David Byrne talks to New York Magazine about his new book, Bicycle Diaries.

Byrne has lent his name and talents to the pro-bicycling movement, speaking at forums and designing a series of whimsical bike racks (one was shaped like a high-heeled shoe, another like a dog) that are installed around town. He can’t help but sound evangelical on the subject of biking. “I believe that the exhilaration, freedom, and convenience I experience as I ride around will be discovered by more and more people,” he writes in Bicycle Diaries. “The secret will be out, and the streets of New York will be even more the place for social interaction and interplay than they are already famous for. As others have mentioned, the economic collapse of 2008 might be a godsend. A window has opened, and people might be willing to rethink the balance of quality of life.”

The A.V. Club interviews Craig Wedren of Shudder to Think about the band's reunion.

Tom Ewing talks to the Times Online about his blog Popular, which discusses every No. 1 song on the British music charts since 1952.

The Boston Herald profiles indie rock poster artists.

In the 2000s, the art form has exploded on the scene in a fit of amateur and professional creativity. In an age where anyone can get into graphic design using Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator on a home computer, the culture of rock poster art has mushroomed.

The Minneapolis City Pages interviews Built to Spill's Doug Martsch.

The National Post interviews Nick Cave.

Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Monsters of Folk discusses his favorite books at The Week.

Sufjan Stevens – “There’s Too Much Love” (Live)
(thx George)

The next single from Girls will be “Laura” b/w “Oh Boy,” out 11/9

The band that put out one of my favorite records of the year — the band that was almost lost to history after 30-odd years of obscurity — Death, did a live appearance on Chicago’s WGN. Check it out.

MP3: Death – “Politicians In My Eyes”
MP3: Death – “Keep On Knocking”

The band plays a rare show at The Empty Bottle in Chicago tomorrow night.

Frank YangEverything I have to say about The Antlers’ record Hospice has already been said, so I’ll focus squarely on their live performance which I was able to witness yesterday evening despite opting to see Joe Pernice at the Dakota rather than their show at the Horseshoe, thanks to their booking an in-store at Criminal Records before either got underway.

While they could easily have gotten away with doing something simple, short and stripped-down, the fairly packed store was instead treated to something akin to a full and proper set, fully plugged-in and running 40 minutes plus. And it’s just as well, because that extra volume and amplification was crucial to the impact of the set (not to mention allowing keyboardist Darby Cicci to be heard at all). Where the recorded versions of the songs were built on foundation of tension and delicacy, the live renderings were much grandiose in scale – bigger and bolder without compromising the fragile atmospherics so integral to the songs. Rather than evoking images of hospitals, they felt like cathedrals, and perhaps most importantly, felt more uplifting than despairing. The lyrical content of the songs didn’t come across so pointedly, instead taking a back seat to the rawer, more visceral impact of the sound.

So while sorry to have missed their show proper, I’m thankful to have caught close to a proper show and still got to see Joe Pernice, all before the cold which has been stalking me the last couple weeks finally took me victim. Achoo.

Photos: The Antlers @ Criminal Records – September 24, 2009
MP3: The Antlers – “Two”
MP3: The Antlers – “Bear”
Video: The Antlers – “Two”
MySpace: The Antlers

SFAppeal, The Dallas Observer and The Arizona Daily Star talk to The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.

School Of Seven Bells’ Alpinisms, a highlight of 2008, will be getting a re-release with a second disc of remixes and alternate takes on October 13. Pitchfork has one of the tracks from the bonus disc available to download. The Diamondback and Austinist have interviews with the band.

MP3: School Of Seven Bells – “Iamundernodisguise” (alternate version)

The Hook questions Decemberist Chris Funk.

Spin questions. Monsters Of Folk answer.

Austinst talks to John Vanderslice, who’s made a demo MP3 from Romanian Names available to download in support of an upcoming 7″ single for “Too Much Time” due out October 6.

MP3: John Vanderslice – “Too Much Time” (demo)

Good news – Ted Leo & The Pharmacists will have a new record out in the early part of next year. Better news – it’s coming out on Matador.

There’s a new MP3 available from The Wooden Sky’s new album If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone .– The Sudbury Star talks to frontman Gavin Gardiner.

MP3: The Wooden Sky – “Bit Part”

Mew have released a new video from No More Stories.

Video: Mew – “Repeaterbeater”