Catch Up: Not Just for Burgers

I've seen so many interesting items pop up on my Google Reader over the last couple of weeks, I can't even describe the agony it's been to not write them up. Fortunately, I am back in town and steeling a few minutes to pass some opinion on the highlights.

+ Avett Brothers to release new album - My favorite North Carolinian band of brothers is back in the studio working on a follow up to their stellar 2009 album, I and Love and You. Scott Avett told Paste that they'd already finished one session of recording. Money line: "Avett did not offer a specific timeline for the release, but did say that the band hopes to have “something done” by mid-2011." Sweet.

+ White Stripes call it quits - After two years of releasing no new music, the Detroit duo announced they'd broken up. Nashville native Erin Carson yawned. But really, what will Meg White do without the hype machine that is Jack White? TMI has no idea, but wishes her the best of luck. I did get to thinking though, so many fans had panic attacks when the news came out, what would have happened if they never announced anything but just never released anything else?

+ Death Cab for Cutie set release date for new album - Codes and Keys just might be the most perfectly Death Cab-tastic name for an album. Key points: 1. Less strumming, more synth and reverb 2. It's out May 31st 3. Guitarist Chris Walla said the first single will probably be "You are a Tourist." 4. There is a punctuation mistake on their website.

+ The Travelling Band are giving away free tracks - If you don't know who these guys are, then familiarize yourself. To start, check out my review of their debut album Under the Pavement from way back when in 2009. They're a terrific band from Manchester and for the price of an email address, you can download four new tracks. The new stuff has a feel that's little less sentimental and dreamy (except the live version of "Only Waiting" off the Under the Pavement), but it's still solid. Also, I am happy to know these guys are still in business.

+ Radiohead is sneaky - Last week we found out that the much anticipated follow up to 2007's In Rainbows was all of three days away. Yes. No more dodgy projections for release, just a ambush version of a release. Then, it apparently came out a day early. It's titled The King of Limbs and they're calling it a "newspaper album." I'm going to be really honest. I do not know what that means. So long as that doesn't mean it will turn my hand gross and inky, I will be purchasing it when the physical copy comes out March 29.