Jeff Hanson, the really talented artist who’s most widely known as “that dude that sounds like a chick” is set to release his third album, Madam Owl, just one month from now, but you’d be hard pressed to find much in the way of promo or info for the record online. Every time I get a Kill Rock Stars List email in my inbox, I jump on it, thinking “surely, there will be something about Jeff Hanson’s new album in there,” but there never is… so I’m starting to fear that this release is gonna get buried and everyone’s gonna miss it. I mean, even though I haven’t heard *anything* from Madam Owl, I can tell you, that would be a very bad thing. Because the guy’s 2 prior releases, Son and Jeff Hanson, have both been great records.

Madam Owl is out August 19th, and I’d wager that it’s well worth your attention.

A belated Happy Birthday to Catbirdseat.Org’s very first really-successful internet meme, Hipster Bingo, which actually turned *5* years old last month. Believe it or not, fresh links to this STILL come in many times each week– it actually accounts for a full 25% of Catbirdseat.Org traffic. I know, I know, you’d think I’d have updated Hipster Bingo at some point, to include “beards,” or to replace “ironic trucker cap” with “$50 New Era ‘Fitted,;” but thing is, you gotta know when to let something go. You gotta know when to stop. The last thing in the world I want is to become the Jeff Foxworthy of indie rock (”If TWO-THIRDS of yer outfit comes from American Apparel… you maht be a hipshter!”)

…and while we’re on the topic of Seattle, here’s your new favorite “on-repeat-all-afternoon” pop nugget, from those consistent and dependable Seattlites BOAT:

The song is from their new 7-inch, Topps. In a move after my own heart, it comes packaged with a Topps™-y looking cover, a stick of that brittle, powdery pink gum, 6 handmade baseball cards, and free mp3 download (incl. a bonus track). There’s even a deluxe limited edition, in clear vinyl, with a complete set of 25 cards, which is available only at shows.

Now, you know that typically, I couldn’t care less about any of the 9 trillion music festivals occurring across the US at any given time, but I feel that I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t point out The Stranger’s coverage of the Sub Pop 20 event, which I actually find a really worthwhile read.

SP20: Eric’s Trip, Pissed Jeans, The Vaselines
Re: SP20: Eric’s Trip, Pissed Jeans, The Vaselines
SP20: Saturday in Photos
SP20: Seaweed, the Helio Sequence, the Fleet Foxes, and Mudhoney (and Some Other Stuff Too… Like Back Tats)
Back Tats I Saw at SP20 While Waiting for the Vaselines to Start

It’s taken more than 8 years, but I’m finally really excited for a new Lambchop album. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed the band’s output all throughout the early aughts, but 2000’s Nixon was really the last one that I was really into. Anyway, the new album: it’s called OH (ohio), and Merge will have it out for us to enjoy on October 7th (which is good; Fall is Lambchoppiest time of year, I find). The MP3 is lovely, and I can’t wait to get my ears around the full album.

According to Wikipedia, Disco semi-officially began in 1973, and had a good 6 year run, lasting until “The Day Disco Died” on July 12, 1979. Should this lead us to conclude, then, using, let’s say, the release of The Rapture’s Echoes (2003) as the starting point, that the modern equivalent of Disco has less than one year of life left??? That doesn’t bode well for Hercules and Love Affair.

The mighty Oneida is back, with a “triptych” of releases lined up, called the “Thank Your Parents” series. The first in the series, Preteen Weaponry is out on 8/5 (but leaked to the internets now), and is one song in three parts. Classic Oneida– I am zoning out to it right at this very moment.

The next release in the series will be the new full-length, Rated O, out in 2009.

I mentioned back in April that the Subpop Singles Club was coming back. Well, IT’S BACK. AS IN NOW. This year’s run (”version 3.0″), starting 8/15, will feature 12 monthly discs from the likes of Om, Unnatural Helpers, Tyvek, Black Mountain, Black Lips, Arthur & Yu, Mika Miko, Blues Control, Notwist, plus other as-yet-unannounced artists.

You should really order your subscription IMMEDIATELY, because the club is limited to 1,500, and believe me, Subpop will certainly sell 1,500 of these, and damn quickly, I would imagine.

Merge is releasing the first new material from The Music Tapes (ex-Neutral Milk Hotel) since way back in the 20th Century. Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes comes out 8/19, but you can get a taste of the winsome Elephant Sixyness by enjoying the escapades of the nine-foot metronome in this video for “The Minister of Longitude:”

Our friends over at Friendly Fire tipped us off about the new release from London’s Matthew Thomas Dillon, aka Windmill. Puddle City Racing Lights is out 7/22, but you can pre-order now. Everyone knows I’m a complete sucker for sorta-nasal-and-high lyrical delivery, so I liked this track right off the bat. Kinda Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev/Grandaddy-y…

Arlington, VA’s Rerum Novarum Records sent over news that they have a new release coming out next week (7/8) from SF bizarro folk/rock band The John Francis Impostors. And in advance of that, they’re sprinkling a digital EP across the web, one song at a time. Here’s one of ‘em:

The Catbirdseat July Mix/Podcast has been posted. And to hell with “the jump,” here’s the tracklist right here:

• Let’s Get Started – Frisbie
• Go For The Exit – Boston Spaceships
• Lucy Ferocious – James Ausfahrt
• Gillian Was A Horse – Damien Jurado
• Igloo Glass – Holopaw
• Gift Of Song… – The Lord Dog Bird
• Let My Burden Be – Golden Shoulders
• Pop I Kras – Bom Bom
• Fortune Teller – Forest Fire
• I Make Windows – Forest Fire
• Slow Motion – Forest Fire