Matthew interviews Pitchfork's Mark Richardson about the Flaming Lips & his new 33⅓ book at Fluxblog

Flagpole profiles Those Darlins.

Informed by Nashville and intersecting indie, pop and country scenes—and aware of the twisted tradition of Appalachian roots music that stretch back beyond the Carter Family, Those Darlins aren’t of Nashville. In fact, they’re of Murfreesboro, 90 miles south and a million clicks up on the hick-o-meter. Yet couldn’t seem to be more not. The trio of Kelly Darlin (bass, vocals), Jesse Darlin (guitar, vocals) and Nikki Darlin (baritone ukulele, vocals) write their own songs and speak convincingly of female empowerment, music history and egalitarian ideals of performance and business: codes and ethics fostered in the Rock and Roll Camp movement that led the three women to meet and form a band.

Today's reviews of Joanna Newsom's new album, Have One on Me:

Consequence of Sound:

So grades like 5/5 or A+ are not something that come easily from me (this is the first time ever), but I think records like Have One On Me are why perfect scores exist.

The Montreal Gazette:

Actually, one wishes she would write more everything: when the final fadeout is reached, three discs doesn't seem like enough.

Chicago Tribune:

Newsom’s unwillingness to play by anyone’s rules except her own makes her worthy of attention. But history tells us that most triple albums could’ve benefited from some pruning, and “Have One on Me” is no exception.

The San Diego Reader profiles the Mother Hips.

The Mother Hips can sound a bit like the Eagles or the Byrds or even as psych-rock as Wilco. There are these nice, occasional arena-rock riffs, scaled way down to club size, and now and then some Beach Boys seep through the everyman’s bedrock of the Mother Hips’ sound.

The Guardian Music Blog wonders if the internet has killed the myth of the rock star.

No, the reason the internet may kill off rock-star mystique is that the blogosphere, by its own limitation and design, is not in thrall to image. Traditional music media requires cover stars to be the complete package, looking as good as they sound and producing snappy, controversial pull-quotes at the drop of a Dictaphone. To earn the status of rock legend, the old-school star needs to lure in the browsing commuter with the secret Strokes shirt on under his office clobber.

PopMatters offers two interviews with Hidden Cameras frontman Joel Gibb.

At Drowned in Sound, Efterklang offers a track-by-track analysis of the band's new album, Magic Chairs.

Free at Amazon MP3: the 9-track IODA SXSW Opening Day Bash Sampler 2010.

On his blog, Daniel Nester collects 27 versions of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust."

Nester is the author of two books of poetry and prose about the band, God Save My Queen: A Tribute and God Save My Queen II: The Show Must Go On.

Josh EustisHaving quite successfully reaped the benefits of the “give it all away for free” ethos with their debut album In Her Gentle Jaws, given away as a free download from their website starting in late 2007 before making available for sale on CD and vinyl late last year, Brooklyn synth-rockers The Depreciation Guild have announced plans to release their sophomore effort Spirit Youth on May 18, presumably in “yeah you have to pay for that” physical form from the get go.

If it’s anything like In Her Gentle Jaws, though, it’ll be worth the price of admission – the debut was a splendid bit of dreampop whose Nintendo/Famicom-powered 8-bit aesthetic was so much more than a gimmick. It’s not clear if “Dream About Me”, the single released last Fall, will appear on the album but assuming it’s a reasonable barometer of where the band are now, they seem to be favouring a more organic, guitar-based approach – perhaps not surprising since a goodly amount of time and touring has elapsed since the debut was recorded. The blissful pop sensibilities remain, however, even if the wonderful Mario-gaze textures are dialed down, so I remain keen to hear the new record, regardless of what toys or technology went into its creation.

MP3: The Depreciation Guild – “Dream About Me”
Video: The Depreciation Guild – “Dream About Me”

Hey Interpol fans – how badly do you want to see them live again? Enough to shell out to see them open up for U2 on their Summer tour?

The Hold Steady have announced that they’ll release their fifth studio album entitled Heaven Is Whenever on May 4. Recorded without recently-departed Franz Nicolay, it promises to be more guitar-heavy than their last few albums. Check out the official press release for some quotes from Craig Finn and Tad Kubler about what to expect from the new record.

Stuff New Zealand talks to kiwi emigre Dean Wareham.

Exclaim checks in with Ted Leo, who will release The Brutalist Bricks come March 9.

Sonic Scoop interviews producer Phil Palazzolo about how work is progressing on Nicole Atkins’ new album.

Nada Surf have released the first MP3 from their forthcoming covers album, if i had a hi-fi, which will go on regular sale June 8, after being available during their on Spring tour which begins March 25.

MP3: Nada Surf – “Electrocution”

The Line Of Best Fit interviews Holly Miranda.

NPR is currently streaming the whole of Joanna Newsom’s new triple album Have One On Me – all two hours of it. I picked up the triple vinyl yesterday, but don’t know if/how I’ll absorb it in time for her upcoming show. Hell, I don’t think I’ve fully processed her first two records.

Stream: Joanna Newsom / Have One On Me

NPR has a World Cafe session with Fruit Bats. A Daytrotter session with the band just went up a couple days ago as well.

RCRDLBL has got an MP3 from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s forthcoming Beat The Devil’s Tattoo, out March 9, available to download. Colorado Springs Independent also has a quick interview.

There’s also a track available from The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s new album Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?.

MP3: The Brian Jonestown Massacre – “Let’s Go Fucking Mental”

Girls are giving away a b-side to their new single “Morning Light”, a cover of Skeeter Davis’ “End Of The World”.

MP3: Girls – “End Of The World”

Wayne Coyne talks to Spin about the origins of The Flaming Lips’ name.

eMusic talks to Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater, who recorded an Interface session for Spinner. Update: The Interface session seems to be an old one, circa Rook… but still great.

Blurt talks to Midlake leader Tim Smith.

AZCentral talks about the album format, Spoon, the vinyl resurgence and Record Store Day (April 17 write it down) in no particular order. Or in that specific order.