Elbow released their latest Leaders Of The Free World in Canada and the rest of the world last year, but it’s only getting a US release on February 21. The wait will be worth it, though, because in addition to a top-notch album, there’ll be a limited edition that also comes with an expansive DVD featuring videos, studio footage, etc. The DVD was also part of the package with the UK edition, but this will be the first domestic North American release. I believe the DVD will be available on its own up here in Canuckistan, but don’t have the details handy at the moment. If I can dig up the info, I’ll update this here post. In the meantime, the good folks at V2 have given me a few streams from the DVD for you to check out:

WMV: Elbow – “Station Approach”
WMV: Elbow – “Forget Myself “
WMV: Elbow – “Puncture Repair “

While some are sad about the news of Charlotte Hatherley leaving Ash, I for one welcome the news. Why? Because I like Charlotte’s solo stuff and don’t really like Ash. Simple. Her second album is due out this Fall and she (along with Elbow from up above) are scheduled to appear at SxSW in March. Yay.

And speaking of SxSW, the powers that be have once again updated the attending bands list and AngryRobot has again converted it into an actually readable format. Haven’t gone through it closely to see if there’s anyone I’m really excited about seeing yet, though.

According to this thread at Shoegaze.com, Playboy of all places, has declared shoegazing to be the next big thing in rock, supplanting the way overripe garage rock sound. While I think they may be overstating the case a bit, you can’t deny that the genre has experienced a renaissance in recent years, at least in terms of critical re-appraisal. And surely the new wave/post-punk corpse is picked clean by now? Musical necrophiliacs need to move on to the next exquisite corpse, and delay pedal manufacturers are rubbing their hands in anticipation. And if you need a quick history lesson, I refer you back to Are You Familar’s periodic and ongoing history of shoegaze – parts one, two, three, fourand five.

Chart talks to Metric about their new video for “Poster Of A Girl” and opening for The Rolling Stones.

And finally, best news of the week? The National. At the Horseshoe. March 22. AND I WILL BE IN TOWN, though just barely. Seriously, that’s in the middle of a miniscule five-day-or-so window in which I’ll be in the country. SO BEST. And to get you stoked, So Much Silence has their session for WOXY from last September all MP3-ed up for you to enjoy.

np – Ride / Going Blank Again