According to Dave Fridmann, “a Mercury Rev meeting of the minds” kicked off the process on October 28, 2013, with a second series of sessions at Tarbox Road Studios commencing December 9th. “We record a bunch of stuff at Catskills studios,” Grasshoper says, “then Fridmann’s hammers it into shape at Tarbox…”

UPDATES May 2nd – Stream one of the tracks Kliph worked on with Matt Owen last week, “Breaking The Mold.” … More

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Watch the Lips rehearse “Tomorrow Never Knows,” ”Come Together,” “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except for Me and My Monkey,” “Across the Universe, Dear Prudence,” and “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbRfD9ONevM

MGMT are going all out in anticipation of their Friday the 13th show with Dinosaur Jr – tuning their giant cowbell, giving out free tickets, tweeting oblique video messages from J Mascis, hiding artwork to be found by fans game for a scavenge hunt…. Listen to their promo appearance on East Village Radio.

Last Box of Sparklers – the forthcoming Sparklehorse tribute album (previously discussed here) featuring The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, The Joy Formidable, Phantogram, Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle, Portugal. the Man, and many more – is quickly approaching its final day of funding. With just four days left to contribute, Box of Stars is adding several perks – including a Flaming Lips candy skull and an exclusive Sparklehorse poster by Andrew Pawley. Also today Andrew published a new chapter of Captain Yeah! (featuring Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros)…

Stream over 14 hours of the coolest Christmas music in The Future Heart and Jingle Bell Rocks! 2013 Holiday Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD50CD8E649FE5D30

An extensive song-by-song recap – illustrated by Michael “Inklines” Arthur – of The Complete Last Waltz with members of Yellowbirds, Almost Dead, Wilco, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Dap Kings, Fruit Bats, et al.

A preview of new records out Black Friday by Band of Horses, Nick Cave, The Flaming Lips, Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, U2, Uncle Tupelo and more. Also Mystical Weapons are releasing “Crotesque” – a live album on one-sided vinyl exclusively for Record Store Day. Stream the digital only bonus track “Live in Iceland.”

With The Flaming Lips, John Waters, Dr. Demento, Rev Run, Bob Dorough, Clarence Carter and others contributing insights, the new film Jingle Bell Rocks! is equal parts social history, revealing character study and quest to unearth the stories behind 12 of the wildest, weirdest and most poignant Christmas songs you’ve likely never heard.