Brendan Benson’s site has been re-launched. News on the new album? Nope.

Gramophone has the b-side to the just-out Arcade Fire 7″ (It’s that song by “The Alvino Rey Orchestra”). There’s also a live version of “Brazil” over there, if you’re so inclined.

XL UK is re-releasing the Radio Dept.’s Lesser Matters, along with single/EP versions of “Why Won’t You Talk About It” (already out), and “Where Damage Isn’t Already Done” (out in August). Note that you can still download a bunch of the tracks over at the Labrador site, and over at Shelflife.

And, right on the heels of the re-mastered re-release of the Kinks’ Village Green Preservation Society (ft. *45* bonus tracks, as slatch points out), comes news that 13 more Kinks records are getting the deluxe Super Audio treatment. Aren’t there already like 5 different versions of every album?

I haven’t had a giveaway since the big holiday ‘02 one, so
get your name in on this new Unbunny one, since it may be
2 more years before I get around to another one.

You probably already checked this out when lhb posted it days ago, but here is a big hunk of Mountain Goats live/radio sessions.

The Rough Trade re-release of Sufjan’s Michigan features 2 bonus tracks: “Marching Band”, and “Pickerel Lake”.

The one track from the Magnetic Fields’s i that was screaming for an extended dance remix has got one: The I Thought You Were My Boyfriend single is out tomorrow. Song snippettes here.

And Big Tick has a nice live version of Spoon’s “Fitted Shirt” up. Get it while you can, ’cause that shit expires.

I guess what I’m saying is that I just don’t really get the gushing that I’m seeing for the new Wilco record. I mean, I do like it. There are some good songs on there. But really, come on, people. Is this like when Denzel won the Oscar for Training Day, but it wasn’t really for Training Day, it was for every other movie he ever did?

I think at best, A Ghost Is Born is a cross between YHF and that moderately-listenable Loose Fur record. I feel comfortable in my assessment that A Ghost Is Born hits somewhere around a 7.5 on a 10-scale. I’ve invested the time “carefully listening”, and I can comfortably say that it’s definitely pretty okay.

[* just for clarification, please note that my favorite Replacements record is Tim, my favorite Pixies record is Doolittle, My favorite Big Star record(s) is #1 Record/Radio City, and my favorite Wilco record is Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. ]

Get your janglepop fix by picking up Ric Menck’s The Ballad Of Ric Menck. The disc collects tons of material recorded by Ric (some w/ his Velvet Crush co-lab Paul Chastain) between ‘85 and ‘91, under a variety of different names (Choo Choo Train, The Springfields, Paint Set).

If you pre-order Ken Stringfellow’s new record, Soft Commands, from Yep Roc, you’ll also get a handmade bonus CD of Ken’s SXSW performance from this year.

I know you probably didn’t listen to me last week when I urged you
to go join the Futureheads Yahoo Group, to gain access to all their
mp3s. I wouldn’t have done it, either. One word: Lazy Ass. However,
I don’t want you to come cryin’ to me when their record company inevitably
yanks all those mp3s in a few months. So I’m gonna make it a little easier
for you, with a few direct links:

That shit is so damn catchy, I can’t stop listening to it. On the other hand,
my girlfriend absolutely despises it. One of us is on crack. You guess which one.

You know, when I was making the mix this month, I had to decide between two Hayden songs. I chose to go with “Home By Saturday”. But you can hear ‘em both now, because Sponic has posted the other one:

Sponic’s new issue is up now, with a slew of good stuff, including the obligatory Destroyer interview.

Subpop’s reissuing The Constantines s/t debut.

And there are a couple iTunes exclusive Iron and Wine tracks up now at the iTuna Store. Tracks include “No Moon” and “Sinning Hands” (from Our Endless Numbered Days bonus 7″), “Peng!” (Stereolab cover), and “Friends They Are Jewels” (old).

The Natural History are lookin’ for a new drummer. Holler at ‘em if you got the skills.

Since we’re still 6 or 8 months from a new Spoon record, Peter (from the Spoon List) put together a page where you can download demo and live versions of songs expected to show up on the next record. These include “The Two Sides Of Monsieur Valentin”, “My Mathematical Mind”, “They Never Got You”, “Sister Jack”, and “I Summon You”. I think “My Mathematical Mind” is the one that used to be referred to as “Belting Up/Planning For The Apocalypse Is Not Considered Cool”. As if you really give a shit. Go download.

I know I’ve posted enough Destroyer links to make you want to slit your wrists with a dulled cheese knife, but regardless, DOA has an interview up today.

Jon pointed out that Merge Radio’s up over at their site, along with all the individually-streamable tracks now available in the media section.

Filter posted the tracklist for Gammon’s upcoming Daniel Johnston tribute, out September 21st:

1. Teenage Fanclub w/ Jad Fair - My Life Is Starting Over Again
2. Clem Snide - Grievence
3. Gordon Gano - Impossible Love
4. Eels - Living Life
5. T.V. On The Radio - Walking The Cow
6. The Rabbit - Good Morning You
7. Calvin Johnson - Sorry Entertainer
8. Bright Eyes - Devil Town
9. Death Cab For Cutie - Dream Scream
10. Beck - Things Last A Long Time
11. Sparklehorse w/ Flaming Lips - Go
12. Mercury Rev - Blue Cloud
13. Thistle - Love Not Dead
14. Vic Chesnutt - Like A Monkey In The Zoo
15. Starlight Mints - Dead Lovers Twisted Heart
16. M. Ward -Story Of An Artist
17. Guster - The Sun Shines Down on Me
18. Tom Waits - King Kong

(via Frank)

Badly Drawn Boy has mp3 clips of songs from his new record, One Plus One Is One, if you can figure out how to navigate the damn site.

Five Seventeen dot chromewaves has some more Royal City goods for you. This time it’s two live tracks from 2001.

And Pitchfork has the scoop on Ted Leo’s next record, Shake The Streets; it’s out October 19th.

Go over to the 679 Recordings site. The song “Meantime” by The Futureheads should start streaming automatically. Listen to it. It’ll get stuck in your head all day.

I think that if I went back in my time machine, played this for the people of 1980, and told them it was music from 24 years in the future, there’s no way they’d believe me.

The Futureheads s/t record is out July 12 in the UK. I don’t even know if there’ll be a US release.

If you really want to hit the Futureheads motherlode, go join their Yahoo group. Then you can download mp3s of pretty much everything they’ve ever released up to this point, including singles, EPs, and Peel Sessions.

Jerry Moviola pointed me to this really nice live version of “Half Life”, from a show at Hotel Utah.

And hey Columbus, Jerry’s also running sound this evening down at Used Kids. That’s right, free Calexico show at 6pm.