Monday News Mash-Up

Kyle Johnson

Bumbershoot has completed the 2009 lineup by adding Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Cold War Kids, Old 97′s, The Helio Sequence, and Portland Cello Project. Unfortunately, Kasabian and The Ting Tings had to cancel, but there’s still plenty more to hear and see. Go check out the schedule and look for KEXP to broadcast there once again!

Eight years! Eight long, tiring, Wilco and Sonic Youth-filled years for Jim O’Rourke without an album to call to his own. Thankfully, O’Rourke and Drag City are going to remedy the silence September 8th with the release of The Visitor which promises more Eureka and Insignificance pop goodness.

You’re read about them here before: Monsters of Folk, the collective name for Jim James, M. Ward, and Conor Oberst are about to release their debut and are offering the first single, “Say Please,” for free download at their website. Just enter the word “please.”

Fans are very familiar with the foibles of Thom Yorke: living with ghosts, straining his face, and cutting his hair with vacuums. Now rumors are surfacing that Yorke is ready to mix it up with teenage vampires living in Forks. Yorke is apparently eager to work on the soundtrack of upcoming Twilight sequel, New Moon. Oh! the panic, the vomit!

What do you get when you marry Animal Collective with The Grateful Dead? “What Would I Want Sky,” the first song to officially have the blessing of The Dead to use a sample of their work. The Animal Collective invention doesn’t have an official release vehicle or any outstanding plans but it’s floating about the internets with psychedelic glee for easy listening.

After all the talk of Grizzly Bear being bumped from David Letterman’s Late Show, it only seems right to post the video of the band’s triumphant return. Please to enjoy, “Ready, Able.”

Everything seems better with Brian Wilson back in the limelight. The pop icon is returning to American highways this fall, with a Northeastern-centric tour. If we eat our vegetables, maybe he’ll make a detour to Seattle?

Folks already excited for Judd Apatow’s third directorial stint, Funny People, have a bit more to be excited about: the soundtrack. Reportedly, the accompanying music to the Adam Sandler vehicle will feature a rare John Lennon demo, a live version of Wilco‘s “Jesus, Etc.” featuring Andre Bird, and the talents of Robert Plant, James Taylor, and Warren Zevon among other hefty legends of rock and roll. The album hits stores July 28th, three days prior to the release of the film.

The KEXP Blog