Some things regarding Hot Hot Heat:

• First of all, let it be known that I love Hot Hot Heat.

• I’m sure you’ve heard by now that BBC Radio 1 has banned ‘Bandages’, due to wartime sensitivities.

• This banning apparently has had no effect on the local “alt”-radio station, who, much to my surprise, actually played ‘Bandages’ last night. I guess they
had an open spot to fill between Everlast’s “What It’s Like” and the Chili Pepper’s “Soul To Squeeze”, which they play incessantly.

• Also, why was ‘Bandages’ chosen as the first single anyway? I think it’s one of the weakest tracks on the album,
second only to “In Cairo”.

• Similarly, the video for ‘Bandages’ is not so hot hot, but it’s better than
nothing.

• I think people should stop saying that HHH sounds like the Cure. I think the best possible description of Hot Hot Heat is:
“They’re like the Rapture, but gayer”

• When I saw them in Halifax last October, lead singer Steve Bayes wore the same clothes 2 shows/nights in
a row, and I know he didn’t wash that shit. Rock and Fucking Roll.

• Photos, enjoy:

Photo above by gac

I’m not really a fan of the band Zwan, but I gotta say, their cover of The Number Of The Beast, for J-Schwo’s new flick, Spun, is pretty kool.

NME reports that Grandaddy have confirmed the final tracklist for their upcoming (not double-) album, Sumday (due in April).

1. Now It’s On
2. I’m On Standby
3. The Go In The Go-For-It
4. The Group Who Couldn’t Say
5. Lost On Yer Merry Way
6. El Caminos In The West
7. Yeah Is What We Had
8. Saddest Vacant Lot In All The World
9. Stray Dog And The Chocolate Shake
10. OK With My Decay
11. The Warming Sun
12. The Final Push To The Sum

The Natural History have posted several MP3s
from their forthcoming album, Beat. Beat. Heartbeat.

Masonic, who released one of
my favorite albums of 2001, Never Stood A Chance, have posted a number
of MP3s from their Bridge Sessions EP. There are currently only three there,
though there used to be five. Curiouser and curiouser.

Also of note, The Starlight Mints, who
released one of my favorite albums of 2000, The Dreams Stuff Was Made Of,
are expected to release their new record, Built On Squares, in June. Unfortunately, there are no MP3s to sample, but you can always just watch the video for “Popsicle”.

Bitchfork is reporting that JV’s followup
to Life and Death of an American Fourtracker
is nearing completion. And yes, that closest-human-equivalent-of-the-Muppet’s-Animal,
Christopher McGuire (of Kid Dakota) is still on drums. Here’s the tracklist (I believe
the opener “Cellar Door”, is about Donnie Darko. Did I mention that JV is Da Man?)

01 Cellar Door

02 Up Above The Sea
03 Wild Strawberries
04 When It Hits My Blood
05 Lunar Landscapes

06 A Bomb In Reverse
07 My Family Tree
08 Untitled
09 Heated Pool and Bar
10 They Won’t Let Me Run
11 June July

Expected release date is August 26th.

Also, did you know you can download Mass Suicide Occult Figurines in it’s entirety @ 256k mp3? And I know I just said this, but’s pretend I didn’t, so I can say it again: Did I mention that JV is Da Man?