Photo above swiped from Ryan Muir’s Flickr without permission – sorry

Jay, Stephen and Billy are coming back – Flying Vs in tow – for twenty-plus dates across Europe with no days off. We admire their work ethic.

October
28th – Maroquinerie, Paris FR (buy tickets here, here or here)
29th – Luxor, Koln DE (buy tickets here)
30th – 59 to 1, Munich DE (buy tickets here)
31st – Lido (club night), Berlin DE (buy tickets here)
November
1st – Loppen, Copenhagen DK
2nd – John Dee, Oslo NO (buy tickets here)
3rd – Babel, Malmo SE (buy tickets here)
4th – Logo, Hamburg DE (buy tickets here)
5th – Matrix, Prague CZ (buy tickets here)
6th – B72, Vienna AT (buy tickets here)
7th – Covo, Bologna IT
8th – La Cooperative De Mai, Clermont-Ferrand FR (buy tickets here, here or here)
9th – Botanique Rotunde, Brussels BE (buy tickets here)
10th – Bar Academy, Birmingham UK (buy tickets here or 08444 772 000 / 08712 200 260)
11th – King Tuts, Glasgow UK (buy tickets here or call 08444 999 990
12th – Roadhouse, Manchester UK (buy tickets here or call 08712 200 260 / 01618 321 111)
13th – Underworld, London UK (buy tickets here or call 08712 200 260)
14th – Croft, Bristol UK (buy tickets here or call 08704 444 400)
15th – Masque, Liverpool UK (buy tickets here or call 08448 472 424)
16th – Whelans, Dublin IE (buy tickets here or 0818 719 390)

* Or Autumn if you speak English.

If you simply can’t wait until this coming Tuesday to hear Julian Plenti’s debut album, “Julian Plenti is…Skyscraper”, well you’re impatient.

But Rhapsody is feeling you, dawg: the entire album is currently streaming via Rhapsody’s “The Leak”. Get your Skyscraper on here, now.

Please join us, this Thursday evening, at the lovely ACE Hotel, NYC.

We’ll be playing Julian Plenti’s upcoming 8/4 release, Julian Plenti…is Skyscraper, while enjoying complimentary bourbon cocktails in ACE’s Breslin Bar & Dining Room.

As previously announced, Julian Plenti will be making his first concert appearance in years this September. Keep it tuned here for further details.

Jay Reatard loves giving back.
He loves it so much, in fact, that he’s going to visit some of the independent record stores who have supported him and his records.
He loves it so much, in fact, that he’s playing instores at those record stores.
He loves it so much, in fact, that all of the instores are free and all ages.
That’s right…I said it.
Ten…count ‘em…TEN free all ages instores up the West Coast from San Diego to Vancouver.
So come help Jay celebrate the release of his new record Watch Me Fall with some instore ROCK!!!

August:
18th – 6pm @ Amoeba Music Hollywood (LA)
19th – 7pm @ Fingerprints (Long Beach)
20th – 7pm @ M-Theory (San Diego)
21st – 7pm @ Streetlight Records (Santa Cruz)
22nd – 6pm @ Amoeba Music San Francisco (duh)
23rd – 6pm @ Amoeba Music Berkeley (again…)
25th – 6pm @ Jackpot Records (Portland)
26th – 7pm @ Easy Street Records (Seattle)
27th – 7pm @ Sonic Boom Records (Seattle)
28th – 8pm @ Zulu Records (Vancouver)

And keep in mind that these will be Jay’s ONLY west coast dates in August.
There will be no club shows…meaning…Come!! Watch Jay Play.

Watch Me Fall is available on LP August 4th and CD August 18th.

Though Sonic Youth’s current Western swing was due to end Sunday night in Oakland prior to the heading to Japan, we’re happy to confirm they’ll be playing at The Independent in San Francisco this coming Monday night, August 3, with support from Sic Alps (above).

Today brings us the first clip in a series of five from the upcoming Yo La Tengo album, “Popular Songs”.

“Here to Fall” kicks off director John McSwain’s multi-song visual accompaniment to the diverse and arresting sounds of YLT’s exceptional new album. Each video will debut with a unique partner site (well, the Matablog is kicking it off), one per week leading up to the September 8th release of “Popular Songs”. The videos will be collected here, so check back!

Click here to pre-order “Popular Songs”, or visit Buy Early Get Now for the unstoppable deluxe package. In a related note, the advance stream of ‘Popular Songs’ is available for BEGN customers starting today.

“Here to Fall”

On Tuesday August 4th MySpace will debut “Waiting For Something”, a short documentary about Jay Reatard.

Directed by Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz, “Waiting For Something” explores in detail Jay’s personal history and his roots in Memphis music, and also gazes forward at an artistic journey not yet written.

Here is the first trailer for the film.

TRAILER: “Waiting For Something”, a Jay Reatard documentary

(Lee and Steve photos by Kirstie Shanley)

Though tickets for SY’s 9/29 show at the Wiltern and their October 4 ACL appearance have been available for a while, the rest of the schedule below is on sale starting today.

Fri-Sep-25 Pomona, CA Fox Theatre
Sat-Sep-26 Santa Barbara, CA Arlington Theatre
Mon-Sep-28 San Diego, CA House of Blues
Tue-Sep-29 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
Thu-Oct-01 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre
Fri-Oct-02 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
Sun-Oct-04 Austin, TX Austin City Limits

Fucked Up, who by all accounts pulled together the most ferocious set of Pitchfork weekend (two of them if you happened to be at Subterranean on Friday night), also found time to interview fellow fourth-wall breakers the Jesus Lizard.

Watch Pink Eyes hold his own with the heavyweights, and also see an outstanding version of “Crusades” from the festival.

Pink Eyes interviews the Jesus Lizard

“Crusades”

Above: Thor and Kim engaging in double-glock(enspiel) warfare at this year’s Primavera Festival

Having Shearwater play on this side of the Atlantic is always a good thing especially if it means the opportunity to hear more new material. Bring your own glockenspiel/double-bass/hand-made instrument.

September:
10th – Vooruit, Ghent BE
11th – End Of The Road Festival, Dorset UK
12th – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds UK (w/ Clinic)
13th – Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester UK
14th – The Luminaire, London UK
15th – Effenaar, Eindhoven NL
16th – Tivoli (De Helling), Utrecht NL

As we gear up for the release of the incredible Popular Songs, we have launched a Buy Early Get Now program for the album, and we now announce the second MP3.

The song is the album opener, and it’s a killer:

Here To Fall (192k mp3)

Fall tour dates have been announced and are on sale.

Despite their name, The Cave Singers do not actually hail from any physical cave that we’re aware of – though Seattle can be a dark and mysterious city, with its share of stalactite-esque hangers-on. Metaphysically, however, said Cave Singers have filled a cave-like void in Matador’s collective musical consciousness this summer. In delivering their sophomore album Welcome Joy, they’ve unleashed a followup that builds on the earthy, guitar picking, folkiness of their debut Invitation Songs, but with 10 times better production. Take a listen to the latest MP3, At The Cut, and let the Cave Singers rattle around the recesses of your brain for a while. Tell us you don’t just want to hop into a car and hit the highway full speed simply to see where the open road leads you? [Ok don't actually tell us if you disagree. It's not so much that we don't care but instead know a perfect little cave (between your own ears) that we encourage you to voice your opinions.] At The Cut may just be a little teaser but luckily you don’t have to wait long, the whole album, Welcome Joy, hits stores Tue, Aug 18th!

At The Cut MP3

Also be sure to leave your caves (ok last poorly worded cave reference, we promise) when they swing through a city near you. You’ll be happy you did!

CAVE SINGERS / NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
Fri, 7/24 – Spokane WA – Empyrean Coffee House
Sat, 7/25 – Nelson BC – Littlefest
Sat, 9/5 – Vancouver BC – Biltmore Cabaret
Mon, 9/7 – Seattle WA – Bumbershoot Festival
Fri, 9/11 – Minneapolis MN – 400 Bar
Sat, 9/12 – Chicago IL – Schubas
Sun, 9/13 – Detroit MI – Magic Stick
Mon, 9/14 – Toronto ON – Horseshoe Tavern
Thu, 9/17 – Boston MA – TT The Bear’s
Sat, 9/19 – New York NY – Bowery Ballroom
Sun, 9/20 – Philadelphia PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Mon, 9/21 – Washington DC – Black Cat
Wed, 9/23 – Memphis TN – Hi-Tone Cafe
Thu, 9/24 – Birmingham AL – The Bottletree
Sat, 9/26 – Austin TX – The Mohawk
Tue, 9/29 – Phoenix AZ – Modified
Wed, 9/30 – Las Vegas NV – Beauty Bar
Thu, 10/1 – Los Angeles CA – The Echo
Fri, 10/2 – San Diego CA – Casbah
Sat, 10/3 – Merced CA – The Partisan
Tue, 10/6 – San Francisco CA – The Independent
Fri, 10/16 – Portland OR – Mississippi Studios

As mentioned on the Matablog last June 4, The new Yo La Tengo CD/2XLP/digital album ‘Popular Songs” (OLE 856-1,2) is hitting record shops & e-tailers on September 8. However, as we’ve hinted previously, you can start listening to ‘Popular Songs’ on August 4 via Matador’s award-winning Buy Early Get Now scheme.

Now in it’s 8th incarnation, this version of BEGN features the following for advance purchasers of ‘Popular Songs’ on double LP or compact disc ;

- one of the above configurations, available for collection at a trusted physical retailer on September 8.
- the full album stream starting August 4, with exclusive bonus MP3s to follow.
- a vinyl LP featuring Yo La Tengo’s Orginal Score from the Motion Picture “Adventureland”
- a poster (design TBD, but trust us, you’ll be pleased).

Of course, you can also pre-order ‘Popular Songs’ directly from The Matador Store.

(photograph by Steve Gullick)

We’re also happy to announce the following North American tour dates, with several additional shows still to be confirmed later this week. Support for this jaunt is still being confirmed, however we can tell you The Black Lips are on the September 25 bill at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom. Shows marked * are on sale today.

9/15 – Burlington, VT at Higher Ground
9/16 – Boston at Wilbur Theater*
9/17 – DC at 9:30 Club
9/18 – Durham at Carolina Theater
9/19 – Atlanta at Variety*
9/21 – Asheville at Orange Peel
9/25 – NYC at Roseland
10/2 – Montreal at Le National
10/3 – Toronto at Opera House*
10/5 – Cleveland at Beachland Ballroom*
10/6 – Chicago at the Vic Theatre *
10/7 – Minneapolis at First Ave*
10/9 – Omaha at Slowdown
10/10 – Denver at Ogden *
10/11 – Aspen at Belly Up
10/12 – Salt Lake City at Urban Lounge
10/14 – Phoenix at Marquee
10/15 – Los Angeles at Avalon
10/16 – San Diego at Soma
10/17 – Santa Cruz at Rio Theater*
10/18 – San Francisco at Treasure Island Festival (tickets on sale)
10/20 – Portland at Crystal Ballroom*
10/21 – Vancouver at Commodore Ballroom*
10/22 – Seattle at Showbox SoDo *

It’s the most impressive Ohio double bill since Bronson Arroyo stole the microphone during a Wussy gig and performed a solo a capella version of Human Zoo’s “Change Me”* ; Times New Viking will be supporting The Breeders on the following midwestern USA dates :

Wed-Aug-05 Newport, KY Southgate House
Thu-Aug-06 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
Fri-Aug-07 St. Louis, MO Blueberry Hill
Sat-Aug-08 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
Sun-Aug-09 Omaha, NE Slowdown

(*- though I have no proof this ever happened, you have no proof it didn’t)