Matt Pond’s new record, Emblems, has
been confirmed with a May 4th release date on Altitude Records. There’s a
4-song preview EP making the rounds, but only to radio stations for now I think, though
it will eventually be made available on tour as well.

Bob Pollard’s new solo record, Fiction Man (Fading Captain #30), will
be out May 3rd. MP3:

Startime is reporting that Brendan Benson’s new
record should be out very soon. In the meantime, he’ll be previewing the new material on
April 13th and 14th at NYC’s Mercury Lounge.

And Badly Drawn Boy’s newest long-player, One Plus One Is One,
is due for US release on June 8th.

Unofficial tracklist:

One Plus One Is One
Easy Love
Summertime In Wintertime
This Is That New Song
Another Devil Dies
The Blossoms
Year Of The Rat

Four Leaf Clover

Fewer Words
Logic Of A Friend
Stockport
Life Turned Upside Down
Take The Glory
Holy Grail (Japan only bonus track)

Some good, sorta tweeky quirkpop from Askeleton, whose
new record, The Angry Album -or- Psychic Songs is just out on Goodnight Records.

Of interest, at least to some, Contraphonic will be releasing a
collection of B-sides &c. by New Radiant Storm King, titled Leftover Blues 1991-2003 .

I also noticed over at the contraphonic site that they’ll soon be re-releasing the Wrens/Five Mod Four Split EP
that was previously released just prior to the release of The Meadowlands. Here’s one of the three Wrens tracks from the split; it’s
an oldie-oldie, from 1991.

When the Wrens played here last week, they said they “loved Ohio because the greatest band ever, Brainiac, was
from Ohio.” Also, I’ve been told that I really frightened Wrens guitarman Charles, because when I was talking to
him I was apparently “waving my arms all around like a madman” and “talking in my seven-beers voice”.