The Boston Globe profiles Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

Stream the new Autolux album, Transit Transit at the band's MySpace page.

Little Gold Men interviews legendary singer-songwriter Merle Haggard.

The Seattle Times profiles singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom.

Time lists the best (and worst) summer songs.

GigMaven is a free website that helps musicians book shows at venues in several cities.

Stornoway – “Watching Birds”

Andrew YouseffShoegaze as a genre is generally considered to be a British sort of thing, which is reasonable since the concept of playing guitars really loudly while avoiding eye contact with the audience largely originated on that side of the Atlantic, but since the early ’90s, introverts everywhere have picked up guitars and daisy-chained distortion pedals and not a few of those who formed bands call California home. And a couple of the best-known of them are back with new records.

Hailing from San Francisco, Film School have gone through considerable changes since their 2006 eponymous release, both in terms of personnel and sound, softening the somewhat hard edges of that record on the more melodic 2007 follow-up Hideout and from the sounds of the first MP3, their new record Fission – due out August 31 – looks to be their most pop-oriented effort yet. They’re hitting the road this Fall with New York’s The Depreciation Guild, who know a thing or two themselves about building walls of sound as evidenced on their latest album Spirit Youth.

Los Angeles’ Autolux have managed to remain one of the state/country’s the most revered dreampop acts despite not having released a record since their debut Future Perfect in 2004, but the long wait for a follow-up will finally end next week with the release of Transit Transit. And though you could argue that after waiting six years to hear a new record, what’s another week, the band are now streaming the whole album at their MySpace, giving folks a little extra time to cram on the new tunes before the trio kicks off a North American tour in a couple weeks.

MP3: Film School – “Heart Full Of Pentagons”
MP3: Autolux – “Supertoys”
MP3: The Depreciation Guild – “Dream About Me”
Stream: Autolux / Transit Transit

Owen Ashworth has decided that it’s time to pull the plug on Casiotone For The Painfully Alone and as such, his upcoming Fall tour will be his last. Ashworth talks to Exclaim about the decision to hang it up.

MP3: Casitotone For The Painfully Alone – “Optimist Vs. The Silent Alarm (When The Saints Go Marching In”

Diamond Rings has finally set a release date for his full-length debut Special Affections – it will be out in North America on October 26.

MP3: Diamond Rings – “All Yr Songs”

77 Square talks to Kathryn Calder about both her forthcoming solo debut Are You My Mother? and The New Pornographers.

Under The Radar throws Fucked Up’s Damian Abraham at Devo; interviewing ensues.

NPR is streaming a session with Retribution Gospel Choir.

Billboard talks to Sam Fogarino of Interpol. Their new self-titled record is out September 7.

Interview does its thing with The Morning Benders.

Big Troubles – “Bite Yr Tongue”