Too gorgeous. Give us a new album, Richard! (Via TwentyFourBit)

Fiona Apple, Jon Brion on new Buddy Holly tribute compilation: Rave On will also gather Paul McCartney, Florence + The Machine and Modest Mouse, among others, but I’m most looking forward to hearing a studio take on Apple and Brion’s “Everyday” — a cover that’s graced Largo’s hallowed halls before. It’s due June 28 on Concord. [TwentyFourBit]

Jon Brion goes back to The Future: In some older JB news, the musician’s next score will be for Miranda July’s The Future, due in theaters on July 29.

Ryan Adams merch for sale: Some vintage tour posters and extra copies of his Record Store Day double single, Class Mythology, were put on his online store this afternoon, though nearly all of it appears sold out already. [Pax Am]

“My friend Scott Bartenhagen…” Micol Cazzell began in a recent e-mail, and, well, any friend of Scott’s is a friend of Rawkblog’s. Cazzell also makes delicate, tender folk, though his falls more in line with the airy, porcelain beauty of late-period Elliott Smith or Slowreader. On “Burnside,” his doubled vocals — just out of sync enough to make your hair stand on end — rise around a single finger-picked acoustic guitar, a cowboy song sung by ghosts.

Micol Cazzell – “Burnside”: mp3

(Spinner’s Yarn was released in 2010; stream it after the jump)

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Sondre Lerche / photo by David Greenwald

Tokyo Police Club’s Graham Wright to release solo album: Shirts vs. Skins, inspired by the keyboardist’s last break-up (what else?) is due June 28 on File Under: Music. [Graham Wright]

The One AM Radio gets Dntel remix, releases Antonioni-borrowing video: My post on both is over on Brand X. The new album is terrific. [Brand X]

Sondre Lerche jams: The Waynestock-headlining troubadour continues his Sondre Lerche roll-out. Here’s a “Domino” video and, below, the punchy studio take on chorus-of-the-year contender “Private Caller.”

Sondre Lerche – Private Caller by sondrelerche

You are loved, you are loved, you are really, really loved. Sad bastard music, after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

Spoon / photo by David Greenwald

Britt Daniel sings with Heavenly States: Interesting to hear the Spoon frontman in the context of an initially generic Starbucks folk-rocker, but things get better toward the end. [You Ain't No Picasso]

Junior Boys drop 9-minute single: It’s All True is out June 14. Remember how great this band is? No? Here’s “Banana Ripple.”

Junior Boys – Banana Ripple by DominoRecordCo

Cokemachineglow reviews Bill Callahan’s Apocalypse: Lindsay Zoladz offers a thorough, absorbing take on one of my favorite albums of the year. [Cokemachineglow]

And the Rumpus interviews Bill Callahan: I love that there is no virtually no difference between Bill Callahan, profound lyricist, and Bill Callahan, affable interview subject. [The Rumpus]

In our post-Altered Zones era, when recording yourself turning on a guitar amp and eating a bag of chips is probably considered “art-rock,” Chad VanGaalen is a damn Renaissance man. I linked to this VBS.tv clip last week, but the trip to his home studio is worth watching again: put on one of his records and then watch him showcase his homemade instruments (an analog drum machine!) and the sources of his surreal sounds. Then just listen to the guy sing. Shit’s unfair. Related: Chad has movie-star teeth! Diaper Island is out on Sub Pop on May 17.

Chad VanGaalen – “Sara”: mp3

“1994,” the lead track from International Waters’ summer-due debut album, finds the band taking a detour from their athletic guitar-pop. Instead, the song opens with Broadcast synthesizers before launching into a reverb-lined pop paradise, all split-toned vocals and cymbal crashes as gentle as a lover’s touch. It takes a few spins to absorb the production, but the Austin band’s melodies waste no time signing a month-to-month lease on your short-term memory. So, a fine new direction and a welcome preview of a long-awaited release. More to come, I’m sure.

Previously: International Waters at the Echoplex | more International Waters