The University of Georgia’s Red & Black tells of Professer Patterson Hood teaching Drive-By Trucking 101 at the school while fellow DBT Jason Isbell cut class to hang out with The Chatanooga Pulse. Luckily, Billboard was in the front row taking notes and learned that their new album, A Blessing And A Curse. will be out April 25. And he’s willing to share the tracklisting, but that’s all.

While the official website for the new album used to have a download of the leadof track, “Feb 14”, it’s now only got that streaming in the background as a soundtrack to a shot of the new album art, photos (from their Flickr group) and videos of recent DBT live performances.

Paste has a pre-independence interview with Nellie McKay.

The Toronto Sun catches up with A Northern Chorus, who are at the Lula Lounge with Sianspheric tonioght. And if that doesn’t satisfy your space-rocking joneses. come see Bluescreen at the Horseshoe tomorrow night. Their/our new album A Survival Guide To Mishaps And Losses got a shiny 4-star review from eye.

I was supposed to go to the Over The Top Fest launch party last night with Final Fantasy, Akron/Family and Great Lake Swimmers, but alas – something came up and I had to bow out. It’s no biggie – I’m sure the opportunity to see FF and GLS will come again soon enough, and Akron/Family are already due back in town on March 21 for a show at the Music Gallery with Deep Dark United and Laura Barrett (tickets $12).

But I will still put forward this question: How has Owen Pallett managed to not get sued by Squaresoft (now Square-Enix, apparently) yet? When he first began performing under the moniker of Final Fantasy, I assumed it would be a temporary, low-profile creative outlet that wouldn’t attract the attention of anyone’s lawyers… but now, as official Arcade Fire alumnus and New York Times profilee, surely someone has taken notice? Or maybe they’re just not saying anyting to avoid anyone remembering their megabomb film of the same name?

The final nominees for the New Pantheon awards are out – the short list (can I call it that?) is up at Billboard. If I were a betting man, and I’m not, I’d have to say it was between Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire (say what?). Because that’s what bloggers like and bloggers are never wrong. Except a lot of the time.

What Would Jesus Blog, a fun new blog with delusions of grandeur, has compiled some 1-star Amazon reviews of otherwise critically lauded indie rock albums… Jesus vs sacred cows. There’s a joke in there somewhere.

Because no one demanded it – Degrassi: The Comic Book. I just don’t get the Degrassi thing. Never have, never will.

np – The House Of Love / Days Run Away