Arctic Monkeys – Humbug

Asobi Seksu – Transparence

Blitzen Trapper – Black River Killer
MP3: Blitzen Trapper – “Black River Killer”

The Fall – Last Night at the Palais

Merzbow – 13 Japanese Birds, Vol. 8

Mew – No More Stories…

Radiohead – Amnesiac, Hail to the Thief, Kid A

Sally Shapiro – My Guilty Pleasure

Shonen Knife – Super Group
MP3: Shonen Knife – “Super Group”

Still Life Still – Girls Come Too

Vandaveer – Divide and Conquer
Stream: Vandaveer – Divide & Conquer at Listen@MBV

Vinyl/Vinyl Reissues

Ducktails – Landscapes
MP3: Ducktails – “Wishes”

Male Bonding/Cold Pumas – Split 7″

The Intelligence/Unnatural Helpers – Split 7″

Pumice – gFrenzy Covers 7″

Reigning Sound – Love and Curses

Sic Alps – L Mansion 7″ ($1.98!)

The Smiths – Meat Is Murder, The Queen Is Dead, The Smiths, Strangeways

Wilco – Being There, Summerteeth

YACHT – See Mystery Lights
MP3: YACHT – “Psychic City”

Islands – “Vapours” From the album Vapours, out 9/22 on Anti.

The new record by quasifolkster Mark Charles Heidinger (aka Vandaveer), titled Divide & Conquer, is out today. If you’ve been wanting to hear it ever since you read La Blogotheque’s rave review back in April, now’s your chance– it’s the latest Listen@MBV entry.

The Brunettes - “Red Rollerskates” I think this is meant to be a pleasant and perky song, but despite the happy subject matter and cheery synthpop flourishes, it comes out feeling rather antsy and melancholy. This isn’t a bad thing — if anything, it implies a perspective on the moment that adds a bit of depth to a lyric that would otherwise seem entirely cloying.

Visit the Brunettes MySpace page.

Blondes - “Spanish Fly” I’ll be very honest with you: It can be very difficult to write about this sort of ambient electronic music, even when it has melodies and rhythmic shifts. Part of the appeal is that it lets my mind rest, and it sounds best when my thoughts are thin and clear. I will say, though, that for whatever reason, this track makes me want to dine at a very nice restaurant. I’m not even sure why, but it makes me want to eat very clever food. Someone showed me a menu yesterday that included gazpacho served with a dijon mustard ice cream. That would be just lovely paired with these tones.

Visit the Blondes MySpace page.

The Telegraph interviews singer-songwriter Imogen Heap about her new album, Ellipse.

I am intrigued by your existence outside the pop limelight. You get lots of songs on films and TV shows, and you have a huge presence on the internet, but you’ve never had an old fashioned hit record.

It’s a fantastic place to be as an artist, as a musician, cause you don’t have to worry about having a radio hit. I haven’t had to worry about that since the success of ‘Let Go’ (by Frou Frou, a duo with producer Guy Sigsworth) in the film ‘Garden State’ (in 2004). That’s the thing that made the biggest impact ever. I love that song but it would never have been a hit single. The revelation that a song can have a life outside of the charts is creatively liberating.I can really enjoy exploring different areas musically, not having to worry if it is up-tempo enough, short enough, or catchy enough for radio. I don’t have to worry about radio programmers thinking ‘is this right for our audience?’. All I need to concern myself with is the song itself and making it as good as it can be.

I Like Music interviews Charlie Fink of Noah and the Whale about the band's album and film, The First Days of Spring.

A.V. Twin Cities interviews Throw Me the Statue's Scott Reitherman.

The Louisville Courier-Journal profiles the Great Lake Swimmers.

In 2001, Dekker formed Great Lake Swimmers, filling out his folk songs with a complete band but retaining the music's rural, demure aesthetic. Great Lake Swimmers — which plays with Cracker and Will Hoge at this week's Waterfront Wednesday concert — draws inspiration from Dekker's earliest memories of music, growing up in Wainfleet, Ontario, a small farming town over the Canadian border from Buffalo, N.Y. Dekker's family received just a single AM radio station clearly, one that played old country and early rock music — Buddy Holly, Hank Williams.

Ars Technica lists ways to discover new and interesting music online.

Rolling Stone examines why the Beatles really broke up.

NPR is streaming in its entirety first disc of the New Lost City Ramblers 3-CD compilation, Volume 1: The Early Years, 1958-1962 from Where Do You Come From? Where Do You Go?.

Chicago Subtext lists three books that feature Dorothy's ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz.

Bill Callahan talks to Filter.

In 2007, Bill Callahan released his first record under his own name. Prior to that, he’d released 11 full-lengths under the title “Smog,” a moniker that suggests a dirty, hazy outlook on life. For years, he’s been a cult-followed singer-songwriter and admits that something as simple as changing his name might have wrinkled the noses of some of his clingier fans. “I have met people who have named their horses and dogs ‘Smog,’” Callahan says. “I wonder if they changed the animals’ names to Bill Callahan, too.”

Gadling lists 10 musical destinations that will "rock your world."

BeboHere was an album that I’d been quite looking forward to from a band that had a pretty decent track record – though I was one of the few who preferred the follow-up Our Earthly Pleasures over their debut A Certain Trigger, both were undeniably solid records and even the b-sides compilation Missing Songs was better than many bands’ proper albums. So why did Quicken seem to drift by without leaving much impression at all? Best I can come up with is this.

Maxïmo Park made their name with wonderfully hyperactive and angular post-punk tunes served up with a healthy dose of melodicism and literate, heartfelt lyricism. Though the sharp edges were smoothed out a bit for the second record, they could still cut and the hooks and anthemic delivery more than compensated. On Quicken, however, the balance tilts too heavily towards articulating singer-songwriter Paul Smith’s emotional issues and the finished product just sags under the weight. Rather than lean and nimble as they are at their best, the songs feel like they’re distended to accommodate the words and while there’s still some solid melodies and hooks, they’re just not big enough this time out. Extended listens over the Summer have softened my opinion of the record as there’s certainly decent songs on offer, but the absence of an irresistible single or two to prop the whole thing up is keenly felt.

Even so, there wasn’t any doubt that they’d put on a good show – their last visit in 2007 was killer – so the fact that they’ve nixed this jaunt is a bummer, regardless of how good the last record is. Here’s hoping they’re good to their word and make it up in 2010.

MP3: Maxïmo Park – “Wraithlike”
MP3: Maxïmo Park – “Let’s Get Clinical”
Video: Maxïmo Park – “Questing, Not Coasting”
MySpace: Maxïmo Park

The Times talks to members of The xx about the possibility of the school that they and numerous other current UK artists attended closing its doors while Tourdates.co.uk asks them about their taste in covers. The xx will release their debut XX on October 20.

Friendly Fires are the subject of interviews with The Advertiser and The Guardian.

Charlie Fink of Noah & The Whale tells The Guardian about the heartbreak that informs the whole of their new album First Days Of Spring, out domestically on October 6. He also contributes a piece about creating the film component of the record and there’s another interview at I Like Music. Fall North American tour dates are forthcoming – in the meantime, check out the first video and grab the title track courtesy of The Times.

MP3: Noah & The Whale – “The First Days Of Spring” (.zip)
Video: Noah & The Whale – “Blue Skies”

Bat For Lashes will be releasing a deluxe edition of Two Suns that comes with a documentary DVD and eight bonus tracks. Well, I suppose if you’re going to milk the fan for every penny they’re worth, you may as well offer some value. The new package is out September 7 in the UK with North American and worldwide release dates forthcoming – assuming the DVD will have various video formats and regions, fans are recommended to wait for their own domestic release before buying. The Georgia Straight has an interview with Natasha Khan.

Exclaim reports that an upcoming series of Elvis Costello live bootleg reissues – I guess they’ve finally given up on re-re-re-re-releasing his studio albums – will kick off with Elvis’ oft-bootlegged 1978 appearance at T.O.’s El Mocambo. Live at the El Mocambo was previously released as part of the 2-1/2 Years box set but will finally see a wide release on its own as of September 29. What do you think the odds of Declan snarling, “these guys got the right idea they’re standing UP” on Friday are? Yeah, not great. And oh yeah, happy 55th birthday Dec.

MP3: Elvis Costello & The Attractions – “Radio Radio” (live at the El Mocambo)

Finally, The Dumbing Of America has posted a little interview conducted with yours truly a couple weeks back. It’s gripping stuff, really.

Acid Girls – “The Numbers Song”

Yes, it’s a band with the word “Girls” in the name. Their 12″ for this track is due out from IHeartComix on 9/1 (out digitally now).