University of Purdue’s public radio show, Fair Game, last week. Here are the results.
The National: “Fake Empire (live)” MP3
The National: “Slow Show (live)” MP3
The National: “Start a War (live)” MP3
The National: “You’ve Done It Again Virginia (live)” MP3
Sneak Previews
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: “Cold Son” MP3
Taken from Real Emotional Trash, out 3/4 on Matador
Cool Kids: “Action Figures” MP3 courtesy of Gorilla vs. Bear
Taken from The Bake Sale, out soon on Chocolate Industries
Upcoming Releases
2/26
Beach House, Devotion (Carpark)
Goldfrapp, Seventh Tree (Mute)
3/4
The Black Crowes, Warpaint (Silver Arrow)
Black Spade, To Serve With Love (OM)
Connie Price & the Keystones, Tell Me Something (Ubiquity)
Elvis Costello, This Year’s Model Deluxe Edition (Hip-O)
The Gutter Twins, Saturnalia (Sub Pop)
Ladyhawk, Shots (Jagjaguwar)
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Real Emotional Trash (Matador)
What Made Milwaukee Famous, What Doesn’t Kill Us (Barsuk)
3/11
Del the Funky Homosapien, Eleventh Hour (Def Jux)
Why?, Alopecia (Anticon)
3/18
Destroyer, Trouble in Dreams (Merge)
The Kills, Midnight Boom (Domino)
She & Him, Volume 1 (Merge)
4/1
Apples in Stereo, Electronic Projects for Musicians (Yep Rock)
The Black Keys, Attack & Release (Nonesuch)
R.E.M., Accelerate (Warner)
The Sword, Gods of the Earth (Kemado)
