Montreal’s dapperly fuzzy Handsome Furs flex their plush indie rock talent tonight.

With special guest: Brian Borcherdt (of Holy Fuck)

Pucker up as Evan Dando and his band of citrus sergeants The Lemonheads deliver a fruitful night of yesteryear’s rock.

With special guests: Burning Brides + Jason Bajada

A hint of tangy blackberry icing and sweet angel food cake washed through the mouths of La Tulipe’s attendees, as the Scottish collective Camera Obscura regaled Montreal with acute love and pain… maudlin style. (more…)

Reports that the King of Pop’s body was to be transported to Neverland Ranch today July 2nd 2009 have now surfaced as a no go. Michael Jackson will not be offered up for public or private viewing this weekend according to a recent statement made by the Jackson camp which reads, “Contrary to previous news reports, the Jackson family is officially stating that there will be no public or private viewing at Neverland. Plans are underway regarding a public memorial for Michael Jackson, and we will announce those plans shortly.” It seems that a last minute burial exemption was unable to be secured for this weekend by the company that bought the ranch or by Jackson’s family. There have been no follow up announcements as to a contingency location for the singer’s remains; however in a recent interview Jermaine Jackson expressed his want to have his brother buried at the ranch saying, “This was Michael’s home. He created this. Why wouldn’t he be here?” Hmm… So the public can’t see the body, the family can’t see the body, and now we’re not even sure where the pop mogul will be laid to rest? When we originally reported word of the singer’s death, cornershopstudios had implied the tongue and cheek possibility that “this has been an elaborate hoax and Jackson has not only faked his own death, but continues to relax gleefully while sipping exotic drinks on a far away island”. So… if no one gets to see him, can we truly be sure?

Spontaneous erections tend to slow down as a boy becomes an older man; however the announcement that Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones & Josh Homme have joined forces to record a new album is sure to pitch tents in the pants of many rock enthusiasts. Grohl had mentioned the day dream team up in a 2005 interview saying, “The next project that I’m trying to initiate involves me on drums, Josh Homme on guitar, and John Paul Jones playing bass. That’s the next album. That wouldn’t suck.” But we’re only now learning of the project legitimately coming to fruition, with Homme’s punktastic wife Brody Dalle spilling the beans saying, “I’m not at liberty to talk about it, but I think the project is pretty fucking amazing. Just beats and sounds like you’ve never heard before.” I haven’t even heard the music and I agree with Brody. Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin & Queens of the Stone Age flavors coming together? Fucking amazing it shall be.

by Canyon

If there was ever a modern day record to be listened to on a gramophone its Rewiring the Electric Forest, Darla Farmer’s newest album. To properly describe the eclectic 7-piece’s sound, let me first set the mood. Remember that time your parents took you to the fair when you were young and you got lost because you needed both your hands to eat your cotton candy, so you let go of your mother’s hand for just a brief moment? This album epitomizes the emotions experienced in the instant you realize you are by yourself: the thrilling sensation of freedom, the excitement brought on by the blinking lights and sounds of the rides, or the intense fear of being lost forever in a sea of smiling unfamiliar faces. The music is so powerfully evocative the lyrics almost become secondary. At times what starts off as a beautiful somber ballad, closes with what feels like a battle for control of musician versus instrument. Just as a house of mirrors, Darla Farmer’s music is a complex maze-like puzzle, both exhilarating and unsettling. For anyone with a fear of clowns, I challenge you to listen to the track Dirty Keys and not have nightmares of a face-painted grinning fool chasing you with a flamethrower.

Genre: Rock
Latest Album: Rewiring the Electric Forest
For Fans Of: Modest Mouse, Cursive, Man Man
Listen To: Darla Farmer

As if superman Jack White wasn’t already cooler than you, he pops back up with yet another project that is sure to keep the cultish idolization a comin’. Playing the wisecracking Mikey for a B-grade scrapper entitled Mutant Swinger From Mars, White, albeit briefly, appears in the film as a younger version of his dashing self. The film, which wrapped in 1998, had been showcased with an ‘in-process’ preview in 2003 but is officially being released at this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego California, slated to run from July 23rd through to the 26th. Based on the trailer, the film is reminiscent of an air of Tim Burton’s 1996 Mars Attacks!, however seemingly accomplishes the low budget fameless look better than Burton’s, as it genuinely had very little money, and other than Jack, sports no one that would make you say, “Hey isn’t that…?”. Some rumors have even begun circulating that a new intro has been shot for the now greatly anticipated premiere; however the rumors have thus far remained just that. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again… Jack White for President!

After a saddening declaration of closure yesterday for the stalwart hip-hop and rap publication VIBE Magazine, Quincy Jones, the mag’s original 1993 founder, has swooped in cape and all to rescue the urban print platform from its recent demise. The legendary record producer, known for such gems as Michael Jackson’s heavy hitting Thriller album, has expressed his distress over the way the magazine has been left to dwindle, saying “I’m trying to buy my magazine back now. They just messed my magazine all up, but I’m gonna get it back. You better believe it, I’m'a take it online because print and all that stuff is over.” Although the outfit’s ownership rights were purchased by Wicks Media Group in 2006 the famed producer insists that he will do everything in his power to maintain the mag’s existence. “We gotta get into the 21st century you know. Print and all that stuff is over, we gotta remember that. They’re over the same way as the record business. We have got to get into this century.” Amen Quincy… Print was a stint… Time to flog the blog.

If photos of Noel Gallagher are your bag then you may want to make travel arrangements to be present at Christie’s in London today, as a series of 22 epic Oasis photos, courtesy of Jill Furmanovsky, will be on the block dressed in a reserved collection price of £16,500. The photos date from 1996 and were originally showcased in Furmanovsky’s Was There Then exhibition, and can now be yours for the mere aforementioned pocket change price. Your collection, if you should be so lucky to own it, would come complete with an original signed program and the now out of print copy of Furmanovsky’s book, Oasis: Was There Then. Are you the eccentric wealthy music collector who will catalogue and care for your pricey purchase? Or simply an eccentric looking to roll around in photos of Oasis? Either way, July 1st 2009 at Christie’s is your day.

A reatarded time was had by all as Memphis garage punk Jay Reatard assaulted La Sala Rossa with an audible cock punch for the masses… We’ll have the hair tossing photos and punktastic words up soon.

Recent reports give word that Michael Jackson’s body will be brought to the infamous Neverland Ranch for public viewing. The King of Pop will apparently be transported in a 30 car procession to his carnival compound on Thursday July 2nd 2009, and will be laid out for viewing the following day, Friday July 3rd 2009. There has yet to be a concrete statement as to the final resting spot for Jackson, although Neverland Ranch and the King’s birth place of Gary, Indiana have been among the offered locations. In fact, Mayor Rudy Clay has been lobbying quite fervently for MJ’s body to be buried in Gary, saying “I believe that his body will lie in state in Gary, Indiana. Now, it may not happen, but I believe it will.” Of course the burial would call for the less than wealthy Indiana city to accommodate the singer with the erection of a museum and an elaborate performing arts center with the pop star’s grave as the piece de resistance. In other related news, a 2002 will of Jackson’s has been discovered leaving his worldly possessions to his mother Katherine, his three children and various charities. Reports say that said will bestows nothing to Michael’s father Joe.

Although an official statement has not been released, VIBE Media Group’s CEO Steve Aaron has reportedly sent a letter to the VIBE Magazine staff announcing a cease of publication. Although no detailed reason has been voiced as to the cause of the fold, Rap Radar has confirmed that the VIBE big wig called for a halt on production effective immediately. Founded by Quincy Jones in 1993 the 16 year old magazine has gone above and beyond the call of duty, sharing the ever changing ins & outs of the Rap and R&B world with its robust readership. The magazine boasted a plethora of content spanning from heavier introspective pieces to lighter more tongue and cheek writings. The urban mag even published some books including The VIBE History of Hip Hop and Cheo Hodari Coker’s Unbelievable, a Biggie Smalls biography which has since gone on to be adapted into the major motion picture, Notorious. With the birth of every blog comes the death of a printed page. R.I.P VIBE.