(Sorry for the Martika reference, I just didn’t want to do a super played-out “Another One Bites The Dust” Queen reference)

Say goodbye to another music print magazine, this time it’s Resonance Magazine.

Previously: Harp: Dead. No Depression: Dead.

3 days on and y’all people are still laughing at my muxtape? Silly people.

I must warn you, you can fall into a trance if you listen to it on repeat for more than 15 minutes.

Almost forgot! PWRFL Power Kaz is back in NYC once again. He’s got a few shows here, and then he’s off for 2 weeks along the West Coast (dates). Kaz plays Sound Fix in Brooklyn tonight, and Cake Shop next Tuesday, 4/1.

We’ve got just a small number of the Catbird PWRFL Power EPs remaining, and while I’m mentioning that, I should tell you that the new Air Waves EP is going like hotcakes and probably won’t last much longer, either.

David Popsheep sent along the new album, No Beach Out Of Reach, from his lo-key, lo-fi musical project The Endless Bummer. I share with you these 2 charming little ditties:

…and I urge you, should you live in Europe, please get in touch with the band, as they’re heading to Europe in July, and would very much like to play some shows while they’re there.

I may be incorrect, but I’m *pretty sure* that April 8th will mark the first time that all of the Mountain Goats 4AD releases will be in print on vinyl. Along with Get Lonely and the new one Heretic Pride, there are fresh pressings of Sunset Tree and We Shall All Be Healed due, PLUS (for the first time ever, I think(?)) 2002’s masterpiece, Tallahassee. I haven’t seen it up for sale at any of the usual places yet (like the Amazon Vinyl Store (you did know there was an Amazon Vinyl Store, right?)), but ADA has it listed.

The mighty prolific Jason Anderson quietly has a new release, the “vinyl-only” K release The Hopeful & The Unafraid. I say “vinyl only” in quotes because, surprise: it comes with a complimentary CD of the tracks. The record was recorded in two days in 2006, at Soma Studios in Chicago, and features guest spots from a few Magnolia Electric Co. dudes on guitar and pedal steel.

I honestly thought Catbird Records might be able to take a bit of a break here in the first part of ‘08, but that was not to be. Though I vowed not to take on any new acts, there are about 5 or 6 previously-arranged projects that have all come to life at once. Don’t get me wrong, this is a GOOD thing.

So, without further ado, I give you CBR 014, the Air Waves EP. I was introduced to Air Waves‘ Nicole Schneit some time ago by the Forest Fire folks, and have been planning to get a release out ever since. Nicole, along with bassist Chris Keyes, and drummer Jaime Tambeur (ex-Unicorns, Islands), knock out great, uncomplicated rock songs that you find yourself absentmindedly humming later in the day, and then you’re all like, “dang, what’s that song,” and then suddenly you remember and so you’re all like, “oh yeah, that’s that one Air Waves song; that’s a great song.” Oh yeah, and Air Waves has the unexpected claim to fame of being named Dan Deacon’s Favorite New Band in this Pitchfork article.

5 song CD in hand-numbered Catbird Mini-7″ case, edition of 200, $4.

Oh! And y’know what else? There’s a FREE show tomorrow (that’s Saturday 3/22) at Sound Fix in Williamsburg, with Air Waves, Forest Fire, and special Shoegazy guests from the UK, Insect Guide. Hie thee to Billyburg!

I swiped this song from over at Said The Gramophone and am reposting it because I am really enjoying it. Nothing fancy, nothing groundbreaking, just a classy, vaguely sort of garagy little pop number. From Brooklyn, NY: Super Monster.

Grab 6 other mp3s over at their Sonicbids page.

Did I mention that there’s a new album out this week that I really like? I may have mentioned it just a few times before, and/or sent 50 or so album-related magnetic poetry sets out to people.

I would tell you to go ahead and go right out and buy Destroyer’s Trouble In Dreams (from iTunes, or Merge)– particularly you people who really enjoyed the last album, Destroyer’s Rubies– but you know, you don’t have to take my word for it. You can “Try It Before You Buy It,” as LHB says, because there’s now a full album stream you can check out: Destroyer Trouble In Dreams full album stream @ Merge.

“WE HAVE RE-ANIMATED JOHN BONHAM’S CORPSE AND RECORDED A NEW LED ZEPPELIN ALBUM. IT WILL BE AVAILABLE TOMORROW.”

Yes, I find the whole Keep Everything A Big Secret! release strategy (a la the new Raconteurs album) to be sort of funny. Releasing everything at once, as soon after it’s completed as possible, THAT, I think is a really good idea. But you have to admit, keeping the entire project a complete secret is pretty silly. If news of a new album actually got out more than 7-10 days in advance, what would happen? Would secret agents and ninjas suddenly descend upon the studio, and go on a murder spree culminating in the theft of the master CD and the fulfillment of their ultimate nefarious goal of posting a RAR to Megaupload?

We wanted to get this record to fans, the press, radio, etc., all at the EXACT SAME TIME so that no one has an upper hand on anyone else regarding it’s availability, reception or perception.

An “upper hand?” I can understand some reasons to release everywhere at the same time, but preventing snooty critics or radio people somehow lording their possession of the album over the unwashed masses is not one of them. There’s speculation that by doing this, the buying public won’t be swayed by any pre-release reviews of the album. That’s a noble thing to shoot for, but even if this thing doesn’t leak, it’s still going to permeate the web with a gazillion reviews mere moments after the first downloads start.

I do applaud them for just getting everything out there all at once, though. I’ve been advocating for this release strategy for years. The thing is, until pretty much RIGHT NOW, at this point in history, this release strategy wouldn’t have been possible. Think about it, WHY couldn’t a release already be there on the shelf WHEN the press push starts? There were a number of reasons:

1. The print mags, and their demands for long lead times.
   No longer an issue, what with the print mags dropping like flies (Harp being the latest casualty (remember my amazing psychic abilities?))
2. The retailers, and their muscle-flexing regarding stocking, placement, and lead-times for ad circulars.
   No longer an issue, what with record stores dropping like flies, and big-box retailers shrinking and/or doing away with dedicated music space altogether.
3. The labels, and their obsession with the UTTERLY USELESS “FIRST WEEK SALES” METRIC.
   No longer an issue not only because artists are forgoing labels altogether, but because labels themselves are likely becoming so desperate, they may even begin to loosen their death-grip on that stupid “First Week Sales” emphasis.

   So how will it all play out? I imagine the record will do okay, probably about the same as if they’d done the traditional style of release. I think the novelty of the “Secret Instant Album Release” is starting to wear off. These sorts of announcements are starting to seem less and less newsworthy. And we’re still not seeing any progress as to how small, unknown bands can approach the marketplace of Music 2.0– because, again, this Raconteurs release is just another example of a strategy that works *only* for acts who have already been brought to a position of prominence by that “Old Broken System.” As David Bennun points out in the Guardian:

   If nobody had heard of the Raconteurs, then without pre-publicity, they might as well shoot the album into space as release it to an oblivious public…

   Final Standings- Raconteurs: Bronze, NIN: Silver, Radiohead: Gold