Lookout! Records, the Berkeley, California-based record label and one-time home of Green Day, Operation Ivy, Rancid, The Donnas, Alkaline Trio, and countless others, is no more, according to the label’s former signee Ted Leo. In a message posted on his website, Leo revealed that while the label had ceased putting out new material in 2006, it was still printing back catalogs until December. Now, however, the label has “sadly, shuttered its windows for good,” explained Leo.

Leo, who released four Ted Leo and the Pharmacists records through Lookout! during the early 2000s, went on to note that “these records have reverted to my complete ownership.” The transition has caused these albums to be taken down from digital services, but Leo said that he hopes to have them back online soon. As for the physical releases, Leo said the records are “officially out of print and will likely not be repressed for a while (but I’m sure I’ll get around to it eventually).” He does, however, have a stockpile of old physical albums that he may sell through his own online webstore.

It’s unclear what the news means for other former Lookout! artists, though artists like Green Day, Avail, and Screeching Weasels previously reclaimed ownership of their work from the label in the mid-2000s. The label’s website has not been updated since March 2011.

Below, check out Operation Ivy’s song “Knowledge” from their 1989 Lookout Records LP Energy.

For the last few Halloweens, punk covers band TV Casualty has left behind the mini-Snickers bars and lame Halloween parties to hit the stage and resurrect the music of The Misfits. On this year’s All Hallows Eve, the rag-tag group will at last release a covers EP of the best of Glenn Danzig and company’s spooky punk rock, as Exclaim! points out.

But, here’s the kicker: Ted Leo will do his best Danzig as he provides vocals for the effort. Leo, who has appeared as a guest singer during past Halloween gigs, will be joined by the core members Brian Sokel (Franklin, AM/FM), Andy Nelson (Ceremony, Paint It Black), Atom Goren (Atom and His Package), and Chris Wilson (Ted Leo & the Pharmacists). The band has also previously done charity shows while performing as other punk icons, including The Ramones and Black Flag.

The EP, limited to 200 copies and pressed on blood red 7″ vinyl, will be available October 31st as a mail order-only release via Matador Records (though tracks can be bought digitally on the day of release). Some copies should also be available at the band’s October 28th show in Gainesville, FL as part of this year’s The Fest (details here). All proceeds will benefit The Attic Youth Center, Philadelphia, PA’s only LGBTQ youth center.

Below is part one of the band’s 2010 Halloween show from Johnny Brenda’s in Philaldelphia, PA. Head here to check out the rest of that show and other TV Casualty performances.

TV Casualty 7″ Tracklist:
01. Children in Heat
02. Angelfuck
03. Teenagers from Mars
04. We Bite
05. Who Killed Marilyn
06. Some Kinda Hate

It’s all more impressive still when a band or artist’s excellence is underrated– or virtually unrecognized by the critical and/or listener mainstream. The most impressive? The band/artist doesn’t get frustrated, doesn’t complain. It soldiers on, not giving one fuck, just doing its thing, even as the music it influences gets more recognition.

This new edition of List ‘Em Carefully presents 10 bands and artists, among so many more that deserve their day in the sun, that have been around 15 years or more. All 10 are ride-or-die as hell, influencing at least a generation of notable performers, music scenes, genres, and sounds today. It’s called the 15-Plus-Year Itch, and it’s about time some of these folks got a scratch.

Note: As is often the case with memories (and documented facts), there are differing interpretations and recalls of when an artist/band officially started. Sources like All Music Guide were used in most cases when competing years appeared.

Low (since 1993)

Low, in this context, reminds me why I find sweet, low-key Midwesterners charming. The lifer slowcore band from Duluth, MN was founded by Mormon husband-and-wife Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker, who have built a family with two children (and an extended family of musicians) around the band. It wouldn’t be unfair to think of Low as the Sonic Youth of slowcore.

The band has done basically nothing drastically attention-drawing over their long career, outside of a musical crescendo or an occasional low-budget music video. The first 10-12 years of Low’s output found its way on experimental labels on both sides of the Atlantic as well as the band’s own, Chairkickers.

The middle-period trio of releases on Kranky (Secret Name, Things We Lost in The Fire, and Trust) showed some signs of skewing into pop territory (particularly on 2001′s seminal Things We Lost in the Fire). The band’s first LP with Sub Pop, 2005′s The Great Destroyer was a momentary bit of Dave Fridmann-produced sonic grandiosity. But the band backtracked to a more austere sound, perhaps more so than ever before, two years later for Drums and Guns.

This year’s C’mon sees Low grasping at mainstream recognition a bit, featuring actor John Stamos in the video for lead-off single “Try to Sleep”, which even garnered a mention in Entertainment Weekly. The last time Low got that much profile was in 1999 when its cover of “Little Drummer Boy” (off its Christmas EP) was featured in a Gap ad.

Check ‘em out via Spotify!

Neurosis (since 1985)

Outside of extreme metal circles and prog geeks, Neurosis doesn’t get much love these days. The band’s ’90s output got some significant critical acclaim from the press (Through Silver in Blood in 1996 and Times of Grace in 1999, especially), but mostly in punk zines, the writers and readers of which practically worship the band.

So goes the classic story of the ugly duckling: Neurosis started as a mediocre (okay, terrible) thrash outfit out of Oakland, content to play second fiddle (or shitty-sounding snare drum) to West Coast punk, thrash, and sludge bands like D.O.A., Black Flag, and The Melvins. But Neurosis slowly took on art-rock elements, building atmosphere, epic arrangements and soundscapes along the lines of Swans and various New York no-wave acts, building art-rock like Pink Floyd and metal/industrial sounds like Ministry, Godflesh, and Skinny Puppy.

The recent rise of “post-metal” bands (Mastodon, Pelican, Isis, Russian Circles) and post-rock acts with heavy/noisy passages and experimental-film images screened during live shows (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Sigur Ros) owe more than even they may realize to Neurosis. Fellow California metal band Tool, by the way, probably owes Neurosis a royalty check. Just sayin’.

Check ‘em out on Spotify!

Spoon (since 1994)

“But Spoon is already a big indie band! They do pretty big tours! They’re on Merge! They’ve sold thousands of records, if not millions, over their career!” That may be true. But it doesn’t change the fact that Spoon is, still, oddly, confoundingly overlooked in today’s indie rock. When Metacritic named them top overall artist of the ’00s, the silence from indie fans was deafening. And that deafening silence is disappointing.

Spoon’s influence on Austin, T.X.’s highly regarded music scene alone qualifies the band for this list, not to mention holding down quality control for the post-R.E.M. indie guard, and the undeniable fact that if Spoon had come around in just about any post-1969 year of pop music culture, they’d be on the level of Foo Fighters/Muse/Coldplay and other big rock stars. Plus, how the fuck can you deny “The Way We Get By”, “Take the Fifth”, “Sister Jack”, or any of the dozens of pop gems Spoon have made in the last 18 years? If you’re hating on this pick, sit down, man. Nothing is wrong with Spoon. It’s not them, it’s you.

Check ‘em out on Spotify!

Pinetop Perkins (since the mid-’50s)

If you know Muddy Waters, you should know pianist Joe Willie “Pinetop” Perkins. And if you don’t know Pinetop Perkins, you don’t know Chicago blues. Perkins was one of 2011’s last surviving progenitors of the peak of the Chicago blues era of the ‘50s.

Perkins began playing with Waters in 1969, when Waters’ music was at its peak in popularity, having been made a household name by British invasion bands such as The Rolling Stones (which owes its name to Waters’ “Rollin’ Stone”). Perkins was along for the ride.

While all the other acts on this list are still with us, Perkins is sadly not. He had a great run of it, passing away at age 97 (ninety-fucking-seven!) in March, surviving a knife attack (which, at young age, forced him to quit guitar and learn piano), a train colliding with his car, and decades of touring. Needless to say, Perkins left behind an incredible blues legacy, not to mention a reminder of every under-appreciated musician’s mortality.

But it was only in his final years that non-blues diehards and National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Grammy) voters gave Perkins mainstream recognition. As the Grammys often do, the awards program gave Perkins last-minute recognition in the scheme of things, awarding him a Lifetime Achievement award in 2005, an award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2008 for Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas, and another a month before he died in 2011 for Joined at the Hip, a collaboration with harmonica player and fellow Muddy Waters sideman Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, who also passed recently.

Perkins kept up a robust touring schedule throughout his career, even into his ’80s and ’90s. He’s influenced and/or played with just about every major blues artist of the last half-century. His influence in blues history is towering, and, in his memory, it deserves to be recognized.

Check him out on Spotify!

Ted Leo (since 1991)

They just don’t make ‘em like Leo anymore. How many veteran singer-songwriters are out there today making no-nonsense music, singing passionately, gracefully, and knowledgeably about foreign and domestic politics, and how it emotionally affects our everyday lives? Among rock ‘n’ roll and all of its sub-genres, their names would make for a short, sad list.

Ted Leo, quite simply, is a bad ass in the way that Elvis Costello and the late Joe Strummer of The Clash were bad asses at their respective peaks. Strummer left a giant hole in music, and Leo is the only performer multifaceted, dogged, and salt-of-the-earth enough to fill that hole in rock music. And since I don’t see punks aged 13 to 30 worshiping at the altar of Ted Leo, I’m going to say his contributions to indie, punk, and beyond are drastically underrated and criminally overlooked.

It could just be a matter of weird timing. Leo’s years of touring and recording in various bands (Citizen’s Arrest, Chisel, and his current band, the Pharmacists) bests most of his contemporaries on his label, Matador, but he’s not willfully obtuse enough to blend in well with many of his labelmates. He’s too clever and clear-eyed to fit in with most punks these days. And Leo, who recently celebrated his 41st birthday, wasn’t born early enough for England’s late ’70s class of excellent post-punk/new wave artists. Leo is almost singular in today’s music. If you have an even passing interest in political music or razor-sharp punk, give Ted Leo a listen immediately.

Check him out on Spotify!

Boards of Canada (since 1996)

You may know Boards of Canada. You may not. Or you may know them but haven’t thought about the Scottish (nope, not Canadian) IDM/ambient duo in a while. Why? Because Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin draw literally no attention to themselves aside from releasing music and the occasional interview.

In one of those rare interviews, with Pitchfork writer Heiko Hoffman in 2005, Sandison and Eoin revealed that they were in fact brothers and had never mentioned it, even going so far as to avoid divulging it. Why? Because they wanted to avoid comparisons to the Hartnoll brothers of U.K. ambient house outfit Orbital. Apparently, Marcus’ full name is Marcus Eoin Sandison and he and his brother Michael have been making music together since six or seven years old, recording as early as age 10.

Bomb. Dropped. Stranger still, this news was a bombshell that no one besides Warp Records lifers seemed to have heard or even care about if they did. The intense but absent rock stardom of the Sandisons is something that makes Boards of Canada inherently underrated. Virtually every ambient or semi-ambient artist– from Dan Snaith of Caribou to younger generations of gear-head bedroom artists who seem to be at the forefront of chillwave right now– owes BoC everything.

Check ‘em out on Spotify!

Chuck Brown (since 1972)

“‘Cause I feel like bustin’ loose/and I feel like touchin’ you,” is probably best known as a line from Nelly’s classic “Hot in Herre” single. But The Neptunes had to pull its brilliant interpolation from somewhere, no doubt an old soul classic. “Bustin’ Loose”, by Chuck Brown, the godfather of go-go music, is that classic.

Of course, it may not be a classic to you if you have never lived in Washington D.C. or its metro area. You may associate the phrase “go-go music” as stuff go-go dancers dance to, but go-go is more precisely a slowed-down take on ’70s disco, emphasizing call-and-response, and bands of at least six members , a style that has virtually never left the D.C. area as a viable genre. Brown essentially invented it in the early ’70s.

There’s really no telling why go-go and Brown’s career didn’t go very far beyond momentary bits of exposure like “Bustin’ Loose” and its 2002 interpolation by The Neptunes. Brown’s theme music for “The Sinbad Show” in the ’90s didn’t do it, and neither did his appearances in television commercials for the D.C. Lottery. His greatest claim to fame may be that the song spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard R&B singles chart in early 1979, ostensibly when Brown broke out as bandleader and top-billed name with The Soul Searchers.

Sure, it’s possible he’s dogged by geography and a provincial audience stuck in its ways, but it won’t be slowing the 75 year-old Brown down anytime soon. He was nominated for a Grammy last year for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Love”, featuring Jill Scott and Marcus Miller. That track came from his 2010 record We Got This and, yeah, he sure as hell does.

Check him out on Spotify!

Slayer (since 1982)

When I saw Slayer live as part of the 2003 Jägermeister Fall Music Tour at The Masquerade in Tampa, the metal capital of the U.S., lead vocalist Tom Araya savored aloud the band’s 20-year history of slaying, rocking, and the like, causing the crowd to roar. “And they don’t suck,” I said to my cheering friend, who drove us hours to see the show. I offer up that moment because all of Slayer’s early-‘80s thrash contemporaries fell to the High Fidelity-explained dichotomous fate of either burning out (Anthrax) or fading away (Metallica). Of course, Metallica’s faded away all the way to bank, but the band’s worldwide notoriety should be Slayer’s by all rights. Slayer should never have to open for Metallica, as it did in April.

Metallica’s widely regarded holy trinity of 1983’s Kill ‘Em All, 1984’s Ride the Lightning, and 1986’s Master of Puppets is just as stellar/influential as Slayer’s holy (unholy?) trinity of 1986’s Reign in Blood (which thrashes so hard and fast, the record runs only 29:03 long), 1988’s South of Heaven, and 1990’s Seasons in the Abyss. Metallica could never play as fast or as brutal as Slayer, nor was it ever anywhere close to as morbid or aggressive. In short, Slayer is more metal than Metallica.

While Lars Ulrich was bitching and moaning about file sharing, putting himself opposite Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst in 2000’s Napster tussle in the court of law and public opinion, Slayer guitarist Kerry King’s opinion of Durst was pretty clear. “I wouldn’t lose any sleep if Fred Durst got shot tomorrow,” King said to Guitar World in 2002. Hard-fucking-core.

Check ‘em out on Spotify!

Robyn Hitchcock (since 1976)

The brilliant film director Jonathan Demme has worked with only three acts (one per decade) as the subject of a feature-length film: Talking Heads in 1986′s stellar Stop Making Sense and Neil Young in 2006′s Heart of Gold are two of them. The third, and least known, is Robyn Hitchcock in 1998′s Storefront Hitchcock.

The film places the British singer-songwriter into an easy, rarefied air of charisma, one akin to Heads leader David Byrne and Young. If anyone’s earned that kind of regal, cool image, it’s Hitchcock, who’s been pumping out records (be it solo or with his bands the Venus 3 and the Egyptians) for over 35 years, if you count his work fronting Cambridge post-punk band The Soft Boys,  which pioneered jangle-pop.

It makes sense, then, that Hitchcock still gets to collaborate with some of rock’s best musicians, including former R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck (and Buck’s band the Minus 5), former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, alt-country songstress Gillian Welch, singer-songwriter/producer Nick Lowe, and former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, just to name a few.

Hitchcock worked with all of the above (minus Welch) for his latest with the Venus 3, Propellor Time, released in 2010, and Tromsø, Kaptein released this year, which is only available for physical purchase in Norway, where it was recorded. So bad-ass.

Check him out on Spotify!

Mekons (since 1976)

When it comes to the late-’70s class of English post-punk, one of the U.K.’s most vibrant eras of music, the Mekons and Elvis Costello are the era’s only surviving and relevant musicians. Like Costello, the band has ravenously and with polymath glee played disparate genres of music with its signature grit and knowing British wit.

And a caustic wit it is, similar to Gang of Four (whose members were in the same University of Leeds student body as the remaining, founding members of the Mekons, Jon Langford and Tom Greenhalgh) or The Clash (the band’s first vinyl single “Never Been in a Riot” was an ironic response to “White Riot”).

Virtually any singer-songwriter, indie band, or punk band who’s ever made a snarky political comment on stage or in music owes plenty to the Mekons, even if they don’t know it. Yet the Mekons have never been recognized widely, in commercial or critical circles, as the dynamic contributor that it is to the punk canon.

Check ‘em out on Spotify!

Hurricane Irene plans to obliterate the United States East coast this weekend, meaning a lot of concerts and festivals have been/will be forced to change their plans. Not even Dave Matthews can overcome the storm; Rolling Stone reports that the folk-rock warrior has postponed the second and third day of his New York City Caravan stop at Governors Island. As of now, today’s festivities will go ahead as planned.

Other festivals and concerts postponed or canceled as a result of the impending storm:

– New York City’s free Afro-Punk festival has reportedly been canceled. The two-day event was to feature Janelle Monáe, Santigold, Das Racist, Toro Y Moi, Cee-Lo Green, and Kenna, among others.

– Hoboken, NJ’s hMag Fest has been postponed. Festival organizers say the festival, which promises The Walkmen, School of Seven Bells, and The Kickdrums, will be rescheduled to an upcoming weekend in September.

– Crownsville, MD’s Silopanna Music Festival has been canceled. The one-day event was to feature Matt & Kim, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Fitz & the Tantrums, and Trombone Short & Oreans Avenue

– Central’s Park scheduled Sunday concert featuring Jagged Edge, Avant, and Melanie Fiona has been canceled. It was to be the final free show at Central Park Summerstage this summer.

– Michael Jackson’s birthday celebrations at Prospect Park and Irving Plaza in New York City have been canceled.

– CANT’s scheduled show at New York’s Mercury Lounge on Sunday has been postponed.

– Ted Leo’s scheduled show at New York’s Rock Shop on Saturday has been canceled.

We’ll update this post as more postponements and cancellations are announced.

Despite a rocky start to 2011, Ted Leo went ahead and rebounded rather nicely and has been continually touring throughout the year. Now, further proving that the work of a punk journeyman is never over, Leo will reconvene his merry band of musicians The Pharmacists and hit the road this fall. After finishing several gigs this month, the autumn leg will kick off on September 23rd in Philadelphia, PA. The group will then play throughout the States, including Raleigh, NC, Miami, FL, Oxford, MS, and beyond before coming to a close on November 12th in Washington, DC. Check out the entire confirmed itinerary below. Perhaps even more new songs are being lined up?

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists 2011 Tour Dates:
07/26 – Chicago, IL @ Fireside Bowl
07/27 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
07/28 – Indianapolis, IN @ Earth House
07/29 – Cincinnati, OH @ Fountain Square
08/07 – Halifax, NS @ Alderney Landing
09/08-11 – Portland, OR @ Musicfest NW 2011
09/23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
09/24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
10/25 – Newark, DE @ Mojo Main
10/26 – Raleigh, NC @ King’s Barcade
10/27 – Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
10/29 – Gainesville, FL @ The Venue
10/30 – Miami, FL @ Churchill’s
11/01 – Tampa, FL @ Crowbar
11/02 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
11/03 – Pensacola, FL @ Handlebar
11/04 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
11/08 – Oxford, MS @ Proud Larry’s
11/09 – Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree
11/10 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
11/12 – Washington, DC @ Sacred Heart Church

Room 205: home to beautifully shot live performances from bands like Abe Vigoda, Daedelus, Puro Instinct and most recently Ted Leo. For the second installment of Ted Leo’s series, the great punk experimenter debuts a new song, ‘The Little Smug Supper Club”. Check out the video for the catchy tune above, directed by Jason Farrell with set design by Tamarra Younis.

The previous Ted Leo Room 205 installment two weeks prior saw Leo in the same room, only playing his song “One Polaroid A Day” inside of a teepee with adorned with foliage. How will the cycle resolve? Check back June 20th for the third and final video.

Other confirmed notables include Neurosis, Blitzen Trapper, Sebadoh, Handsome Furs, Little Dragon, The Antlers, YACHT, The Horrors, The Thermals, Kylesa, Ted Leo, Crooked Fingers, Twin Sister, Sharon Van Etten, The Joy Formidable, The Vaccines, and Blind Pilot.

If that weren’t enough, this year’s bill also includes Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Charles Bradley, Thee Oh Sees, Avi Buffalo, Cass McCombs, Phantogram, Rhett Miller, Big Freedia, Givers, Ty Segall, EMA, Dam-Funk and Master Blaster, Shabazz Palaces, Tennis, Centro-matic, The Moondoggies, PS I Love You, The Gaslamp Killer, Dirty Beaches, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and The Soft Moon. Click here to view the complete lineup.

Festival wristbands and tickets for shows at Pioneer Courthouse Square, Crystal Ballroom, Roseland Theater, and Aladdin Theater go on sale on Friday, June 3rd. Festival wristbands are on sale at two price points: 1.) $115 for an all-inclusive wristband that gets you into all three outdoor shows and the rest of the five-day festival. 2.) $70 for a ticket to one of the three outdoors shows (Band of Horses, Explosions in the Sky, or TBD band) and admission to the rest of the festival. For further information, visit the festival’s website.

St. Vincent, Titus Andronicus, tUnE-yArDs, Dan Deacon, and Ted Leo were among the acts gathered at Bowery Ballroom in New York last night to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Michael Azerrad’s 2001 book Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991. The aforementioned spent the evening covering indie rock pioneers like Nirvana, The Replacements, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Fugazi, and Minor Threat. According to Fucking Nostalgic, Sonic Youth’s Lee Renaldo, The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn, and Les Savy Fav’s Tim Harrington also made guest appearances.

For those who missed it, NPR is streaming a recording of the entire performance. Below, you can also find fan-shot videos from the concert, including Titus Andronicus and Finn’s cover of The Replacements’ “Kids Don’t Follow”, Ted Leo take on Minor Threat’s “Filler”, and St. Vincent rendition of Big Black’s “Kerosene”, plus tUnE-YaRdS and Dan Deacon’s Nirvana covers.

Titus Andronicus & Craig Finn – “Kids Don’t Follow” (The Replacements)

Ted Leo – “Filler” (Minor Threat)

St. Vincent – “Kerosene” (Big Black)

tUnE-YaRdS – “Lithium” (Nirvana)

Dan Deacon – “Negative Creep” (Nirvana)

At the moment, the EP is available online only but other formats are not out of the question according to founding member Ted Leo (yep, that Ted Leo). “Vinyl would be great, and I’m sure there’ll be something in the near future. . .” Head on over to the Coextinction Recordings website to hear samples of each track and also get your hands on a download of the new EP (a steal at $2.99). Peep the tracklist below.

In addition to the release of the new EP, Citizens Arrest will continue to peform to rabid fans when they can. The band is confirmed to make appearances at Maryland Death Fest and Chaos in Tejas on May 29th and June 3rd, respectively, and will also relive their days as a NYHC band with a set in Brooklyn on May 31st.

Soaked In Others Blood Tracklist:
01. Obmutescent Harmony
02. Soaked In Others Blood
03. Family At Your Throat
04. Open Wound

Citizens Arrest 2011 Tour Dates:
05/29 – Baltimore, MD @ Maryland Death Fest
05/31 - Brooklyn, NY @ Club Europa
06/03 – Austin, TX @ Chaos in Tejas

We’ll list the rest out for you:

– Ted Leo will play Minor Threat

– tUnE-YaRdS (can we do something about that annoying spelling, please?) will channel Sonic Youth

– Delicate Steve will take on the Minutemen

– Dan Deacon will champion the Butthole Surfers, which will likely be the highlight of the night.

– Buke & Gass will slip into some Fugazi

– Nat Baldwin, David Longstreth and Brian McOmber will spit out Black Flag

– St. Vincent will, unbelievably, pay homage to Big Black

– Wye Oak will kill their amps attempting to replicate Dinosaur Jr.

Sound wi-wi-wi-wild ‘n’ crazy enough for you? That’s only part of the lineup! More will be announced soon, including guest hosts. In the meantime, bookmark this page, where $25 tickets will go on-sale this Friday. Also, if you’re heading to Austin, TX next week for SXSW, be sure to check out the panel Merrill Garbus, of the tUnE-yArDs, is hosting surrounding the book, which you can find more information about here.

Now, let’s just hope the airfare to NYC is cheap around May. Hoo-hah!

Now The1stFive is reporting that Fucked Up recently tapped Ben Gibbard, Ted Leo, and Mountain Goats to help them lay down tracks for a “7-inch comprised entirely of ‘cleaned up’ GG Allin covers.” The compilation was curated by New Jersey-based non-commercial radio station, WFMU, and is available by making a pledge during the 52-year-old station’s upcoming fundraising drive, which runs from February 28-March 13.

If you’re not the type that supports local, community-based radio, then you can still get pumped up for the release of Fucked Up’s forthcoming studio album – David Comes To Life – by copping a 12-inch live release titled Coke Sucks. The title refers to frontman Damian Abraham’s disdain for Coca-Cola (apparently he’s a Pepsi fan), and the record is being released in a rainbow of colors: Red, black-and-white, salmon, gold, clear, to name a few.

Orders ship on March 10th and are available via Chunklet. David Comes To Life still doesn’t have a release date, but you can try for a copy of the GG Allin covers 7-inch by checking out the full details and making a pledge to WFMU here.

Proving that becoming one of Canada’s best exports isn’t easy, The New Pornographers’ video for “Moves” sheds new light on things that we never knew about the band. Directed by Tom Scharpling, the four-minute clip opens with a preview for a fictitious movie called Expectant Dads, then teases the “Story of the rise and rise of the New Pornographers” by suggesting that A.C. Newman embarked on his musical journey in a park where his first guitar was smashed to pieces by hockey stick-wielding bullies before overcoming the odds to become the leader of a band that “shook the world” then self-imploded.

It’s hilarious to watch the actors cast to play band members (Daily Show correspondent Wyatt Cenac plays keyboardist Blaine Thurier) do things like cut lines of cocaine before sprinkling said cocaine on their pizza, but what’s even more funny is seeing Ted Leo in drag  Leo – who recently opened for the band in New York City – plays singer/multi-instrumentalist Kathryn Calder and can be seen wearing skimpy clothes while playing the accordion and drinking champagne.

The whole thing is streaming above, and while you probably won’t see any of that on The New Pornographers’ upcoming tour with The Walkmen, those dates are still listed below

The New Pornographers 2011 Tour Dates:
04/13 – Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre #
04/14 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater #
04/15 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre #
04/16 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Music Festival
04/17 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Rio Theatre #
04/18 – San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom #
04/22 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue *
04/23 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues *
04/25 – Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom *
04/26 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts *
04/27 – Iowa City, IA @ University of Iowa *
04/28 – Champagne, IL @ Canopy Club *
04/29 – Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note *

# = w/ Menomena
* = w/ The Walkmen

The last few months have been fretful for Ted Leo lovers due to sordid tales of potential retirement and postponed solo tour dates echoing throughout the interwebs. Thankfully, relief came when the retirement stuff turned out to stem from a silly misquote, and that postponed tour now has been officially unpostponed as word comes from Matablog (via Pitchfork) that his shelved January/February tour has been rescheduled for April/May.

Boston, Hamden, Scraton, and Philly had already gotten their dates, but now Iowa City, Chicago, St. Louis, Atlanta, and the rest of the awaiting cities have theirs. There is one noticeable omission from the new slate: Nashville, TN. A February 3rd show was originally planned for Music City, but no new date appears on either Ted Leo’s or the venue’s websites (the venue still has the canceled show listed). Go ahead and begin your sophistic Bonnaroo rumors now, but we’ll let you know if anything official comes out. See Leo’s complete tour schedule below.

Ted Leo 2011 Tour Dates:
02/19 – Los Angeles, CA@ Skybar at the Mondrian Hotel
02/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Center for the Arts Eagle Rock
02/23 – Riverside, CA @ UC Riverside
02/24 – San Francisco, CA @ Noise Pop Festival
02/25 – Seattle, WA@ University of Washington
02/26 – Portland, OR @ Backspace Cafe
04/27 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
04/28 – Dover, NH @ Dover Brickhouse
04/29 – Hamden, CT @ The Space
04/30 – Scranton, PA @ The Vintage Theater
05/01 – Philadelphia, PA@ Kung Fu Necktie
05/03 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Andy Warhol Museum
05/04 – Cleveland, OH @ B-side Liquor Lounge
05/05 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
05/06 – Madison, WI @ The Terrace
05/07 – Iowa City, IA @ Gabe’s
05/08 – St Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
05/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn
05/12 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506

In the midst of a very bad time, folks. I’m unable to perform the late Jan./early Feb. shows right now, so they’re being postponed… I apologize and hope to see you soon. Updates will be here, on twitter, and tedleo.com ASAP. Thank you for understanding. xo” (via @ tedleo)

While no concrete details are available about the “bad times”, Leo has postponed all solo dates up until February 19th in Los Angeles, CA.

With late-February’s dates unaffected, the newly edited tour makes it way up the West Coast between February 19th and 26th, with all of March and most of April available for rescheduling. Currently only four (Boston, Hamden, Scranton, Philadelphia) of the 12 postponed dates have officially been rescheduled, all falling after April 27th. Plus, Leo has added an April 28th stop in Dover to the itinerary. The  updated schedule can be found below, with more dates expected in the near future.

Ted Leo rescheduled 2011 Tour Dates:
01/21 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
01/22 – Hamden, CT @ The Space
01/23 – Philadelphia, PA@ Kung Fu Necktie
01/25 – Scranton, PA @ The Vintage Theater
01/26 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Andy Warhol Museum
02/27 – Cleveland, OH @ B-side Liquor Lounge
01/29 – Madison, WI @ Der Rathskeller at University of Wisconsin
01/30 – Iowa City, IA @ Gabe’s
02/01 – Chicago, IL – Schubas
02/02 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
02/03 – Nashville, TN @ The End
02/04 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn
02/19 – Los Angeles, CA@ Skybar at the Mondrian
02/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Center for the Arts – Eagle Rock
02/23 – Riverside, CA @ UC Riverside
02/24 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
02/25 – Seattle, WA@ University of Washington
02/26 – Portland, OR @ Backspace Cafe
04/27 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
04/28 – Dover, NH @ Dover Brickhouse
04/29 – Hamden, CT @ The Space
04/30 – Scranton, PA @ The Vintage Theater
05/01 – Philadelphia, PA@ Kung Fu Necktie

You can find the first part by clicking here. Keep an eye out for additional posts next week as well.

And be sure to keep checking out our site. As you can clearly see, December has gotten off to a great start. We intend to end it, and the year in general, on a high note.

– Consequence of Gorillaz, anyone? Damon Albarn and co. pretty much dominated our headlines this week, with everything from retirement rumors to new album details to, um, Olympic-related updates surfacing within a few days of each other. And I almost forgot to mention the new video with Snoop Dogg. And the scavenger hunt.

– Coachella doesn’t arrive until next spring, but we’ve already started our lineup predictions.

– Sir Paul McCartney made Saturday Night Live watchable.

– Robert Plant told us not to get our hopes up for a Led Zeppelin reunion anytime soon.

– Big comebacks: Jeff Mangum appeared in public, Godspeed You! Black Emperor performed for the first time in six years, and Rammstein delivered their first U.S. performance in a decade.

– Michael Jackson‘s new single, “the 2010 version of ‘Thriller’,” dropped.

– Peter Bjorn and John‘s forthcoming LP now has a release date.

– While we’re on the subject of Swedish indie stars, Jens Lekman wrote a song about stalking Kirsten Dunst.

– Heather Mills took credit for putting The Beatles‘ catalog on iTunes.

– Q-Tip clarified a few things about the upcoming A Tribe Called Quest documentary.

– On a sad note, Aretha Franklin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

– Judas Priest announced their final world tour. Ever.

– Pete Doherty is set to make his acting debut soon.

– Need tips for Bonnaroo? Well, you’re in luck.

– Raekwon‘s s new LP is allegedly due out next year.

– The Cars put out even more new material. These guys haven’t been this productive in a long time. Twenty-three years to be exact.

– Pearl Jam announced plans to host their own music festival.

– Want special-edition Daft Punk headphones? Okay, but it’ll cost you.

– The new Death Cab for Cutie album now has a title.

– R.E.M. jumped on the holiday single bandwagon.

– Watch this clip of Feist and Broken Social Scene performing “I Feel It All” together.

– Don’t watch this Kings of Leon video.

– Chris Coplan reviewed Ryan Adams‘ latest effort. Coplan also took on lists in the latest edition of Nod Your Head.

– Ted Maider shared his thoughts on deadmau5′s 4 x 4 = 12.

– Jónsi has finally made his solo debut. Find out what David Buchanan had to say about it here.

– Ted Leo and The New Pornographers played NYC’s Terminal 5. Alex Young and Kelly Staskel were there.

– We debuted our podcast this week, something we like to call Audiography.

– Derek Staples interviewed Gang Starr‘s DJ Premier.

– Harry Painter sat down with Thomas Ross Turner of Ghostland Observatory to discuss, well, lots of different things.

San Francisco’s South by Southwest equivalent, Noise Pop, returns February 22-27 with a lineup featuring the likes of Yo La Tengo, Dan Deacon Ensemble, Telekinesis, a solo Ted Leo, boyfriend-girlfriend Wavves and Best Coast, and The Concretes, among others. Additional acts will be announced in the weeks ahead and early bird badges are now onsale for $125 here.

Well, a big change actually could increase his punk cred, as Ted Leo has reunited with his hardcore band Citizens Arrest, who disbanded in 1991. The reunited group will feature Leo on guitar, though it appears that he will turn over lead vocalist duty to Daryl Kahan, who previously shared the job with Leo. Only dates for New York and Philadelphia has been announced so far, but they are recording new material for a future release and have a limited edition seven-inch for ”The Manifestation” coming soon (via BrooklynVegan).

And if the punks still don’t embrace Leo, someone needs to show them his Danzig impersonation, which is spot-on.

Tickets for the band’s New York performance on December 17th are available here. Tickets for the early Philadelphia show on December 18th can be had here, while the late show tickets are here.

Citizens Arrest 2010 Tour Dates:
12/17 – New York, NY @ Knitting Factory *
12/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kungfu Necktie (early)
12/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kungfu Necktie (late)

* = w/ Hour of 13

–Weezer caused some controversy after suggesting they may have been bought off for their new album.

– A week after surprising us with a new EP, Sufjan Stevens detailed his forthcoming full-length, his first since 2005′s Illinoise. He dropped an early taste of the album in the form of “I Walked”.

– Kanye West introduced G.O.O.D. Fridays.

– Bruce Springsteen pulled, well, a Bruce Springsteen and dropped plans for yet another mind-numbing box set.

– The equally legendary Bob Dylan also announced plans for a massive box set release. Get ready for some more bootlegs!

– Ted Leo took on Broadway.

– The Swell Season announced a hiatus. Not retirement. Get it right.

– U2 and Jay-Z will tour together down under.

– First there was Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg. Now Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen are teaming up! Look for their collaboration soon.

–Bjork premiered a new, kids-friendly song/ music video.

– Two tracks from Elton John and Leon Russell‘s forthcoming joint effort surfaced.

– Ronnie Wood teamed up with Eddie Vedder, Flea, and Slash for his new solo album.

– Ray Davies has tapped an eclectic group of collaborators for his new duet album.

– The Cure revealed that they’ve got lots in store for 2011.

– Badly Drawn Boy announced a new studio LP, his first in four years.

– Matt & Kim detailed their new record.

– Dhani Harrison, Joseph Arthur, and Ben Harper teamed up to form Fistful Of Mercy.

– Austin City Limits unveiled a slew of after shows.

–Think you know who will headline Coachella next year. Click here and let the debates begin.

– We premiered a brand new video from Montreal “sloppy pop” band Parlovr.

– Matt Melis reviewed Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell‘s new album.

– Chris Coplan offered his thoughts on of the biggest releases of the year: Interpol‘s fourth LP.

– Winston Robbins and Philip Cosores covered Rock The Bells.

– Karina Hall sat down with Chromeo.

– Ryan Burlson interviewed Evan Abeele of Memoryhouse.

– In the latest edition of our Cinema Sounds series, Ted Maider explores the Mallrats sountrack.

– Please follow/friend/tweet/etc.

Ted Leo’s superb sense of humor isn’t the surprising thing here. After all, anyone who has seen the band in concert can attest to the hilarity of the frontman’s between song banter. What is surprising, however, is that Leo managed to both sum up his dissatisfaction with the music industry and poke fun at those retirement rumors by unleashing a music video that anything but a music video.

You see, on Friday, Leo announced plans for a brand new “musical theater project,” which was said to be inspired by Julie Taymor’s Beatles musical Across the Universe and Green Day’s American Idiot musical. At time, most bloggers took his announcement literally, but as it turns out, Leo was actually referencing a brand new video for his The Brutalist Bricks‘s song “Bottled in Cork”. Only to call it a video would be to downplay the end result.

Revealed today on FunnyorDie.com, “Bottled in Cork” sees Leo taking his talents to Broadway after he is convinced by “Reginald VanVoorst” (Paul F. Tompkins) that it is the only platform capable of making his music immortal. With the help of Julie Klausner, Leo and his bandmates enter an intense training sessions before making their on-stage debut. As for the actual production? No need to ruin all of it, but it tells the story of what happens when one signs with a record label. And yes, it’s better than you can imagine. And yes, we’d be remiss not to also note the appearances by John Hodgman and Titus Andronicus’ Patrick Stickles.

Just watch now:

Retirement or not, Leo is cryptically noting that a lot will change come 2011, so you won’t want to miss these shows. Ticket information can be found on his website.

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists 2010 Tour Dates:
07/17 – Brooklyn, NY @ Siren Music Festival
09/02 – La Jolla, CA @ UC San Diego
09/03 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
09/04 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fuck Yeah Fest
09/06 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre
09/07 – Victoria, BC @ Legends Nightclub
09/08 – Seattle, WA @ Vera Project
09/09 – Portland, OR @ Lolas Room
09/23 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Diesel Club
09/24 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House
09/25 – Urbana, IL @ Pygmalion Festival
09/26 – Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
09/28 – Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Saloon
09/29 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
10/01 – Las Vegas, NV @ Matador at 21
10/04 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
10/05 – Santa Fe, NM @ Corazon
10/06 – Norman, OK @ The Opolis
10/07 – Little Rock, AT @ Vinos
10/10 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/12 – Gainseville, FL @ Common Grounds
10/13 – Orlando, FL @ The Social
10/14 – St. Augustine, FL @ Café Eleven
10/15 – Greenville, SC @ The Handlebar
10/16 – Charlottesville, VA @ The Southern

In music there’s always something to look forward to. Stay tuned.

– Across the pond, BBC 6 drama continued.

– The Polaris Music Prize revealed its shortlist.

– Now that he’s made his stance on immigration known, Conor Oberst and two of his more notable, newly reunited projects — Bright Eyes and Desaparecidos — will play the Concert For Equality in Omaha, NE later this month.

– Wilco left Nonesuch Records.

– Curious to know how the Rage Against the Machine-esque campaign known as Storm the Charts went over? Find out here.

– No, Ted Leo‘s not retiring.

– Don’t hold your breath for a new Van Halen album, but there are plenty of other new titles to look forward to. Keep reading and you’ll see what I mean.

– Swedish neo-psychedelica aficionados rejoice: Dungen‘s latest LP is slated for a mid-September release.

– Nerds have a reason to rejoice, too: Daft Punk‘s score for the Tron remake should be available just in time for the holidays. November 23rd may or may not be the day.

– Many other groups detailed their forthcoming albums, including Swans and Grinderman.

– And while we’re on the subject of new material, check out the DJ Shadow, Smashing Pumpkins , The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, and Of Montreal singles that dropped this week. There’s also an intriguing new Converse promo single to hear.

– M.I.A.‘s new album is streaming on her MySpace page. Stop reading this recap right now and listen. Or you could open up another browser. Your call.

– Three words: Lil’ Wayne video. Need I say more?

– David Byrne, Alex Turner, and Pet Shop Boys will provide scores for some pretty outrageous projects.

– Big Boi stepped out on his own. Chris Coplan reviewed the beatmaker’s long-awaited solo effort.

– Karina Halle checked out a Melvins gig. This is what she had to say.

– Ray Padgett reported on the Nateva Music and Camping Festival.

– Want a couple of three-day passes to Lollapalooza? How about a Radiohead prize pack? Enter our Ultimate Giveaway. Click here to find out more.

Earlier this morning, the website Buzzgrinder.com picked up his comments and, well, before you could say Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Leo’s impending retirement was the topic of the day on every indie blog’s Twitter.

Of course, as most things on the Internet tend to be, the story was blown a bit out of proportion. Leo has since set the record straight by posting an extensive open letter on Tedleo.com. I’d cut it down, but Leo was especially annoyed that his quote was taken out of context, so (after removing an intro paragraph about how they were losing money) here’s the post, in its entirety:

There’s no money in it for us anymore, and to maintain even a semblance of solvency, we have to keep up the same touring schedule that we and I have been keeping up for the last nearly twenty years – a touring schedule that even the most hardened in our community will tell you is exceptional.

The energy we have inside us is not as boundless as it once seemed, and the amount we have to expend each year becomes more and more of a drain for less and less pay off. These are simple facts – it’s not at all a “woe is me” type of complaint – in fact, it’s not even a complaint at all – anyone who’s seen us play in the last few months knows that we’re having as good a time doing it as we ever have, and from my side of things, I can tell you that we’re actually having MORE fun most of the time – but I’ve decided to be honest with interviewers who ask me about “the state of things,” because what’s the point in sugar coating the realities? As we all push toward forty, exactly how to go forward wisely, in a way that allows each of us to live a full life (and not die between rest stops on I-80), is something I need to think about, and I am thinking about it.

It’s true – there’s no way we can continue forever as we have – but that doesn’t mean we won’t continue in some other way. The important part of what I said in the particular interview that was re-quoted without full context by Buzzgrinder, is that we’re completely booked through the end of 2010, but that yes – by next year, you will see some changes – it simply can’t go on like this forever; followed by “I’M SURE I’LL NEVER STOP MAKING MUSIC,” which is a statement I stand behind, but as I said in Spin a while ago (just to make sure you understand that this doesn’t come completely out of left field), pretty soon, I have to start figuring out what comes next.

One thing I don’t want to have happen, is to wake up turning 50, and have to just be starting this conversation then. I’m looking at things realistically, I’m looking ahead, I’m telling the truth about it, and I’m hoping to find the right way forward.

Oh, and I’ve got plenty of better songs to come…

Leo doesn’t sound like someone who’s leaving the music business, but rather someone who is struggling to make a buck and figuring out a business plan. The fact that he ends it with “Oh, and I’ve got plenty of better songs to come…” is especially telling. Ted Leo has tour dates booked through mid-October and though he may need to re-tool before going back on the road in 2011, I would bet against a full fledged retirement any time soon.

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists 2010 Tour Dates:
07/10 – Columbus, OH @ Skully’s
07/11 – Louisville, KY @ Belverdere
07/17 – Brooklyn, NY @ Siren Music Festival
09/03 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
09/06 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre
09/07 – Victoria, BC @ Legends Nightclub
09/08 – Seattle, WA @ Vera Project
09/09 – Portland, OR @ Lolas Room
09/23 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Diesel Club
09/24 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House
09/25 – Urbana, IL @ Pygmalion Festival
09/26 – Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
09/28 – Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Saloon
09/29 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
10/01 – Las Vegas, NV @ Matador at 21
10/04 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
10/05 – Santa Fe, NM @ Corazon
10/06 – Norman, OK @ The Opolis
10/10 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/12 – Gainseville, FL @ Common Grounds
10/13 – Orlando, FL @ The Social

Even better, tickets to Monday’s show are free of charge. “We wanted to do something really different,” said club co-founder Seth Hurwitz. “We want to be surrounded by people who have made this place special.”

The venue can only hold about 1200 of those people, and members of the club’s online community have the first crack at tickets through a lottery system. Everyone else will have to explore other avenues or show up before doors open at 5 p.m. to fight for the limited number of tickets that are available on a first come, first served basis. From the looks of the lineup, Monday night will surely be an enjoyable trip down memory lane.

D.C. native Henry Rollins will emcee the free show, which features Bob Mould and Ted Leo headlining a 13-act bill that also includes Clutch, The Psychedelic Furs, and The Evens (who are fronted by Fugazi’s Ian MacKaye).

A press release says more artists with roots in the nation’s capital are scheduled to make surprise appearances. While the club’s PR won’t give any more hints, Dave Grohl has been rumored to be one of the possible surprises. Grohl played drums in D.C. hardcore outfit Scream.  UPDATE: Grohl played an acoustic version of “Everlong” and played two Bad Brains covers alongside Scream bandmate Peter Stahl. Check out those videos here. (Thanks to Ben Hyman for the tip)

But, if you can’t wait for Monday to party for free, two Andrew Jacksons will get you into the club for the first night of the celebration. On Sunday, May 30th, Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine will take the stage and play lounge versions of songs from artists that have graced the 9:30 Club’s stage.

The list of songs could go on and on, but hearing a Bublé-esque version of Fugazi’s “Promises” or The Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere” just might be worth the 40 dollar ticket price. Here’s a lineup for this weekend’s shows:

05/30 @ 6:30 p.m.
Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine

05/31 @ 5 p.m.
Henry Rollins (Emcee)
BT (DJ)
Tiny Desk Unit
The Fleshtones
Tommy Keene
The Slickee Boys
The Psychedelic Furs
Marti Jones & Don Dixon
Clutch
Trouble Funk
The Evens
Justin Jones
The Pietasters
Ted Leo
Bob Mould

Both these qualities were on display last night, when the band took to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to perform Brutalist‘s “The Mighty Sparrow”. Albeit a bit toned down in nature (no floor spinning), the performance proved both intense (Leo broke a sweat in like 30 seconds) and brilliant (Rockefeller Center has a good track record of late). See for yourself below, via The Audio Perv. Pick up the album beginning today on Matador Records.

And though you’ve probably heard it a million times by now, if you are interested in donating to the Haiti relief efforts, please click on the appropriate links below.

Also, if you know of event not listed, please let us (and everyone else) know in the comment section!

Haiti Benefit Concert:

What: All donations will go to Partners in Health.

Who: Amy Millan, Plants & Animals, Jeremy Gara and Tim Kingsbury (of the Arcade Fire), Martin Cesar (of Think About Life), Shapes & Sizes, Jahnice, Tony Ezzy, Doody Le Tigre, & Vox Sambou

When: Sunday, January 17th at 8:00pm

Where: Club Lambi in Montreal, QC

How: $10 – $20 via ticketfly.com

Houston For Haiti:

What: All proceeds will go directly to the Haiti relief fund through CARE.

Who: Bun B, Slim Thug, Trae The Truth, ESG, Lil O, Candi Redd, Just Brittany, Corey Mo, & The Party Boyz

When: Monday, January 18th at 4:00pm

Where: Warehouse Live in Houston, TX

How: $20 via warehouselive.com

DMV Helps Haiti Benefit Concert:

What: All ticket sales will be donated to  Wyclef Jean’s YELE and Partners in Health Organization.

Who: Wale, D.C. Don Juan, Tabi Bonney, Phil Ade, XO, Kingpen Slim, K-Beta, & Que (formerly of Day26)

When: Monday, January 18th at 6:00pm

Where: 9:30 Club in Washington, DC

How: $20 – $100 via ticketfly.com

Benefit for Haiti:

What: 100% of door fees, and 10 % of alcohol sales will go to Doctors Without Borders.

Who: Surfer Blood, John Ralston, Sweet Bronco, & Kill Now?!

When: Monday, January 18th at 8:00pm

Where: Propaganda in Lake Worth, FL

How: $10

Hope for for Haiti:

What: Proceeds from the concert will go to Real Help for Haiti.

Who: Aaron Ivey, Matt McCloskey, Miranda Dodson, Kevin McKinney, & Courrier

When: Monday, January 18th at 7:00pm

Where: The Parish in Austin, TX

How: $10

Emergency Benefit Concert for Haiti:

What: 100% of donations will be distributed to Partners in Health, Doctors Without Borders, and Wyclef Jean’s YELE.

Who: Patti Smith, Yo La Tengo, The Swell Season, John Wesley Harding, Lewis Black, Willie Nile, Vernon Reid & Corey Glover (of Living Colour), Rosanne Cash, & more TBA

When: Four nights (January 20, 21, 24, & 25)

Where: City Winery in New York, NY

How: Prices varies depending on day. Find more info via warehouselive.com.

Hope for Haiti:

What: Two-hour television fundraiser; proceeds will be split evenly among five relief organizations currently operating in Haiti: Oxfam America, Partners in Health, Red Cross, UNICEF, and Wyclef Jean’s YELE.

Who: Anderson Cooper, Wyclef Jean, George Clooney, and more TBA

When: Friday, January 22nd at 8:00pm

Where: ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, BET, The CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT

How: Watch and donate

A Benefit for the Vicitms of the Earthquake in Haiti:

What: 100% of the proceeds will be split between Save The Children and Partners In Health.

Who: Jimmy Fallon, Cold War Kids, Ted Leo, The Wrens, Sondre Lerche, Eugene Mirman, AC Newman (of the New Pornographers), Rhett Miller (of the Old 97s), Nicole Atkins, Here We Go Magic, and more TBA

When: Wednesday, January 27th at 6:00pm

Where: The Bell House in Brooklyn, NY

How: $50 via ticketweb.com

Leo and Co. also have a few upcoming tour dates in support of the forthcoming release. Find those below as well.

Check Out:
“Even Horses Have to Die”

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists 2009/2010 Tour Dates:
12/02 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
12/03 – Washington, DC @ The Black Cat
12/05 – Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
12/06 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
12/10 – Madrid, ES @ Primavera Club
12/11 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Club
12/12 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Club
12/14 – Brighton, UK @ Engine Room *
12/15 – Canterbury, UK @ Bramleys *
12/16 – London, UK @ Brixton Windmill *
12/17 – Kingston, UK @ New Slang *
12/18 – London, UK @ Grosvenor *

* = Ted Leo solo

Ted Leo recently performed at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon (this thing). Such actions tend to be used to hype up something new.

Needless to say, Ted Leo’s appearance at the MSNBC’s Digital Café last weekend marked a perfect storm of sorts — a CMJ performance ahead of the release of a new studio album. So, obviously a new song was expected, and Leo delivered.

The track is called “One Polaroid A Day” and offers a stripped down, twangy sort of style. Obviously, once the Pharmacists join in, the selection should prove to be a bit more ruckus. But regardless of electricity or lack there of, we can certainly conclude that Mr. Leo still has a knack for writing, especially when it comes to the hook.

No word on a release date for Leo’s yet-to-be-titled sixth album. However, expect this and more whenever it does surface.

This year’s scheduled highlights include indie heroes Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, rapper Busta Rhymes, TV on the Radio’s Kyp Malone and his Rain Machine solo project, The Lemonhead’s Evan Dando, comedian Margret Chao, reggae musician Julian Marley, DJ A-Trak, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s Alec Ounsworth, LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy, next-big-thingers The xx, and electronic act YACHT. Find a list of of our perceived act of notes via the Outlook. Hit CMJ.com for everyone and anyone else.

Registration for this year’s Marathon is still ongoing at CMJ.com, but will end on October 18th. As of now, five-day passes are priced at $495 ($295 for students).

According to Fox News, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, and Bruce Springsteen are among the musicians who have been invited to perform on inauguration day, while The Dead, the Jonas Brothers, and Miley Cyrus are head the acts rumored to be playing at any one of the official balls and events leading up to it.

If Springsteen does make an inauguration day appearance, it could be just one of many shows he will perform in Washington over the course of the week. In fact, according to The Washington Post, the Boss is already confirmed to perform a free show on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on January 18th.

Of course, like any good music extravaganza, one doesn’t have to be part of the official festivities to get in on the fun. For one, Elvis Costello and Sting are already confirmed to be playing the “unofficial” Creative Coalition inauguration ball, while Ted Leo and Andrew Bird lead the indie charged bill holding down the The Big Shoulders Ball at the Black Cat on January 19th.

Still not enough for you? Have we mentioned Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, George Clinton, The Temptations, Sam Moore, and Dionne Warwick are just some of the others expected to make an appearance at some point during the week? And even then, we’re still probably only scratching the surface…

If anything, Barack Obama’s inaguration will be bringing the music to the nation’s capital for at least one week. So if you weren’t lucky enough to score a ticket to the actual ceremony, sip the bubbly and take in one of these shows!