Broken Social Scene recently recorded a live session for CBC Radio 3. What I love about this live session is that it has a bit of a John Peel feel to it (without that immensely missed personality, of course) as it typifies the Peel mentality: let the band play what it wants. Over the course of the 30+ minute set the band play two new, improvised songs (including one featuring vocals from Buck 65), one old song by their old band Do The 95 (called The Stuck) as well as a few tracks from Forgiveness Rock Record and a pretty great version of Cause = Time.

Download the whole set
Broken Social Scene – CBC Session June 2010

Or if you want to just check out a few of the songs…

Download
Broken Social Scene – Texico Bitches
Broken Social Scene – BSS and Buck 65
Broken Social Scene – The Stuck

The band are currently playing shows all over the place. They hit Vancouver for two shows at the Commodore on October 13 and 14. Already looking forward that.

Since I’ve been eagerly awaiting news of the next Bad Seeds record I never really thought about a potential second record from Grinderman. As a result, it kind of took me by surprise recently when it was announced that there will in fact be a follow-up to the 2007 debut from Grinderman (who are 4/7ths of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds) coming out in September.

Not much is known about the record at this point other than its title: Grinderman 2. Press material says that:

Grinderman will release their new studio album Grinderman 2 through Mute on September 13th (September 14th in the US on Anti). Grinderman 2 was recorded in 2009 at London’s RAK, State of The Ark and Assault and Battery studios. Co-produced by Grinderman and Nick Launay, the album was mixed by Launay at London’s British Grove in August 2009 and LA’s Seedy Underbelly in April 2010.

The Quietus also quotes some thoughts from Warren Ellis on the record:

“(It’s) very different from Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! and it’s very different from the first Grinderman album. That was something we were very aware of, we didn’t want it to be like that at all. There’s an attitude in there that’s similar, but sonically it’s got some pretty weird things going on. It’s probably more fleshed out than the first one, we’ve probably learned to play the instruments a bit more. I play lots of stuff on there, there’s violin on it, which I didn’t get in the other one, and a lot of backing vocals. It’s kind of like stoner rock meets Sly Stone via Amon Duul. It’s very diverse, and there’s a lot of stuff on there that doesn’t sound like anything we’ve done before. Nick’s got a different thing going on with the lyrics than he would have from the Bad Seeds, and he’s found a new thing from the first album. Less sex? I wouldn’t say that. It’s psychedelic, and I think it’s great. We’re really excited about it.”

The back half of the year is getting pretty loaded with albums I’m super excited for. Grinderman 2 is definitely one of them. Grinderman will also be touring this fall in the UK and Europe. Dates here. The most recent releases in the ongoing Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds reissue series included Tender Prey, The Good Son, and Henry’s Dream are out now as well.

Those boys in Japandroids are certainly keeping busy off the back of last year’s Post-Nothing. Vancouver’s favourite duo are out on the road in Europe most of the summer before returning to North America for some festival dates including Bumbershoot just down the road. But the band have also added a number of headline shows throughout western Canada that might mark the end of the epic Post-Nothing campaign including a final gig right here in Vancouver at the Rickshaw Theatre with Ladyhawk. Thanks to Culture Bully for the heads up.

September 28 Hume Hotel – Nelson
September 30 Wild Bill’s – Banff
October 1 Starlite Room – Edmonton
October 2 Disrikt – Regina
October 3 Pyramid Cabaret – Winnipeg
October 4 Louis’ Pub – Saskatoon
October 6 The Republik – Calgary
October 9 Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver

The band are also continuing with their 7″ singles series as Polyvinyl are releasing the second single (of a planned four) on July 16. The single is called Younger Us and you can download the A-side below thanks to Pitchfork.

Download
Japandroids – Younger Us

There were quite a few little exciting announcements yesterday but the one that means the most to me is the (somewhat surprising) news that the Manic Street Preachers have a new record ready to go. They released one of the best albums of last year in Journal For Plague Lovers but September 2010 will see them quickly follow that up with Postcards From A Young Man, their tenth (!) album.

Apparently the record is very Queen-sounding and one song features Duff McKagan from Guns ‘n’ Roses on bass. In addition, the band have stated that this is their “last shot at mass communication.” They’re trying for the radio with this one…and I’m a tad worried. The cover (above), however, is fantastic. It’s a photograph of Tim Roth by Glen Luchford taken in 1994. Amanda likes it because it features a polaroid camera.

No official word on the first single yet (though it might be It’s Not War, Just The End Of Love) but I can’t wait to hear it.

With this record, Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs and a new Underworld record to follow this summer, the back half of 2010 is looking like it might be pretty great.

Earlier today, Seattle’s Bumbershoot Festival announced the lineup for their annual Labo(u)r Day Weekend extravaganza and, once again, the lineup is pretty impressive. Highlights include Bob Dylan, Atlas Sound, Japandroids, The Raveonettes, and Jamie Lidell. Did I mention Bob Dylan?

You can see a daily schedule here while a complete list of artists playing is below.

The Headliners:

Bob Dylan / Mary J. Blige / Weezer / Hole / Rise Against / Neko Case / The Decemberists / J. Cole and one more very special guest.

The Rest:

LMFAO / Billy Bragg / Ozomatli / Angelique Kidjo / Solomon Burke / The Dandy Warhols / Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros / Jenny and Johnny (featuring Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice) / Jamie Lidell / The Raveonettes / Balkan Beat Box / Motion City Soundtrack / The Thermals / Ra Ra Riot / The English Beat / Justin Townes Earle / Booker T. / Surfer Blood / The Bouncing Souls / Japandroids / Bob Schneider / Anvil / Bomba Estereo / Jay Electronica / Aterciopelados / Baroness / James Cotton “Superharp” Blues Band / David Bazan / Meat Puppets / Crash Kings / This Providence / Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express / The Moondoggies / The Whigs / Greg Laswell / Civil Twilight / Trampled By Turtles / The Clientele / Atlas Sound / Laura Veirs & The Hall of Flames / The Budos Band / Bobby Bare Jr. / Horse Feathers / Vienna Teng Trio / HEALTH / Plants and Animals / Georgia Anne Muldrow & Declaime / Wheedle’s Groove / Hey Marseilles / Kings Go Forth / Sweet Water / Delorean / JEFF the Brotherhood / Chris Pureka / Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra / Garotas Suecas / The Maldives / The Constellations / Coryell, Auger, Sample Trio / Grynch / Visqueen / Victor Shade / Star Anna & The Laughing Dogs / Fresh Espresso / Pete Molinari / Sista Monica’s “Singin in the Spirit” / Lay Low / Unnatural Helpers / Idiot Pilot / The Round / Wild Orchid Children / The Cute Lepers / Feral Children / Fences / Caspar Babypants / The Tripwires / Fatal Lucciauno / Loch Lomond / The Physics / THEESatisfaction / School of Rock All Stars / See Me River / Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers / People Eating People / Eldridge Gravy & The Court Supreme / Brent Amaker & The Rodeo / Born Anchors / Slender Means / BOAT / McTuff Trio / Parlour Steps / The Redwood Plan / Helladope / Lisa Dank / Greta Matassa Quartet / The Lonely H / Matt Jorgensen Quintet / Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin’ Daddies! / Great Waves / Brian Vogan / Johnny Bregar with more to come, including comedy, performing arts, film, literary and visual arts!

Ticket info here.