Linkage...

Robert Pollard has a pair of new albums slated for release through Merge Records. I haven’t heard too much of Pollard’s solo stuff since the demise of GBV, but these songs sound promising. Here is one from each release:

MP3 :: The Killers
(from Standard Gargoyle Decisions. Pre-order here)

MP3 :: Rud Fins
(from Coast To Coast Carpet Of Love. Pre-order here)
----------------------------

Well, Stereogum has proven once again that they are in no way shape or form an ordinary music blog. After wowing everyone in the music world a few months back with the OKX compilation, they’ve done it again. Drive XV was released for free digital download at their site and brings together some of the best bands in indie rock today covering all the songs from REM’s classic Automatic For The People. You need to check this out if you’re a fan of old REM, or a fan of The Wrens, Meat Puppets, Blitzen Trapper, etc. Plus, they’ve promised a whole mess of outtakes in the coming days, so keep checking in.
----------------------------

As a follow-up to the BIG news earlier this week regarding In Rainbows, Dave over at Rawkblog has put together a live compilation of all the new Radiohead songs.
----------------------------

There’s a lot out there for Iron & Wine fans these days. In addition to all the press the pretty excellent The Shepherd’s Dog is getting, Pitchfork has an interview with Sam Beam that gets in depth into the writing and recording process of the album. Also check out The Good, The Bad, And The Unknown - they have a host of rare I&W songs from throughout their career, even a few I never even knew existed.
----------------------------

Again, AOL Spinner is streaming the new Bruce Springsteen album Magic all week. It’s gotten some lukewarm reception so far, but c’mon, it’s the Boss.

Stream :: Bruce Springsteen - Magic
-----------------------------

I saw Okkervil River play the other night at The Bowery Ballroom in NYC. They were fantastic, as usual, despite me being slightly distracted by the barrage of text messages I received from my brothers with all sorts of bad news about the Mets. For the encore Will Sheff came out and played an acoustic version of “A Stone” - one of my favorite songs from Black Sheep Boy. Today I saw a write-up at Stylus regarding the same song. Yeah, it moves me too.
------------------------------

Congratulations are in order to my friend Evan, whose blog If I Blog It, They Will Come achieved its goal of getting Kevin Costner to send in a photo of himself looking at the blog that they began around the same time I started PHW. Well done Ev. Now on to Robin Williams…..
------------------------------