White

Of all the Madchester bands, I'm not quite sure I could've predicted that the Charlatans would be one of the few who would continue to release consistently good music throughout the next 20 years. Charlatans' leader Tim Burgess is releasing his second solo album later this month and it's worthy of a preview...


Indisputably one of the most distinctive voices that ever came out of that scene. Very cool.

Lost Our Way

Brandon Schott has continued his wonderful multimedia web series Defying Gravity with Episode V: The Empire Strike Back, er, Rob Shapiro. Rob is a powerpopper in powerpopperrific Populuxe. Enjoy an exclusive tune, video, and musings here.

It's Noisy Out There

Ben Folds Five's first new album since before my children were born is out this week! Stream plenty of the tracks across the interwidenet by starting here at their official site. Thankfully what I hear is better than Do It Anyway. Fan-funded The Sound of the Life of the Mind is out Tuesday.

iTunes | Amazon MP3

Here I Go, Singing Low

Paul McCartney was recently featured in Kisses-on-the-Bottom mode on Great Performances seen on public television stations across the country. Miss it? Oh the magic of the interwideweb...

Watch Paul McCartney's Live Kisses on PBS. See more from Great Performances.

Macca is also continuing his On the Run tour in North America but has so far only announced four dates. Pre-sale tix for email subscribers sold fast, particularly the cheap ones. In other words, I was too late to get affordable tickets for the St. Louis stop. Good things tickets don't officially go on sale until 9/14!

Nov. 11 at Scottrade Center, St. Louis Nov. 14 at Minute Maid Park, Houston Nov. 25 at BC Place, Vancouver Nov. 28 at Rexall Place, Edmonton

More info here

Another Chance He Takes

We here at Too Poppy jump at every opportunity to revel in the sheer bliss of Matthew Sweet. His latest is a cover of Hombre Secreto (Secret Agent Man) from the Repo Man soundtrack. Can't make this shit up.

Beats the hell outta Flipper.

Amazon MP3

Visible Wind

Band of Horses has released another track from the new album Mirage Rock, which is out next Tuesday. Check out Slow Cruel Hands of Time below. Road trippin' music!



Absolutely lovely. Pre-order here. Stream the whole album here (thanks, JBro!)

...via Paste Magazine

Mystery in Motion

Ben Lee has been messing around with the "Vine of Souls" and has created a "sonic document" called Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work to commemorate his experiences. Hey man, it's a rock 'n' roll rite of passage, yes? Timothy Leary would be proud. Doesn't sound as poppy as previous efforts, but it's a spiritual journey after all. He needs your help via PledgeMusic.

Get trippy here and see a scruffy Ben Lee describe the new album.

Take It All In Stride

NPR is currently streaming Grizzly Bear's latest album Shields. With its autumnal and slightly psychedelic vibe it seems like a nice seasonal soundtrack that evokes a less accessible Band of Horses. I briefly watched the band at Lollapalooza back in '08, but admittedly I was hot and tired at that point in the long day and was in no mood! I regret that a bit.