Grapevine

With talk already running rampant that Radiohead may release a new album this year, things have gotten even more exciting with the prospects of new records by both M.I.A. (who started the rumor on her own Twitter account) and The Walkmen (who may in fact be working on an ambitious double album). We're really beginning to like this year.

A National Holiday

Joyous news from one of the best bands making music today. The National have released a statement saying they will have a new album out in May, a follow up to the heavily acclaimed Boxer, and will start touring again in March. I've already purchased my tickets for their DC show and can't wait to hear what the record sounds like. You can see the press release and tour dates below.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Everyone!

We have exciting news for you this morning. We are very pleased to announce the first tour dates in support of our new album in April, May and June.

The as of yet untitled follow-up to Boxer will be released worldwide in May on 4AD (specific date TBA). The shows begin at the Big Ears festival in Knoxville, Tennessee on March 28th followed in April by two special shows April 22nd and 23rd at the National in Richmond, VA. We will then play Royal Albert Hall in London on May 6th, Le Zenith in Paris with PAVEMENT on May 7, and Astra in Berlin on May 9 before starting a North American tour in Los Angeles at the Wiltern on May 22nd. Ramona Falls will be opening our US shows on the west coast.

There are limited pre-sales starting tomorrow morning and we encourage mailing list members to get tickets early.

The US pre-sales begin at 10am local time on Tuesday, Jan. 26 and run through 10pm Thursday, Jan. 28. The London & Berlin pre-sales start at 10 am local time on Wednesday Jan. 27 and run through 10 pm Thursday, Jan. 28.

The password for all of the pre-sales is BloodBuzz.

We will announce support acts for the tour and have more specific news about the new album in the coming weeks. All dates are listed below.

See you soon ...

26-28 MARCH: KNOXVILLE, TN
BIG EARS FESTIVAL 2010 / TENNESSEE THEATRE
Tickets on-sale now:
http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/3065

22 APRIL: RICHMOND, VA
THE NATIONAL
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0100442F9DDB5528

23 APRIL: RICHMOND, VA
THE NATIONAL
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0100442FAE716864

06 MAY: LONDON, UK
ROYAL ALBERT HALL
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/promo/3v6xmt?camefrom=CFC_UK_LINA_TN_FC270110

07 MAY: PARIS, FRANCE
LE ZENITH w/ PAVEMENT
Tickets on-sale now / FNAC:
http://www.fnacspectacles.com/place-spectacle/manifestation/Pop-rock-Folk-PAVEMENT-ZPPAV.htm

Tickets on-sale now / Digitick:
http://www.digitick.com/ext/billetterie2/index.php4?site=radical&p=11&idRep=422355

09 MAY: BERLIN, GERMANY
ASTRA
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.ticketonline.com/de/de/production/21099-The+National/

22 MAY: LOS ANGELES, CA
THE WILTERN
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.livenation.com/edp/eventId/417298

23 MAY: SAN DIEGO, CA
SPRECKELS THEATRE
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.americanmary.com/tour.php

27 MAY: OAKLAND, CA
FOX THEATRE
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1C00442BAD786B92

02 JUNE: BOSTON, MA
HOUSE OF BLUES
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.americanmary.com/tour.php

05 JUNE: PHILADELPHIA, PA
ELECTRIC FACTORY
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/02004435CD005CB9

06 JUNE: WASHINGTON, DC
DAR CONSTITUTION HALL
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/15004435C0226C84

08 JUNE: TORONTO, CANADA
MASSEY HALL
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.americanmary.com/tour.php

16 JUNE: NEW YORK, NY
RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL
Pre-Sale Tickets:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1D004435F3B759C

Album Review: Spoon Transference

For many bands, going back to the well and coming up with the same old water is poison. The reason people don't buy new albums by The Strokes and Interpol is because they already have the old albums. Spoon seems to be the exception to this rule. For 15 years Britt Daniel and company have been pumping out some of the best minimalist, garage-pop this side of The Kinks. It's rare to see Spoon take too many risks - they have a style and they're sticking to it - but somehow it doesn't seem to get old.

Their newest effort, Transference, finds them going right back to the base again - simple, dancey bass rhythms, electric keyboards warbling in at just the right moment and guitars that throw tempertantrums all over the place. The only thing that seems to change (on this album and throughout their career) is Daniel's voice which alternates between a throat full of gravel and a falsetto that would make Prince jealous.

In some subtle way, Spoon has always been able to maintain a compelling air of mystery and that is on display once again on Transference. "Who Makes Your Money," is a pop gem with a dark underbelly and Daniel's pleading question at the end of the tune could easily be mistaken for something off of Thom Yorke's solo album. "I Saw the Light," is both sweet and menacing and Spoon play up their own image on "The Mystery Zone." The show-stopper on the album is "Goodnight Laura," a pretty, Lennon-esque love song that sounds like it's being played on a piano that washed up on a Coney Island beach decades ago.

If your looking for something you've never heard before, you won't find it here. What you will find is a band that just keeps getting better and better at doing what it does.