Depeche Mode to Release DVD

Now that they're done playing the angel, Depeche Mode are ready to play Santa Claus. September 26 (September 25 in the UK) may not be Christmas, but it is the day the band will release the three-disc Touring the Angel: Live in Milan DVD/CD. Sure, it's not free in true Kringle steez, but hopefully the extras make up for it.

Music video director Blue Leach (!) directed Touring the Angel, which features performances from the band's "Touring the Angel" tour (their first in four years) at Milan's Fila Forum on February 18 and 19. The package includes two DVDs and one CD, the latter of which clocks in at just over the scant 30-minute mark.

Thus, the real "treat" of the release is the second DVD, which features five bonus performances of songs on the first DVD in addition to a 20-minute documentary with Anton Corbijn, who aided in the set design by creating the tour's six stage screens. The tracklists for all three discs are listed after the jump. [MORE...]

Video: Depeche Mode: Touring the Angel trailer

Photos: Lollapalooza 2006 [Grant Park, Chicago, IL; 4-6 August, 2006]

Last weekend, people gathered as Chicago's Grant Park hosted three days of blood, sweat and tears known to the masses as Lollapalooza 2006. Over 130 artists hit the festival's eight stages (nearly twice as many as last year on both counts), and considering the hike it took to get from one side of the park to the other, chances are you didn't get to see all of them. That's where we come in! Our piecemeal crew of ragtag Pitchforkers spent the weekend soaking up the rock, hitching rides on golf carts, and screwing off in the photo pit. While you'll have to hold off until tomorrow for Pitchfork's full coverage of the event, you can sneak a peek at some of the highlights below: [MORE...]

Sub Pop Embraces Renewable Energy
Al Gore stocks up on Thermals records

Step aside gardeners and money-makers-- Sub Pop has the grasp on green now. Fossil fuels are a thing of the past for the Seattle label, which recently signed on with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation's Green-e Renewable Energy Certification Program. Last week, Sub Pop announced that it has purchased enough Green Tags to match the company's energy use 100%, making them the first Green-e certified label in the U.S. Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! Go planet!

The renewable energy shenanigans kicked of earlier this year when Sub Pop's Kelley Stoltz released Below the Branches, the first-ever green powered album. Now, the entire label has jumped on board to promote climate recovery and help out Mother Nature.

"I was, quite frankly, shocked by how easy it is to support renewable energy. Green Tags are a simple way for anyone to choose wind energy, which, in turn, lowers dependence on burning fossil fuels for energy," said Jonathan Poneman, president of Sub Pop Records in a press release. "Green Tags fulfill an important commitment to both the planet and the Pacific Northwest, where Sub Pop is rooted."

Then he went back to playing hockey.

Bobby Bare Jr. Pals With Trail of Dead, MMJ, Walkmen
Suddenly sees spike in popularity with Super Troopers fans

What do Frank Black, Andrew Bird, and Shel Silverstein have in common? Well, they're all dudes, for one, but more specifically, they have all collaborated with Bobby Bare Jr. And he just keeps the collaborations coming on The Longest Meow, due September 26 on Bloodshot Records.

Recorded with an 11-member band (if you count producer Brad Jones) in 11 hours on March 26, the 11 tracks on The Longest Meow cover territory from "pulsing T. Rex glam boogie" to "down and dirty southern ROCK," according to a press release. Bobby the Younger even "goes all coffeehouse on a Pixies cover." The latter sounds like dangerous territory, but if anyone can pull it off, it's Bare and the band of indie all-stars he's assembled.

To be specific, the Nashville sessions revolved around Bare, bassist Mike Grimes and My Morning Jacket members Carl Broemel and Patrick Hallahan on guitar and drums, respectively, but there were also contributions from Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Doni Schroader (Trail of Dead), Deanna Varagona (Lambchop) and Ben Martin (Clem Snide), among others.

Bare Jr. is on tour with the Walkmen and Drive-By Truckers this summer and fall. At the shows you can pick up the tour-only Nick Nacks and Paddy Whacks, an album of live performances and videos that Bare self-released early this year. [MORE...]

MP3: Bobby Bare Jr.: The Heart Bionic

Kompakt Preps Total 7; Exclusive mp3

Once again, minimal authority Kompakt delivers their annual dose of what's cool with the Total 7 compilation, due out August 22. The not-so-compact 2-CD/3-LP collection of the legendary German label's top singles of the year (as well as plenty of exclusives) features contributions from the likes of Justus Köhncke, Superpitcher, Michael Mayer, Reinhard Voigt, Thomas Fehlmann, and more.

Sonically, it covers ample ground, from space disco to microhouse to what is amusingly described (in the press release) as a "twisted land of bass drum dreams." Which is my favorite kind of dream.

Thanks to the folks at Kompakt, we've got an exclusive mp3 of the Tobias Thomas/Michael Mayer collaboration "Sweet Harmony" for your downloading pleasure. [MORE...]

MP3: Thomas/Mayer: Sweet Harmony

Lily Allen Signs to Capitol in U.S.

Jason Forrest Forms the Jason Forrest Band

Oh boy. We thought having one Jason Forrest in the world was enough. Now, however, the name associated with laptops/drunken breaking of things/cock rock disco will encompass three people, as our favorite mash-up terrorist has started a band.

The Jason Forrest Band (a tentative title) will make its live debut with a September 17 stop at Berlin's Ballhaus Naunynstraße with guest singer Gustav. From there, it's a fall U.S. tour centered around the CMJ Music Marathon.

The band, a "power rock trio" featuring Forrest on laptop and vocals (!), also includes guitarist Ethan Schaffner and keyboardist Elisabeth King. Forrest is currently writing for the group.

In the meantime, Forrest has a few performances scheduled in Japan and Europe. [MORE...]

Video: Jason Forrest: War Photographer

Field Music Prep New Album; Exclusive mp3

With the obligatory eponymous debut out of the way, Field Music have moved on to the next step. The Sunderland boys have finished recording their second full-length, titled Tones of Town, at their hometown Eight Music studio. ("Tones of Home" was unfortunately taken. By Blind Melon.)

Memphis Industries will release the album in the UK on January 22, and in the U.S. around the same time.

Tones' release will be preceded by the "In Context" single on October 9. It will be backed by the B-side "Off and On", which is available for exclusive download by clicking below. [MORE...]

MP3: Field Music: Off and On

Deadly Snakes Break Up

What a bad time for Canadian indie rock bands with names starting with "D". Like their fellow Torontonians Death From Above 1979, blues-punks the Deadly Snakes have called it quits.

Last week, Pitchfork spoke to multi-instrumentalist Maxwell McCabe-Lokos aka Age of Danger, about the end of the band, various side projects, and his foray into the world of acting. Before everyone gets caught up in their new ventures, however, the Deadly Snakes have a final show scheduled at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern on August 25.

"The main reason is that it's been like 10 years and...it's not fun like it used to be and it's not enough of a career to justify the lack of fun that we're having," McCabe-Lokos said. "It's not excruciating by any stretch, but I think that we're all getting a little tired of going on tour and playing in Ozona, Texas for two or three people. Some people can do that until their eyes fall out.

"I think we went about as far as we could with this band...and we're all still friends and the main thing is that we were friends before, and we wanted to remain friends after, so we decided to call it a day. [MORE...]

Stream: Deadly Snakes: Various Tracks

Tegan and Sara Coming to DVD

Seeing double? Don't be alarmed. Canada's favorite tune-carrying twins, Tegan and Sara, are set to follow in the footsteps of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Nah, no eating disorders or public breakups. Rather, T&S are headed down the road towards media mogul-dom, with the release of their DVD, It's Not Fun, Don't Do It!

The disc hits stores in North America and Australia courtesy of Vapor/Sanctuary Records tomorrow, August 8. In addition to a full live concert from a performance at Toronto, Ontario's Phoenix Concert Theatre, the disc includes a segment on the making of 2004's So Jealous, a tour documentary, music videos for "Walking With a Ghost", "Speak Slow", "I Hear Noises", "Living Room", and "Monday, Monday, Monday", a photo album, and band commentary.

Unlike most bands, Tegan and Sara are actually funny. So the commentary will actually be worth listening to. [MORE...]

Video: Tegan and Sara: It's Not Fun Don't Do It trailer

T.V. Eye: August 7-13, 2006

Pitchfork's T.V. Picks for This Week:

Monday, August 7:

CBS: "Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson": The Subways
NBC: "Late Night With Conan O'Brien": Metric (rerun)

Tuesday, August 8:

NBC: "Late Night With Conan O'Brien": Yeah Yeah Yeahs
NBC: "Last Call With Carson Daly"": The Constantines

Wednesday, August 9:

CBS: "Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson": Editors
NBC: "Late Night With Conan O'Brien": Sonic Youth

Thursday, August 10:

IFC: "The Henry Rollins Show": Ani DiFranco (rerun)

Friday, August 11:

NBC: "Last Call With Carson Daly": Rhymefest

Saturday, August 12:

IFC: "The Henry Rollins Show": Rollins Band

Video: Arctic Monkeys: "Leave Before the Lights Come On"

Just when we were starting to forget about the Arctic Monkeys (ha!), Domino Records has stealthily leaked their new video to YouTube. The "Leave Before the Lights Come On" clip is typically bleak Monkeys fare, only with more than a hint of black humor. It starts with a man saving a woman from suicide...and goes downhill from there.

The "Leave Before the Lights Come On" single is out August 14 on Domino on 7" and CD. If you're on the Arctic Monkeys mailing list, you can get a free Arctic Monkeys beer mat with purchase. Because nothing goes better with suicide than beer!

Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)