It’s Mountain Goats day!

Like it says over in the sidebar, the band are releasing their new album The Sunset Tree today. Amazon.com (who are really getting into this ‘hosting actual content’ thing) talked to John Darnielle about the making of the new album. He also offers up a suitably eclectic list of recommended listening. I don’t think there’s a single sanctioned MP3 from the album circulating so the four sample tracks on Amazon are the first I’ve heard from the record. And me likey. Much looking forward to picking up the new record and attending their show at Lee’s Palace on May 11.

More non-Largehearted linkage – The Reader chats with John Darnielle about the record, mountaingoats.net is a fansite with downloadable goodness, The BBC is hosting an unofficial video for “Slow West Vultures” from their last album, We Shall All Be Healed (though it’s sadly low-res) and both principals in the Goats keep blogs – Peter Hughes has The One Hundred Thousand Songs Of Me and John Darnielle has Last Plane To Jakarta. There’s also pics of the recording sessions for The Sunset Tree at producer John Vanderslice’s website.

And speaking of the ‘Slice, he will be releasing his new album Pixel Revolt on August 23. He’s been keeping a recording diary of the proceedings. He’s planning to tour in September.

Exciting news from Trespassers William – the band are working on the follow-up to Different Stars, one of my favourite albums of the last five years, with one of my favourite producers, Dave Fridmann. Some might think from his work with The Flaming Lips and Delgados that he’s all about bombast and is ill suited to working with such a delicate and quiet band, but I point you at his work on the new Low album – he took a band known for being delicate and quiet and, um, helped them make their loudest and most bombastic record to date. Okay, bad example, but The Great Destroyer is still a great record and I look forward to the fruits of his work with Trespassers William. It should be out on Nettwerk this Fall.

The Tarbox Studio news page mentions that the Flaming Lips were there recently recording a cover of “Bohemian Rhapsody” for an upcoming Queen tribute album… oh my. Wayne Coyne is also on the cover of the new Harp and you can download the trailer for the Lips documentary Fearless Freaks here.

In the “not really useful news” category, the new Mojave 3 album is almost done. It’ll be out, um, sometime.

Shows – Aimee Mann brings her tour for The Forgotten Arm, out next week, to The Phoenix on July 29.

The Toronto Star (bugmenot: rats@rats.com / ratsrats) talks to Seth McFarlane about the return from the dead of Family Guy and his other project *cough*ripoff*cough*, American Dad. Both return to the Fox sched this Sunday, May 1.

Mary Lynn Rajskub tells The Boston Herald that it’s fun playing a freak like Chloe. And speaking of 24: Dear CTU: In the future, you may want to secure the weapons in your vehicles in the front of the vehicle where your agents sit, and not in the back where your prisoners sit. Love, a concerned citizen. And Chloe takes this season’s Kim Bauer award for most ridiculous hostage situation, trapped in a car while I guy with a shotgun takes potshots at her from all sides. And everyone who wants a high-res pic of Chloe toting the assault rifle for their new wallpaper, hands up. Yeah, thought so. Fun finale – obviously contrived for the Chloe fan club, but whatever. Yay for the return of Palmer – can Zombie Nina be far behind? I think not. I’ll bet you when it all shakes out, SHE’S the one responsible for today’s attacks. And I’m glad they’re done with President Dumbass, there was really only so much of that guy I could take. That is all.

np – The Flaming Lips / Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

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