Mark Your Calendars for Mountain Goats Album

The Mountain Goats have announced the release of Transcendental Youth on Oct. 2.

Merge says it will begin taking pre-orders July 23. What's intriguing is the record label says the advance orders will come with a special surprise.

I wonder what it could be.

Stay tuned to Merge to find out.

Cat Power Announces New Album

Cat Power’s first album of original material in more than six years is scheduled for a Sept. 4 release.

Matador is taking pre-orders for Sun, including a limited-edition, two-disc version on clear vinyl in an alternate gold foil cover. It also comes with a 7-inch record with two tracks not on the album.

Get a little taste of the upcoming album in this video announcement.

Gaslight Anthem LP Pre-Sale

The Gaslight Anthem’s fourth album, Handwritten, is available for pre-order on the Sideone Dummy Web site.

On blue vinyl, the album is $15 and is scheduled to be released July 24.

I’m big on this band, especially frontman Brian Fallon, who recently spent some time working on his side project, The Horrible Crowes.

He’s a terrific singer and songwriter whose gritty voice perfectly complements his barroom rock songs. This is the summer album that I've been waiting for.

Here’s the tracklist for the upcoming album:

1. 45

2. Handwritten

3. Here Comes My Man

4. Mulholland Drive

5. Keepsake

6. Too Much Blood

7. Howl

8. Biloxi Parish

9. Desire

10. Mae

11. National Anthem

Inside John Peel's Collection

You can look inside John Peel's vast record collection at The Space.

The legendary DJ amassed an amazing archive of more than 26,000 LPs, 40,000 singles, and thousands of CDs. This important collection of rock and other music is being made public through a special online project that will run for 26 weeks, from May through October.

Because of the size of the collection and time limitations, the John Peel Centre for Creative Arts and project supporters have decided to release details of the first 100 albums, listed alphabetically, from each letter of the alphabet each week. On May 1, the first 100 As were released.

In addition, with each release of 100 records there will be a mini-documentary about one of the artists. The first features 1960s singer-songwriter Mike Absalom.

Take a look. It's fun and worth spending time inside Peel's celebrated collection.

Codeine Box Set Coming

Numero Group is taking pre-orders for a Codeine box set.

All three of the band's albums will be featured with detailed liner notes, including essays by Sub Pop’s Jonathan Poneman, Love Child’s Alan Licht, and the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne and Steven Drozd.

"The albums have been faithfully restored from the original masters, and are accompanied by a plethora of singles, demos, live recordings, and Peel sessions," says Numero. "Each album will be packaged as a double album with a CD of the same material. Additionally, an ultra deluxe box set of all three albums is available in a limited edition of 1000 copies. The box set features no additional tracks, but does come with a 5-by-1 foldout poster of the band’s complete discography and a tidy box that holds all three albums National Geographic-style."

The first 500 copies pre-ordered of When I See The Sun will also receive a bonus 7″, featuring two songs recorded live at TT the Bear’s Place in Boston by Bob Weston.

The price is $80. There's also a $100 set that comes with a T-shirt. Look for the package to come out around the end of May.


Check out the Codeine set and other interesting releases from Numero here.

Record Store Day Releases

Record Store Day is only 26 days away!

The RSD Web site has posted a list of all the goodies that will be released on our favorite day of the year. The selection looks pretty good.

Check out the list here.

I already have my sights on a couple of the items, including Arcade Fire's Sprawl II, an Eddie Vedder 7-inch, Of Monsters and Men's Into the Woods EP, and a Widespread Panic live album.

The list also includes a vinyl release of Sinead O'Connor's latest album, How About I Be Me (And You Be You). I was wondering if we would ever see that album on vinyl.

The Night Tripper Meets A Black Key

Nonesuch is taking pre-orders for the new Dr. John album, Locked Down, which comes out April 3 on CD. The vinyl version is scheduled for release on Record Store Day, April 21.

If you order in advance, you'll receive a nice print of the good doctor with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Why is Auerbach on the poster? He produced the album.

As a huge Dr. John fan, I'm really looking forward to hearing Locked Down. Auerbach is an inspired choice to helm the effort, and I think the recent popularity of The Black Keys can't help but bring some new attention to Dr. John (Mac Rebbenack), who was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yet remains shamefully under appreciated.

With his unique blend of rock, New Orleans R&B, and swamp funk, Dr. John is a master mixologist. No one sounds like The Night Tripper. His Gris Gris album is a classic that is as fresh today as it was when it came out in 1968.

It will be interesting to see if Auerbach takes Dr. John to a rougher indie rock and blues sound that has distinguished his own music.

The new album was recorded at Auerbach's Nashville studio, Easy Eye Sound, and, yes, he adds his mighty guitar to the effort.

I can't wait. This is going to be goooood.

For more, visit www.nonesuch.com.