Nottingham’s Six By Seven, officially back from the dead and with original guitarist Sam Hempton back in the fold. Their new studio album, If Symptoms Persists, Kill Your Doctor (such cheerful lads) is available via the band’s website and will be in UK stores October 1. The fact that it’s limited to 1000 copies – presumably including both the online and retail sales – gives you the impression that the band isn’t necessarily expecting this release to burn up the charts.

Their last few releases – the bass-less, three-piece Artists Cannibals Poet Thieves and the closet-cleaning Peveril Hotel records – were passable but were weighed down by the uncertainty that plagued the band’s situation, namely is the band broken up and if not, who’s in it? But it was only a few years ago that they released the quite excellent :04, which only just got an American release earlier this year via The First Time Records, so with Hempton back on board I’m optimistic they’ve got more great records in them. They better – this new one just cost me $30!

I offered a lengthy write-up on the band when :04 was first released and a brief obituary when they announced their dissolution in 2005 and am happy to welcome them back now. Cheers to a band that deserves to be recognized for far more than just inspiring Bloc Party’s wardrobe or soundtracking Harry Potter’s real-life first kiss.

Listen to “Bochum”, off of :04 below, and tell me it’s not one of the best things you’ve heard in ages. And for the completist, eMusic has the band’s entire catalog available, including singles and EPs, all the way through to last year’s Artists. I just blew this month’s downloads on b-sides.

MP3: Six By Seven – “Bochum (You Light Up My Life)”
Video: Six By Seven – “Ready For You Now” (YouTube)”
Video: Six By Seven – “Nowhere To Go But Home” (YouTube)”
MySpace: Six By Seven

Also in the “welcome back” department, Angry Ape reports that Dot Allison will finally release her third album, Exaltation Of Larks, on September 10 in the UK. She’s been streaming samples from the Kramer-produced album on her MySpace for ages, it’ll be nice to finally hear the finished product.

National Nine News talks to The Long Blondes’ Kate Jackson about the influence their hometown of Sheffield has had on their career.

Under Byen’s Nils Grondahl chats with The Georgia Straight, Morten Svenstrup with OC Weekly.

Doug Martsch of Built To Spill chats with The Denver Post. I find it fascinating that Warner Bros wants to release every Built To Spill record on vinyl to celebrate the band’s tenth anniversary with the label (and that it’s the little indie labels that are holding it up). On one hand, it seems like a terrible business decision that speaks to why the major labels are losing money hand over fist. On the other, it’s incredibly cool.

The Los Angeles Times considers the kinder, gentler Ryan Adams. Also taking advantage of the less volatile interview subject are The Globe & Mail and Pitchfork. The San Francisco Chronicle settles for asking him about his watch.

Jeff Tweedy plays record critic for the New York Times and reviews some of the records he’s been listening to lately.

Some bills filling out for October 5 – Oakley Hall will be playing with Black Mountain at The Horseshoe on and Chicago’s OFFICE – caps mandatory – are playing with Earlimart at the El Mocambo.

Drowned In Sound talks to The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Their new EP Is Is is out today, and you can stream it below:

Stream: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs / Is Is

I’m not sure if I missed the memo on this, but a couple months ago, Adult Swim made available a free, downloadable compilation called Warm & Scratchy featuring mostly new tracks from the likes of TV On The Radio, Broken Social Scene, Asobi Seksu and The Brother Kite. Not necessarily a-side stuff from everyone but come on – it’s free.

And also free is this Get Digital 2 from Insound, pulling together tracks from various Summer albums including those from Editors and Okkervil River. Swedish pop factory Labrador are also feeling generous with a massive 68-song Summer Sampler available for freesies (via For The Records). And a reminder that Zunior offers up a free downloadable compilation every month – this month’s set will introduce you to Los Campesinos! and The Russian Futurists, amongst others.

Harp looks at the forthcoming Guilt By Association compilation, out August 7. They also talk to Yo La Tengo and Son Volt, amongst others, about the art of cover selection and execution. And finally, The New York Post lists off their 100 greatest covers of all time.

Every new photo from the set of the Iron Man film always seems to go over gangbusters, so head over to Entertainment Weekly to see Robert Downey Jr wondering if anyone still says, “Talk to the hand”. Or maybe “Smell the glove”.