This PopMatters article on the Elephant 6 had given me the idea of putting together a massive E6-themed post but as I began collecting links, I realized that a) I haven’t really felt like listening to any of the bands associated with the label in some time and b) there’s not really anyone who’d gain anything from my posting an Apples In Stereo MP3, so I saved myself some trouble and damn, does it feel good. But if you do want listenables, the sounds page of the E6 website is loaded down with live stuff and rarities.

However Great Body Of Water directed my attention to this post on the Elephant 6 message board that appears to be a dispatch from Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel and which appears legit enough that Billboard has picked up on it. It hints at Mangum’s return to music which is akin to Moses coming down from the mountain for much of the indie nation, though the post warns,

we dont have a timetable for releasing the album yet, so dont get your hopes up for new songs now. if you want more “aeroplane” just ignore all of this, the songs are songs but they’re longer and more free. when jeremy came down after his tour we just spent days playing noise while screaming and it was incredibly liberating.

Considering how much ink was spilled over the Neutral Milk demos that surfaced late last year. any new music – no matter how out there – will be greeted like the rapture.

Update: Lies, all lies. Good Hodgkins says “I told you so”. Hey, I was just looking for something to post today. Facts schmacts.

But in the meantime, there’s plenty of old music. In addition to the Elephant 6 archives, The Carrot Flower Kingdom has rotating MP3s of the moment and this fansite also has a slew of live material available – including this one:

MP3: Neutral Milk Hotel – “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea” (Live in St Louis, May 5 1997)

And it’s worth noting that The Late BP Helium, which boasts members from E6 mainstays Elf Power and Of Montreal, are at the Boat in Kensington Market tonight – admission $8 at the door.

Sleater-Kinney has called it a day for now and for the indefinite future. MTV has more.

The Times delves behind the mystery of Serena Maneesh, though there’s not really any mystery behind them. They’re just Norwegian. Have you noticed the North American release of Serena Maneesh is stomping all over Metacritic? Awesomeness. They’re at Lee’s Palace on September 13.

San Diego City Beat and The Columbian interview Doug Martsch of Built To Spill, who have gone all Medieval Times for their new video.

Video: Built To Spill – “Conventional Wisdom” (MOV)

Stream the debut self-titled album from Jayhawks drummer Tim O’Reagan, courtesy of AOL. It came out yesterday and features guest appearances from many Jayhawks past and more past.

A couple show announcements – World Party are at the Opera House on September 3 and Ben Lee is at the Mod Club on August 17.

GoodHodgkins has an interesting and revealing interview with Saturday Looks Good To Me’s Fred Thomas where he discusses where the band has been and where it’s going when they finish the new album, due out in February or March of next year. And he insists that he’s been the singer in the band all along. Even when the girls were doing all the singing, it was really him.

This Fall will bring a new Pernice Brothers album. Look for Live A Little in September.

Voila – the first Spider-Man 3 trailer. Symbiote-goodness – just the thing to wash the taste of X-Men 3 from one’s mouth… And oh yeah – that Superman flick is out today. Reviews are pretty much as good as it gets for Summer blockbuster action/sci-fi flicks – I fully intend to see it, Kate Bosworth’s ginormous forehead notwithstanding, but it probably won’t be for a few weeks at least. Simply no time. Maybe I need Superman to fly really fast around the world in the wrong direction. Update: The AV Club lists off Superman villains you probably shouldn’t expect to see in sequels.

np – DeVotchKa / How It Ends