You Left Me All Alone

Dan Wilson of Trip Shakespeare and Semisonic is working on a new "super-solo" album where he's truly flying solo. He's debuted the first new tune from it called Something I Don't Know. It's exactly what you'd expect from Mr. Wilson - gooey, sentimental piano pop.

Wilson is also currently enjoying his first Number One song in the UK: Adele's Someone Like You, a true song for a broken heart...



Congratulations, Dan!

Another Life, Another Birth

Toad the Wet Sprocket is touring quite a bit this year. Check out all the dates here. Could new music be on the horizon? I won't get my hopes up.

Can You Hear the Music?

World Party emerges!

2011 marks @worldparty 25th Anniversary. And in celebration #WorldPArty will be performing at SXSW, Boston and NYC in March. via Twitter

Plus a new tune, a new compilation of rarities, and a full-blown US tour! More details soon!

I Will Slip Into the Groove

The Radiohead mythology grows with the release of The King of Limbs. Irritated or intrigued?



The world's first "newspaper album" is available here digitally.

Soon Everybody Will Ask What Became of You

The new Death Cab for Cutie album Codes and Keys hits May 31. Reports of the death of their guitar sound are premature.

[Nick] Harmer clarifies that the album will simply stand as a departure from "Narrow Stairs," DCFC's live-tracked, guitar-heavy sixth album. So there will be guitars -- but also a lot more, including "great, weird, analog synths," Harmer says, "and we have a string section on a couple songs."

Sadly no duets between Ben and Zooey. Perhaps that will come in a second incarnation of Postal Service. Or not.

Official Site
iTunes
Amazon MP3

You Will Be the Soundtrack of My Summer

Electro De Perfecto is the newest album from Mike Viola, one of our time's premier popsters. It should be out this spring or summer, just in time to make it the soundtrack to your summer. Judging by the first track he's released for our gracious consumption, it will undoubtedly be mine. Check out Sound Of My Summer on his Facebook immediately to start feeling that sunny warmth.

Official Site (if you're a big fan of vinyl, be sure to pick up his Candy Butchers' masterpiece Hang On Mike on vinyl for a limited time - this is the first time I've seriously considered an out-of-control vinyl habit)
iTunes
Amazon MP3

Suckered You But Not Your Friends

Radiohead continues its innovative surprise attack album releases with today's news of The King of Limbs. The new full-length is digitally released on Saturday (?!), but there will be specially packaged editions for the hardest-core fans that will come out this May.

Radiohead has moved away from the "pay what you want" model that they used for their 2007 album "In Rainbows," but they retain some of that campaign's innovative marketing tactics. The album will be packaged as a high-end collectable item for fans and the quickly distributed digital release will help to combat unofficial leaks. An extravagantly packaged version of the record will be issued, including two clear 10" vinyl albums, a CD, special artwork and more. A digital-only presale version of the album will also be made available.

Pre-order here. What is known about it?

For the Cause and Cure We're Waiting

The New Pornographers are touring this spring!

APRIL 13, 2011
@ FOX THEATRE
BOULDER, CO
w/ The Menomena

APRIL 14, 2011
@ SUNSHINE THEATER
ALBUQUERQUE, NM
w/ The Menomena

APRIL 15, 2011
@ MARQUEE THEATRE
TEMPE, AZ
w/ The Menomena

APRIL 16, 2011
@ COACHELLA MUSIC FESTIVAL
INDIO, CA
Sold Out

APRIL 17, 2011
@ RIO THEATRE
SANTA CRUZ, CA
w/ The Menomena

APRIL 18, 2011
@ REGENCY BALLROOM
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
w/ Menomena

APRIL 22, 2011
@ THE VOGUE
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
w/ The Walkmen

APRIL 23, 2011
@ HOUSE OF BLUES
CLEVELAND, OH
w/ The Walkmen

APRIL 25, 2011
@ TOWN BALLROOM
BUFFALO, NY
w/ The Walkmen

APRIL 26, 2011
@ BOGART'S
CINCINNATI, OH
w/ The Walkmen

APRIL 27, 2011
@ BALLROOM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
IOWA CITY, IA
w/ The Walkmen

APRIL 28, 2011
@ CANOPY CLUB
URBANA, IL
w/ The Walkmen

APRIL 29, 2011
@ THE BLUE NOTE
COLUMBIA, MO
w/ The Walkmen

More here.

We Were Already Bored

Congratulations to the following Too Poppy-approved artists who won big last night at the Grammys!

Album of the Year - Arcade Fire-The Suburbs (the night's second biggest surprise)
Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance - Paul McCartney-Helter Skelter
Best Historical Album - The Beatles (Original Studio Recordings)
Producer of the Year - Danger Mouse (Broken Bells)

That's just the tip of the Grammy iceberg. See the complete list here. Now can we please retire Fuck You (nice Elton John/Jim Henson rip-off performance last night), Hey Soul Sister (seriously, any song that name drops Mr. Mister...), Need You Now (Alan Parsons Project gone country - thanks, My Hmphs), Lady Madonna GaGa, and The Bieb?!

They Just Seem a Little Weird

Check out Jellyfish's Roger Joseph Manning Jr. playing keyboards with Cheap Trick!

Watch the full episode. See more Austin City Limits.

Like it? Like Austin City Limits on PBS? Like NPR's All Songs Considered? Well then you damn well better support public broadcasting. Too many in Congress think there is no longer a point to funding such a fundamental piece of our culture. It's time to tell them they are so fucking wrong. Public broadcasting is in serious danger and Too Poppy relies on it in more ways than you'll ever know. I bet you do too. Here's one place to start voicing your support and let Congress know that we cannot take this vital resource for granted. In the meantime, I'll step off my soapbox so you can enjoy Cheap Trick above!

When Hope Is Gone Just Hang On

Guster is now offering their Daytrotter session for the low low price of free. Hang On, Hercules, Bad Bad World, That's No Way To Get To Heaven, and Backyard. Free.

Me gusta Guster (and Daytrotter)!

Download here. Free.

The Sound He Appears to Make

As previously reported, The Beatles' Love is now out via iTunes. Exclusive to iTunes are The Fool on the Hill and Girl. Unexpectedly The Beatles and Apple are letting us download just those two songs! I would've completely expected them to force us to purchase the whole album to get the exclusives. Cynical much?

Find the Love at iTunes.

Pick Up the Pieces

The R.E.M. new release marketing juggernaut continues with your opportunity to remix the new tune It Happened Today. Download the stems here and see if you can do better than Stipe and Co.

Oh My Heart is available for a limited time as a free download via Amazon MP3 here.

Discoverer is now available as a $1.29 download via iTunes here.

Check out the new "film" of Mine Smell Like Honey below. Remember when they used to be called videos?



Collapse Into Now is out one month from today. That's March 8.

I'm Moving Past the Feeling

Spike Jonze is hitting the festival circuit with his Arcade Fired short film Scenes from the Suburbs. Check out "some kind of trailer" featuring angsty suburban kids and their bicycles. No. Really.

These Things Get Louder

Check out the cinematically inspired video of the fictionalized account of "The Rise and Rise of The New Pornographers." A great tune that deserved an entertaining video full of semi-celebs.



Moves is from 2010's Together.

Singing Sad Sad Songs

Wilco is touring...

May
2 – Montgomery, Ala. @ Montgomery Performing Arts Centre
3 – Mobile, Ala. @ Saenger Theatre
5 – New Orleans, La. @ New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
6 – Houston, Texas @ Verizon Wireless Theatre
7 – Denton, Texas @ University of North Texas Main Auditorium
8 – Tulsa, Okla. @ Cain’s Ballroom

...and so is Jeff Tweedy...

March
22 – Toronto, Canada @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
25 – Montreal, Canada @ L’Olympia de Montreal
26 – Portland, Maine @ State Theatre
28 – Madison, Wis. @ Capitol Theatre
29 – Rochester, Minn. @ Mayo Civic Ctr. Presentation Hall
30 – Iowa City, Iowa @ The Englert Theatre

As of this writing, tix still available for every show except Denton. The two Wilco shows I've seen have been two of my favorites, particularly the one in support of Blue Sky Blue. And don't forget to catch up on their other recent news, including the formation of their own record label and info on Solid Sound Festival.

I Don't Know What That Will Be

Hipsters-seemingly-from-another-era Fleet Foxes are releasing Helplessness Blues on May 3. Judging from the title track it sounds like they're not straying far from the autumnal warmth of their self-titled debut on this upcoming second full-length album. I'm just thankful the cover art lacks pretension.

The Future Needs a Big Kiss

New U2 album is coming in May called "new album 2011." The timeline has been confirmed but the album name not so much.

Am I Only Dreaming?

The Bangles - yes, The Bangles - have a new single called Anna Lee (Sweetheart of the Sun). You'll soon be able to buy a "collectible 45 vinyl" that features a Matthew Sweet cover of the new tune! Very cool, uh, except you have to go to Maurices to buy it. Don't know Maurices?! Well, it's "the leading small town specialty store and authority for the savvy, fashion conscious customer with a twenty-something attitude." It's the only place I buy my music.

And In The End, The Love You Take, Is Equal To The Love You Make

The Beatles and Apple (the consumer electronics/music/movie/computer company, not the Beatles publishing company; er, well, yeah, them too) today announced the iTunes exclusive availability of the LOVE album, from the Cirque du Soleil show of the same name in Las Vegas, as well as the All Together Now documentary.  If you haven't listened to the album it's quite well done.  Of course if you're a Beatles fanatic, you've been there, done that already.