Preorders will begin September 8 at mergerecords.com for SCORE! Merge Records: The First 20 Years, a deluxe subscription-only box set with special artwork and packaging. Quantities will be limited to the number of subscribers who enroll between the September 8 start date and the January 2009 delivery of the first two volumes.

The first two volumes will kick off a series of 14 custom-curated compilations spanning the Merge Records catalogue, each featuring the curators’ handpicked Merge selections as well as exclusively commissioned original artwork. These compilations and additional exclusive content will be delivered only to SCORE! subscribers throughout Merge’s 20th anniversary year of 2009.

The curators of the first volumes will be Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Phil Morrison, director of Junebug, The Upright Citizens Brigade and numerous music videos. Curators for future volumes will include Amy Poehler, David Byrne, author Jonathan Lethem, artist Marcel Dzama, Momofuku chef David Chang and many more to be announced.

Additionally, the entire SCORE! Merge Records: The First 20 Years project will benefit specific charitable causes handpicked by the curators.
Watch for future announcements regarding SCORE!-related projects and special events commemorating the first two decades of the label that has brought us the likes of Arcade Fire, Spoon, M. Ward, Conor Oberst, She & Him, Lambchop, Superchunk and so many more.

For further information, please contact Steve Martin or Amy Grote, email amy@nastylittleman.com, tel 212 343 0740

The 2008 Lights In The Sky World Tour has been extended with new North American dates. Returning member Robin Finck and new addition Justin Meldal-Johnsen will join Trent Reznor, Alessandro Cortini and Josh Freese once again for the upcoming fall tour.

Finck has served in numerous touring configurations of NIN, from tours supporting The Downward Spiral (1994-1997) to The Fragile (2000-2001). More recently, he played for Guns N Roses. Meldal-Johnsen previously performed with Beck for more than a decade and was a founding member of Ima Robot.

The upcoming tour will feature the live debut of material from the recently released albums Ghosts I-IV and The Slip alongside songs spanning the entire NIN catalog.

Confirmed dates thus far for NIN’s 2008 Fall tour are listed below. Additional dates and on-sales will be announced shortly. Go to nin.com for more information.

10/23/08 San Antonio TX [AT&T Center]

10/25/08 New Orleans, LA [City Park – Voodoo Festival]

10/28/08 Orlando, FL [UCF Arena]

10/29/08 Jacksonville, FL [Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena]

11/1/08 Greenville, SC [Bi-Lo Center]

11/3/08 Greensboro, NC [Greensboro Coliseum Complex]

11/5/08 Charlottesville, VA [John Paul Jones Arena]

11/8/08 Manchester, NH [Verizon Wireless Arena]

11/9/08 Worcester, MA [DCU Center]

11/11/08 Ottawa, QUE [Scotiabank Place]

11/12/08 Montreal, QUE [Bell Centre]

11/14/08 Hamilton, ONT [Copps Coliseum]

11/15/08 Grand Rapids, MI [Van Andel Arena]

11/17/08 Columbus, OH [Schottenstein Center]

11/18/08 Fort Wayne, IN [Memorial Coliseum]

11/20/08 Cedar Rapids, IA [US Cellular Center]

11/21/08 Columbia, MO [Mizzou Arena]

11/22/08 Tulsa, OK [BOK Center]

11/25/08 Minneapolis, MN [Target Center]

11/26/08 Council Bluffs, IA [Mid-America Center]

11/28/08 Rapid City, SD [Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Arena]

11/29/08 Billings, MT [MetraPark Arena]

12/1/08 Saskatoon, SASK [Credit Union Centre]

12/4/08 Kelowna, BC [Prospera Place]

12/5/08 Victoria, BC [Save On Foods Memorial Centre]

12/7/08 Portland, OR [Rose Garden Arena]

12/8/08 Nampa, ID [Idaho Center – Arena]

12/9/08 Missoula, MT [Adams Center]

12/12/08 Sacramento, CA [Arco Arena]

12/13/08 Las Vegas, NV [Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino – Theater for the Performing Arts]

CARDINALS featuring Ryan Adams, Neal Casal, Chris Feinstein, Jon Graboff and Brad Pemberton ADD YET MORE FALL DATES

In anticipation of the tentative fall release of their ever closer to finished new album, Cardinals have announced yet another run of headline dates extending their current tour through to October 17th. As always, on-sale information will be posted on www.ryan-adams.com as it becomes available.

The current Cardinals itinerary commences August 23rd at the Fillmore in San Francisco and includes a series of Canadian shows supporting Oasis.

Cardinals are Ryan Adams (vocals, guitar, keys), Neal Casal (guitar, vocals), Chris Feinstein (bass), Jon Graboff (pedal steel) and Brad Pemberton (drums).

See below for a complete listing of all confirmed shows. For further information, contact Steve Martin or Amy Grote at nasty little man t 212 343 0740 e amy@nastylittleman.com

CARDINALS U.S. 2008 (NEW DATES IN BOLD)

August 23rd – San Francisco, CA – Fillmore

August 26th – Seattle, WA – WaMu Theater *

August 27th – Vancouver, BC – General Motors Place *

August 29th – Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place *

August 30th – Calgary, AB – Pengrowth Saddledome *

September 1st – Winnipeg, MB – MTS Center *

September 4th – Ottawa, ON – Scotiabank Palace *

September 5th – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre *

September 7th – Boston, MA – Bank of America Pavilion

September 9th – London, ONT – John LaBatt Center *

September 25th – Schenectady, NY – Proctor’s Theater

September 26th – Syracuse, NY – Landmark Theater

September 27th – Rochester, NY – Auditorium Theater

September 29th – Columbus, OH – Palace Theater

September 30th – Cleveland, OH – Palace Theater

October 2nd – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre

October 3rd – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theater

October 4th – St. Louis, MO – Fox Theater

October 5th – Madison, WI – Overture Hall

October 7th – Ames, IA – Stephens Auditorium

October 9th – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater

October 10th – Tulsa, OK – Brady Theater

October 11th – Grand Prairie, TX – Nokia Theater

October 13th – Austin, TX – Paramount

October 14th – Houston, TX – Verizon

October 16th – Tuscaloosa, AL – Bama Theater

October 17th – Atlanta, GA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

* supporting Oasis

LIVE AT VIRGIN MEGASTORE UNION SQUARE 7 p.m. TONIGHT
LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O’BRIEN SEPTEMBER 2nd
“Ghost Under Rocks” Video To Debut on MTV’s Subterranean August 23rd
Second NYC Area Show Added October 16 at Bowery Ballroom

“(4 STARS) A blissful chamber-pop breakthrough”–ROLLING STONE

“recalls Unforgettable Fire-era U2″–ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

“a succession of catchy choruses”–THE NEW YORK TIMES

The pride of Syracuse NY, RA RA RIOT celebrate the release of their debut album The Rhumb Line (Barsuk) with a 7 p.m. in store performance tonight at the Virgin Megastore in New York’s Union Square. The Rhumb Line’s release will be accompanied at participating indie retailers by a limited edition blue vinyl 7-inch featuring the non-LP B-Side “Can You Tell (Epochs Remix).” The same track will be available as a bonus track on the iTunes version of the album. The album will also be available in a limited edition orange vinyl with an exclusive fold out poster beginning September 2nd.

The Rhumb Line has already proven one of the most critically well-received indie debuts of recent years, with ROLLING STONE awarding the record 4 stars and raving “what makes The Rhumb Line so engaging is that it’s ultimately life-affirming,” while ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY awarded an A- to “the quintet’s assured performances,” and TIME OUT NEW YORK lauded the album as “classically pretty, but without getting all fussy about it.”

Following a whirlwind week of dates abroad, RA RA RIOT will make their network television debut September 2nd on LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O’BRIEN before embarking on a North American headline tour that kicks off the following day in Montreal. Those who miss the band’s CONAN appearance can always catch the “Ghost Under Rocks” clip on MTV’s Subterranean beginning August 23rd or check out “Dying Is Fine” (Live in Syracuse NY) on PITCHFORK, the first in a series of live renditions of tracks from The Rhumb Line recorded live in an attic in the band’s hometown. “Ghost Under Rocks” was directed by Brian Savelson (Band of Horses’ “Is There A Ghost” and “The Funeral”), while “Dying Is Fine” was captured 100% live by directors Taryn Gould and Emily Kowalcyzk.

See below for a full North American itinerary. For further information, contact Steve Martin or Laura Eldeiry at nasty little man 212 343 0740 or laura@nastylittleman.com

Ra Ra Riot Fall 2008 Tour Dates

09/03/08 – Montreal, QC – Lambi
09/04/08 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern
09/05/08 – Jamestown, NY – Mojo’s
09/06/08 – Rochester, NY – Bug Jar
09/07/08 – Syracuse, NY – Syracuse University
09/08/08 – Columbus, OH – The Basement
09/10/08 – Cleveland, OH – Case Western
09/11/08 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean
09/12/08 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
09/14/08 – Lawrence, KS – Jackpot Saloon
09/16/08 – Denver, CO – Hi Dive
09/17/08 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
09/18/08 – Boise, ID – Neurolux
09/20/08 – Seattle, WA – King Cobra
09/21/08 – Vancouver, BC – Media Club
09/22/08 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
09/24/08 – San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop
09/25/08 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo
09/28/08 – San Diego, CA – The Casbah
09/29/08 – Phoenix, AZ – Modified
09/30/08 – Tucson, AZ – Plush
10/02/08 – Dallas, TX – The Loft
10/03/08 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s
10/04/08 – Houston, TX – Rudyards
10/07/08 – Orlando, FL – The Social
10/08/08 – Tallahassee, FL – Club Downunder
10/10/08 – Atlanta, GA – Drunken Unicorn
10/11/08 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
10/12/08 – Washington, DC – Black Cat Backstage
10/14/08 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
10/15/08 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
10/16/08 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
10/17/08 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/18/08 – Cambridge, MA – Middle East Downstairs

New Album Slated For Early 2009

Tickets for Andrew Bird’s pair of intimate underplays October 6 and 7 at New York’s Hiro Ballroom sold out completely within two hours of going on sale yesterday morning.

The October shows mark Bird’s first NYC headline engagement since his sold out November 30, 2007 Beacon Theater date and are likely to feature selections from his as yet untitled next record, due out in early 2009 on Fat Possum. His previous full length, Armchair Apocrypha, was released in March 2007 to uniformly stellar reviews, debuting at #76 on the Billboard 200 album chart and since surpassing the 100,000 sales mark.

Upon the completion of the itinerary below, Andrew Bird will head back into the studio to put finishing touches on the new record. For further information, contact Steve Martin or Laura Eldeiry at nasty little man 212 343 0740 or laura@nastylittleman.com.

08/24/08 – San Francisco, CA – Outside Lands Festival
08/31/08 – Vancouver, BC – The Stanley Park Singing Exhibition at Malkin Bowl
09/03/08 – Chicago, IL – Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park
10/02/08 – Tarrytown, NY – Tarrytown Music Hall
10/03/08 – Bethlehem, PA – Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University
10/04/08 – Ithaca, NY – State Theatre of Ithaca
10/06/08 – New York, NY – Hiro Ballroom
10/07/08 – New York, NY – Hiro Ballroom
10/08/08 – Portsmouth, NH – The Music Hall
10/09/08 – Albany, NY – Sawyer Theatre
10/10/08 – Northampton, MA – Calvin Theatre

TOKYO POLICE CLUB will add a 21-date stretch supporting WEEZER to its already extensive fall touring agenda. The dates with WEEZER begin Sept. 23 at the Tsongas Arena in Boston and conclude Oct. 25 at Atlanta’s Gwinnett Arena.

TOKYO POLICE CLUB’s relentless touring regimen in support of its critically acclaimed debut album Elephant Shell already has the band starting up in the U.S. once more Sept. 8 in Baltimore and features headline dates at the likes of Los Angeles’ Henry Fonda Theater, as well appearances at the Monolith, Street Scene and  Treasure Island festivals.

Upon completion of the WEEZER tour, TOKYO POLICE CLUB will appear at the Voodoo Music Festival in new Orleans on Oct. 26.

See below for an updated list of all confirmed TOKYO POLICE CLUB U.S. dates. Please disregard any previous  itineraries. For further information, please contact Steve Martin or Amy Grote at nasty little man tel 212 343 0740 email amy@nastylittleman.com

TOKYO POLICE CLUB U.S. DATES FALL 2008

Sept 06 CRANFORD NJ – UNION COUNTY MUSIC FEST
Sept 08  BALTIMORE MD – OTTOBAR
Sept 09 CARRBORO NC – CAT’S CRADLE
Sept 10  ATHENS GA – 40 WATT
Sept 12  AUSTIN TX – EMOS
Sept 14 DENVER CO – MONOLITH FESTIVAL
Sept 15 SALT LAKE CITY UT – URBAN OUTFITTERS (KRCL BENEFIT)
Sept 16  LAS VEGAS NV – WASTED SPACE @ HARD ROCK
Sept 17 COSTA MESA CA – DETROIT BAR
Sept 18  LOS ANGELES CA – HENRY FONDA THEATER
Sept 19  POMONA CA – GLASSHOUSE
Sept 20  SAN DIEGO CA – STREET SCENE
Sept 21 SAN FRANCISCO CA – TREASURE ISLAND

SUPPORTING WEEZER:

Sep 23  Boston, MA – Tsongas Arena
Sep 24  New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Sep 26  Atlantic City, NJ – Borgata Casino
Sep 27 Philadelphia, PA – Susquehanna Center
Sep 29  Detroit, MI – The Palace of Auburn Hills
Sep 30  Toronto, ON – Air Canada Center
Oct 2  Chicago, IL – All State Arena
Oct 3   St. Paul, MN – Xcel Arena
Oct 5   Denver, CO – Broomfield
Oct 7   Salt Lake City, UT – E Center
Oct 9  Portland OR – Memorial Coliseum
Oct 10  Vancouver, BC – GM Place
Oct 11  Seattle, WA – Key Arena
Oct 13  San Jose, CA – Events Center
Oct 14  Los Angeles, CA – The Forum
Oct 17  San Diego, CA -Cox Arena
Oct 18  Phoenix, AZ – Arizona State Fair
Oct 20  Austin, TX – Frank Erwin Center
Oct 21  Dallas, TX – Nokia Theater
Oct 23  Houston, TX – Reliant Arena
Oct 25  Atlanta, GA – Gwinnett Arena

Oct 26 NEW ORLEANS, LA – VOODOO FESTIVAL

Featuring Ryan Adams, Neal Casal, Chris Feinstein, Jon Graboff and Brad Pemberton
FALL U.S. DATES ADDED

In anticipation of the tentative fall release of their new album, Cardinals have announced an additional run of headline dates kicking off September 25 in Schenectady NY. On-sale information will be posted on www.ryan-adams.com as it becomes available.

The new dates expand on the current Cardinals itinerary, which commences August 23 at the Fillmore in San Francisco and includes a run of Canadian shows supporting Oasis as well as an additional headline date at Boston’s Bank of America Pavilion.
Cardinals are Ryan Adams (vocals, guitar, keys), Neal Casal (guitar, vocals), Chris Feinstein (bass), Jon Graboff (pedal steel) and Brad Pemberton (drums).

See below for a complete listing of all confirmed shows. For further information, contact Steve Martin or Amy Grote at nasty little man t 212 343 0740 e amy@nastylittleman.com

CARDINALS U.S. 2008 (NEW DATES IN BOLD)

August 23 – San Francisco, CA – Fillmore
August 26 – Seattle, WA – WaMu Theater *
August 27 – Vancouver, BC – General Motors Place *
August 29 – Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place *
August 30 – Calgary, AB – Pengrowth Saddledome *
September 1 – Winnipeg, MB – MTS Center *
September 4 – Ottawa, ON – Scotiabank Palace *
September 5 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre *
September 7 – Boston, MA – Bank of America Pavilion
September 9 – London, ONT – John LaBatt Center *
September 25 – Schenectady, NY – Proctor’s Theater
September 26 – Syracuse, NY – Landmark Theater
September 27 – Rochester, NY – Auditorium Theater
September 29 – Columbus, OH – Palace Theater
September 30 – Cleveland, OH – Palace Theater
October 2 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre
October 4 – St. Louis, MO – Fox Theater
October 5 – Madison, WI – Overture Hall

* supporting Oasis

Appearing at Wicker Park Summer Festival This Saturday
Oct. 17 New York Date Added to U.S. Tour
“Dying Is Fine” Free Download at www.myspace.com/rarariot

As the August 19 release of their debut album The Rhumb Line (Barsuk) approaches, RA RA RIOT will continue their seemingly endless touring regimen with a July 26 appearance at Chicago’s Wicker Park and a series of European and UK dates throughout August , ultimately returning to North America for an extensive tour kicking off September 3 in Montreal.

Early response to the material from The Rhumb Line has been uniformly positive, with the NEW YORK TIMES lauding the “earnest, aching songs”  from the band’s recent Siren Festival set, while a 4-star ALTERNATIVE PRESS review calls the record “simply magical” in a 4-star review and FILTER describes it as “fresh” and “unforgettable.”

RA RA RIOT was formed in 2006 by Syracuse University undergrads Milo Bonacci (guitar), Rebecca Zeller (violin), Alexandra Lawn (cello), Mathieu Santos (bass), John Pike (drums) and Wesley Miles (keyboard, vocals). Upon graduating (well, most of them graduated), they began their musical career, releasing a self-titled EP and touring relentlessly. This momentum ground to a sudden and tragic halt when drummer John Pike died unexpectedly in June 2007. After an incredibly difficult summer of mourning, the remaining band members of Ra Ra Riot pulled themselves back together and spent late 2007 recording The Rhumb Line. Cameron Wisch played drums on the album, while Gabriel Duquette will be manning the kit for the upcoming tour.

On record or on stage, Ra Ra Riot is a joyful experience, somehow both intensely fun and just plain intense; it’s a joy that’s always aware that darkness and despair may be just around the corner, that life is both beautiful and terrible, and it’s a joy that is in fact amplified by this awareness. It’s this same bittersweet dynamic that makes The Rhumb Line a compelling debut album by a band with seemingly limitless potential. See for yourself this fall and in the meantime visit www.myspace.com/rarariot for a free download of “Dying Is Fine” from the new album.

For further information, contact Steve Martin or Laura Eldeiry at nasty little man t 212 343 0740 e laura@nastylittleman.com

September:
3 Lambi (Montreal, QC)#
4 Horseshoe Tavern (Toronto, ON)#
5 Mojo’s (Jamestown, NY)#
6 Bug Jar (Rochester, NY)#
7 Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY)
9 The Basement (Columbus, OH)#
10 Case Western (Cleveland, OH)
11 Subterranean (Chicago, IL)#%
12 7th Street Entry (Minneapolis, MN)#%
14 Jackpot Saloon (Lawrence, KS)#%
16 Hi Dive (Denver, CO)#%
17 Kilby Court (Salt Lake City, UT)#
18 Neurolux (Boise, ID)#
20 King Cobra (Seattle, WA)#
21 Media Club (Vancouver, BC)#
22 Doug Fir Lounge (Portland, OR)#
24 Rickshaw Stop (San Francisco, CA)#
25 The Echo (Los Angeles, CA)#
28 The Casbah (San Diego, CA)#*
29 Modified (Phoenix, AZ)#*
30 Plush (Tucson, AZ)#*

October:
2 The Loft (Dallas, TX)#*
3 Stubb’s (Austin, TX)#*
4 Rudyards (Houston, TX)#*
7 The Social (Orlando, FL)#*
8 Club Downunder (Tallahassee, FL)#*
10 Drunken Unicorn (Atlanta, GA)#*
11 Local 506 (Chapel Hill, NC)#*
12 Black Cat Backstage (Washington, DC)#*
14 Ottobar (Baltimore, MD)#*
15 Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia, PA)#*
17 Music Hall Of Williamsburg (Brooklyn, NY) #*
18 Middle East Downstairs (Cambridge, MA)#*

# w/ Walter Meego
%w/ Pepi Ginsberg
* w/ the morning benders

Damon Albarn & Jamie Hewlett Present
MONKEY: JOURNEY TO THE WEST
ALBUM TO BE RELEASED THIS FALL ON XL RECORDINGS
Monkey: Journey To The West The Opera July 23 London Premiere At The Royal Opera House

JOURNEY TO THE WEST, an album conceived and created by Damon Albarn (music) and Jamie Hewlett (visuals) under the guise of MONKEY, will be released in North America this fall by XL Recordings.

Created by the GORILLAZ team of Albarn and Hewlett, JOURNEY TO THE WEST is performed by an assortment of European and Chinese musicians and singers and was produced by Albarn. The album’s packaging does likewise, moving beyond the stunning design of the opera MONKEY: JOURNEY TO THE WEST and exploring to the fullest its characters, storylines, themes and inspirations.

MONKEY: JOURNEY TO THE WEST, the opera upon which the album is based, makes its London Premiere July 23 at the Royal Opera House. A singular and unique fusion of traditional mandarin opera/folklore and modern audiovisual interpretation, MONKEY…is the result of director Chen Shi-Zheng having enlisted GORILLAZ masterminds Albarn and Hewlett to provide unique, modern musical and visual interpretations of the themes and characters of this most beloved work of Chinese folklore. The live production utilizes nearly 40 Chinese circus acrobats, martial artists and singers from China and an orchestra of Western and traditional Chinese instruments.

MONKEY: JOURNEY TO THE WEST is performed in Mandarin with subtitles, its storyline chronicling the Monkey King’s journey to enlightenment as it takes him undersea, to decadent banquets in heaven, through encounters with Spider Maidens and Skeleton Demons, and eventually to paradise. The album, which was recorded in London and Beijing over the last year, follows this narrative, opening with “Monkey’s World,” proceeding to a “Heavenly Peach Banquet,” enduring a “Battle In Heaven,” encountering “The White Skeleton Demon” and so on, all the way through to the finale’ of “Disappearing Volcano.”

The album runs 50 minutes and consists of 22 instrumental and vocal tracks. The full track listing is:
1. Monkey’s World
2. Monkey Travels
3. Into the Eastern Sea
4. The Living Sea
5. The Dragon King
6. Iron Rod
7. Out of the Eastern Sea
8. Heavenly Peach Banquet
9. Battle in Heaven
10. O Mi To Fu
11. Whisper
12. Tripitaka’s Curse
13. Confessions of a Pig
14. Sandy the River Demon
15. March of the Volunteers
16. The White Skeleton Demon
17. Monk’s Song
18. I Love Buddha
19. March of the Iron Army
20. Pigsy in Space
21. Monkey Bee
22. Disappearing Volcano

Standard digital and physical formats have been licensed to XL Recordings for world-wide release. A box set edition containing vinyl and artwork has been created by Vinyl Factory Ltd, and will be available from www.monkeyjourneytothewest.com

The video for “Orphans,” the opening track on BECK’s new Modern Guilt, will premiere in a matter of hours, going live 8 a.m. PST today at Beck.com and Modernguilt.com.

In keeping with the spirit of spontaneity and economy that has fueled the writing, recording and release of Modern Guilt, the “Orphans” video will go up on Beck.com and Modernguilt.com. the minute the final edit is done. The video will then be released worldwide this Wednesday July 23 at 8 a.m. PST.

Modern Guilt was released July 8 and debuted #4 on the U.S. album chart while garnering possibly the best initial reviews of Beck’s career.

Beck’s U.S. tour begins August 21 in Reno NV and includes stops at the Outside Lands, Bumbershoot, Street Scene and Austin City Limits festivals, as well as Beck’s biggest hometown headline appearance ever, September 20 at the Hollywood Bowl.