Optical Atlas

The second installment in the Jason NeSmith-hosted Casper & the Cookies podcast series is now up at the band’s website.  This episode continues the exploration of Modern Silence’s epic closing track “I Am Gone,” including the individual contributions to the piece by Elekibass, Enemy from Space, Mary O. Harrison, Titans of Filth, The H.E.A.P., Neat Stripe, The Shut-Ups, Fishboy, and Keith John Adams.

Lucas Jensen (of Venice is Sinking) has conducted an excellent interview with Will Cullen Hart at Aquarium Drunkard, discussing his MS, the new Circulatory System record, and the new recordings by Olivia Tremor Control, as well as some of the older, unreleased Elephant 6 material.   Thanks to Abel for the link.

Entertainment Weekly’s Music Mix blog has just announced details for the upcoming greatest hits compilation from The Apples in Stereo, #1 Hits Explosion.  It includes sixteen tracks spanning their career from Fun Trick Noisemaker through New Magnetic Wonder, plus 16 pages of liner notes.  The album drops September 1st from Yep Roc Records.  I’m pretty excited to say that I contributed to the liner notes, offering my thoughts on each track, and an introduction to the Apples‘ career for newcomers.  Expect more details, including album art, in the weeks ahead. But I think you’ll be pleased with the track listing below:

#1 Hits Explosion,
by The Apples in Stereo
1. Energy
2. Go!
3. Strawberryfire
4. Tidal Wave
5. Please
6. The Rainbow
7. Seems So
8. Same Old Drag
9. The Bird That You Can’t See
10. Shine A Light
11. 20 Cases Suggestive Of…
12. Ruby
13. Signal In The Sky (Let’s Go)
14. Can You Feel It?
15. Winter Must Be Cold
16. Sun Is Out

Gary Olson of the Ladybug Transistor will be playing some solo dates in support of old friends The Lucksmiths, for their farewell tour.  (As you may have heard, the Lucksmiths are unfortunately calling it quits.)  In addition to performing a solo set of material, Gary will also be supplying trumpet for the Lucksmiths.  And if you’re of the musical temperament to get excited by these names (and you are), you’ll also want to know that the full Ladybug Transistor will be playing with soulmates The Clientele on July 19th at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in NY.  Finally, the Merge XX Festival would be incomplete if they did not appear (as they will, along with The Essex Green, The Clientele, The Music Tapes, and many, many more); that’s being held July 22-26 in Chapel Hill, NC.

Oh, and I almost forgot – the recording of the new Ladybug Transistor album begins this summer!  Thanks to Gary for the info.

Gary Olson Solo
06.28.09 Varberg, Sweden @ Majas Cafe w/The Lucksmiths
06.29.09 Oslo, Norway @ The Garage
07.05.09 Villa Nova, Spain @ Faraday Festival
07.07.09 London, England @ The Luminaire w/The Lucksmiths
07.10.09 Hamburg, Germany @ Prinzenbar w/The Lucksmiths
07.11.09 Berlin, Germany @ Bang Bang Club w/The Lucksmiths

Ladybug Transistor
07.19.09 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg w/The Clientele
07.26.09 Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/Crystal Stilts
07.27.09 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s w/Crystal Stilts

Orange Twin Records artist Madeline will be on the road from the Northeast to the Midwest and back down to the South, throughout July, to promote her gorgeous album White Flag. The Ginger Envelope is opening. Here are the dates:

07.02.09 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
07.03.09 Asheville, NC @ Hookah Joe’s
07.04.09 Shepherdstown, WV @ camping party (4530 Shepherd Grade Road – FREE)
07.05.09 Baltimore, MD @ The Copy Cat
07.06.09 Arlington, VA @ IOTA
07.07.09 Brooklyn, NY @ Zebulon
07.08.09 Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar w/Folklore
07.09.09 Worcester, MA @ house show – TBA
07.10.09 Brooklyn, NY @ Cinders
07.11.09 New York, NY @ The Cake Shop
07.12.09 Pittsburgh, PA @ TBA
07.13.09 Covington, Kentucky @ Down Under Cafe
07.14.09 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
07.15.09 Bloomington, IN @ Uncle Fester’s
07.16.09 Lexington, KY @ Al’s Bar
07.17.09 Chattanooga, TN @ JJ’s Bohemia
07.18.09 Athens, GA @ Little Kings

As intimated in a recent interview with Eric Harris, there will be an Elephant 6 Night at the Movies presented by Orange Twin Records at the Athens Cine next week.  Now that it’s official, we can tell you that featured will be the Major Organ and the Adding Machine film, plus never-before-seen short films and music videos by the likes of The Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, Elf Power, Dixie Blood Moustache, The Apples in Stereo, The Sunshine Fix, Circulatory System, The Music Tapes, A Hawk and a Hacksaw, and more.  You have three chances to catch the program: Tuesday June 23rd, Thursday June 25th, and Saturday June 27th, all at 10pm at the Athens Cine (234 West Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601).  Thanks to Eric for the head’s-up.

People in a Position to Know Records is now making available for pre-order the 2XLP edition of Modern Silence, the latest and awesomest album by Casper & the Cookies.  Limited to 500 copies, order fast to get the premium weight “audiophile red” vinyl (200 copies).  Order faster–that is, be one of the first 50–and you get a bonus 5″ single featuring 2 exclusive songs.  All vinyl orders receive a digital copy of the album featuring the (slightly different) vinyl mix of the songs.  Order it here.

Spenser Simrill, Jr., shot footage during of Montreal’s most recent tour for an upcoming documentary, and ofmontreal.net has been posting excerpts. Here’s a taste:

Of Montreal: Brighton Beach Fever from Spenser Simrill, Jr. on Vimeo.

Of Montreal: Glasgow Karaoke from Spenser Simrill, Jr. on Vimeo.

Also, I don’t believe I linked to this Jamey Huggins interview from Muso’s Guide. He talks about touring with of Montreal, as well as his upcoming solo album (as James Husband) for Polyvinyl.