Said The Gramophone has the first single from the new Delgados album, Universal Audio, up for grabs right now. I’d heard a snippet of “Everybody Come Down” from the Chemikal website about a month ago and was taken aback by how clean it sounded – really pop-sounding and production-wise, miles away from their recent Fridmann-ized epic albums, The Great Eastern and Hate. I’m glad they’ve decided to take a step back from the huge washes of sound that defined those records – they sounded majestic but the sonics did threaten to overwhelm the songs at times. As for the poppiness, hey – I’m the last guy on the planet who’s going to argue with a hook. As the band puts it, “the new album is a big, stomping beast of an affair – guitars and vocals to the fore and by all accounts, it’s our long-awaited ‘pop’ album”. Sounds good to me. If you want to hear more, Chemikal has a 50-second clip of “Is This All That I Came For?” and there’s a 30-second clip of “I Fought The Angels” on their website if you sign up for their mailing list. Also fun is all four band members are keeping a blog on their site (Alun hasn’t made an entry yet – slacker). Universal Audio comes out in North America September 28 and they’re at Lee’s Palace with Crooked Fingers October 23.

BBC1 talks to Steve Earle about making his most political album yet, The Revolution Starts… Now, out next Tuesday. He’ll also be hosting a weekly radio show of the same name on the fledgling Air America radio station starting August 22 at 10pm, wherein he plays music and interviews guests. We don’t get that station up here but it is streamable off their website – and I think I’ll actually have to try and tune in. That could be some good stuff. BBC link from LHB.

New download in the Wilco roadcase – a live version of “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”, recorded June 12 at The Vic in Chicago. It’s a big one – 13 MB – and a long one – 11 minutes – but anyone who hates the album version of the song needs to hear it live, it truly kicks ass.

The Stills are at the Mod Club October 2. I don’t like the Stills so that’s all I’ll say about that. Update: Okay, that was a lie. I’ll also say this: Jason Collett of Broken Social Scene opens and tickets go on sale August 21 at 10AM for $15. NOW I’m done.

Currently tops on the “blogged to death” list – ESPN’s Bill Simmons & Chuck Klosterman back-and-forth. After reading Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs, I would count myself among Mr Klosterman’s fans. I don’t know who this Bill Simmons guy is, but this is some funny stuff.

The local shops did not have the new Rilo Kiley yesterday. Yeah, I have the mp3s but it’s not the same. Naturally, the rest of the blogosphere is all agog about it (Largehearted Boy, Stereogum and Whatevs, I’m looking in your direction) – I’m feeling a bit like the poor cousin at the family reunion whose family can’t afford shoes so I wear Kleenex boxes instead. Except they’re not even Kleenex, they’re like some cheap Kleenex knock-off that have to call themselves “disposable handkerchiefs” or some shit. Boooo for late distribution. This wouldn’t have happened if they’d have just signed with a major label like they were rumoured to have. Don’t they know that the major labels (or is it now down to label, singular?) always get things done right? Sheesh. Anyway, I’ll try again Friday. If it’s still not in, someone’s gonna get hurt.

Speaking of getting hurt – woke up last night in the middle of the night, had a screaming muscle spasm in my left calf, fell right back asleep. What the hell is that?

np – Rhett Miller / The Instigator

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