- After the departure and consequential heart surgery of drummer/singer Simone Felice, The Felice Brothers are back and are off on tour. They’ll be coming to Atlanta for a show at The EARL on November 6.

- In other coming-to-The-EARL news, the lovely Love Language are coming on September 3!

- Perfect summer (evidenced in the video below) indie pop band The Drums are finally coming to Atlanta for a show at The Loft with Surfer Blood. Tickets go on sale July 30.

- Downtown Restaurant Week started yesterday, and actually runs for two weeks until August 8. There are a ton of great $25 and $35 prix fixe menus to choose from, but we personally will be going for Spoon, The Social, BLT and Thrive.

- Deerhunter is gearing up to release their new album Halcyon Digest in September, and they’re already throwing some treats out to their fans. For the street-teamers who printed out the flyers and posted them everywhere, Pitchfork reports that Deerhunter has bestowed the tracklisting, cover art, and now a free download. Visit the album website for more details.

- In other Deerhunter news, Ohmpark is reporting that there is a concert documentary in the works, directed by filmmaker John Albrecht. Check out the trailer below.

deerhunter live – film trailer from John Albrecht on Vimeo.

- In honor of all music geeks, Spinner has a great top-20 list of the greatest movie music geeks.

- Bloc Party’s Kele is looking quite the (very emotional) fittie in his new video for the amazing “Everything You Wanted,” from his solo record The Boxer. It’s like out generation’s “Nothing Compares To You,” with the teary Sinead O’Connor. Check it out on Stereogum.

- We are really starting to wish we were at ComicCon. They just premiered the new trailer for Tron: Legacy, which may or may not look just a wee bit confusing. For folks not massively familiar with the movie, like me, go over to Gawker to check out the trailer and see the break down. The only thing missing from the trailer: the Daft Punk soundtrack. Didn’t sound like any of the robotic duo’s recognizable tunes were there.

- This morning the Mercury Prize nominees were announced in London. Consequence of Sound has the full list, which includes our faves Dizzee Rascal and Paul Weller (and The XX, who I care a little less about). NME has all the records for you to listen to. The winner will be announced on September 7.

- Andy Hummel, the original bassist for Big Star, has passed away at age 59. Spinner has the story.

- Rolling Stone premiered the new video for Bryan Ferry‘s new song “You Can Dance,” from his solo album Olympia, due out October 26. We’d like to be excited about it, since he’s back working with Roxy Music members Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay and Brian Eno, but it’s all a bit disappointing – the music is pretty uninspiring, and (though we know having sexy ladies everywhere is Ferry’s “thing”) the video is fairly dull too.

- Apparently a little music festival took place in Chicago this past weekend, by some indie blog called Pitchfork. Pretty much everyone and their mother has pics up, so we’ll default to Pitchfork themselves.

- Mark Ronson has released the album art for his upcoming release Record Collection, due out October 5. Since he’s been working a ton with Duran Duran lately, it’s not too surprising that it’s pretty influenced by some of the ’80s band’s own album art. He’s also got a video out for the fab tune “Bang Bang Bang” – it’s all up on Arjan Writes now.

- Travis Thatcher of Judi Chicago is having what looks like a pretty kick-ass yard sale on Saturday. Look, he has a fancy flyer and everything.

- The model whose picture appears on the cover of Vampire Weekend‘s Contra is suing the band’s label XL Recordings and photographer Tod Brody (who sold the picture) for $2 million, saying that her signature was forged. Brooklyn Vegan has done a bit of investigative journalism for those who want the details.

- Pecanne Log‘s Christa T and Creative Loafing‘s Thomas Wheatley decorated some sweet Atlanta-themed cookie cakes for the BurnAway fundraiser, and they’re all up for you to see here.

- In news from the other side of the pond, Robbie Williams has returned to man-band Take That and everyone (well, almost everyone) in England is rejoicing! We have frequently expressed our love for Mr. Williams over here on this blog, and we love a bit of Take That too, so we can’t wait to hear the new stuff and welcome the band back to America (please?).

- If you’re interested in the music biz, then you should probably look up the Georgia chapter of NARIP. The group is hosting a Mock Negotiation of a 360 Record Deal on July 21, showing musicians and artists how to avoid some of the common pitfalls of deal-making. More information is available here.

- One of the most interesting developments – technologically, socially, etc. – in our world is being made into a movie. That’s right, the Facebook film is coming. Written by Aaron Sorkin and starring the likes of Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake, The Social Network looks terse and pretty fascinating, especially since all this stuff happened within the past few years. TechCrunch has the trailer for your perusal.

- Local funky, soul, hip-hop group Weapons of Audio have released a video for “Boulevard,” which sounds like a nice smooth and creamy mix with Prince and The Kinks combined like peanut brittle and vanilla ice cream. Mmmm. The video is below for your enjoyment. The band plays the Atlanta Stargazing Tour at Midtown Tavern this Saturday and also with Soulphonics & Ruby Velle at The EARL on July 24.

Weapons of Audio – Boulevard from Corey Davis on Vimeo.

By Eileen Tilson

True art has the ability to haunt those who expose themselves to it. A truly great album has the ability to stop time, giving its listeners an escape for 45 minutes away from the world, and then haunting your life forever. Jeff Buckley, Sigur Ros, Elliot Smith, all men synonymous with making the sort of great art that seeps into your soul slowly, now must add another to their ranking: Mikky Ekko, the young ingenue from Nashville, who is gracing the stage this Sunday, as part of the Unplugged in the Park series hosted by 99X.

The first time I listened to Grace by Jeff Buckley, I did not understand it. I had to listen to the album over and over, before one day, it hit me, and washed over me, drowning my ears. I had the same experience listening to your music. What do you hope the immediate reaction to your music is?

I hope the listener doesn’t just import the record and toss it.  I hope they eventually leave it in their car stereo for eight months.  I’d love to have a listener put at ease just enough to pull out special pieces of the record for a second listen.

Are your songs more inspired from the life you live, the lives you watch, or the lives you read about?

The writing process, for me, is more like a river.  A river has a current, so I know I could easily get in and experience where that current is headed.  I may or may not see things on my way that inspire a song.  I can stand on shore and sing a quiet song to keep me content and wait for something to wash up, or I can walk the muddy bed around it, inspecting the footprints made before me. Perhaps I’ll even run into someone else like me.  Perhaps I haven’t slept enough and I can’t make sense of the clues.  I never really know what is going to happen at the river, but it’s always there and is constantly changing.  It’s more a matter of going there.

Who would you love to co-write with, dead or alive?

Probably Bjork.  Carole King.  Noah Lennox [Panda Bear, Animal Collective].

Your music hosts a certain sensuality, that seems to have disappeared from songwriting today. Are their any writers whose style you are influenced by?

D’Angelo.  Bjork. Buckley. Robert Johnson. Damon Albarn. Pixies.

I have worked with several musicians who have a special ritual or routine they do before writing music; is there anything you have to do to get into that writing mode? Any inspiration that send you into that space?

I like to paint my face. I don’t speak much.

Strange Fruit is your five-song EP, and now you just released REDS , and three-song  EP. What’s your method for releasing music, and do you have any plans for a full length release?

REDS is the first in a series of four EPs.  I’ll be releasing these all digitally for content sake.  When the final EP, RECEIVERS, is finished, we’ll go to press and do physical, etc., combining the four as a full length.

Speaking of, Strange Fruit is very melodic, almost a capella, and now you come swinging with REDS, which is definitely a more commanding and up-tempo. What sparked the move?

I began writing more aggressive songs that needed an outlet.  I love the first record and it’s indicative of where I was then.  There are many more songs on both ends of the spectrum, so I don’t worry about jumping around too much.  As far as the EPs are concerned, they’re designed to allow for singles packages and a smoother release, rather than one monster record.

I know you are touring with the Ten from Tenn team, but what are your plans for the rest of the year?

Organizing a tour of the Northeast and overseas with the gentlemen of Heypenny.  I really like those guys.

Top…

Food: Not sure.  I literally just read a massive article on MSG and its disguises, so I imagine my diet will be changing pretty drastically

Album: Bjork’s Vespertine, Beach House’s Teen Dream

Time of Day: 7 p.m.

Book: 1984

Holiday: Thanksgiving

- One of England’s best bands, James, will be joining one of England’s best troubadours, Ed Harcourt, for a fall jaunt around the U.S. They will be stopping in Atlanta on September 22 for a show at Variety Playhouse. Tickets go on sale July 16 HERE. Check out the video of a recent performance of James’ classic “Laid,” which shows the band definitely still rocks.

- The BBC is making a film about the relationship between Boomtown Rats’ Bob Geldof and promoter Harvey Goldsmith, the duo who created the legendary benefit concert event Live Aid. According to Spinner, “When Bob Met Harvey stars Ian Hart, who played John Lennon in Backbeat, as Goldsmith, while Domhnall Gleeson, son of Irish actor Brendan, takes the role of Geldof.”

-Billboard reports that the train-wreck that is I’m Still Here, the Casey Affleck-directed Joaquin Phoenix documentary, will at last be opening in September, thanks to distributions for Magnolia Pictures.

- Atlanta’s own B.o.B will be playing a special FREE MySpace show at Center Stage on July 31. But to get tickets, you’ll have to be in line at the Center Stage Box Office at noon on July 26 – and it’s only one ticket per user, first come first served. Since our offices are pretty near there, we’ll probably be taking pictures of the sure-to-be ridiculously long line of hopeful fans. If you’re not lucky enough to get a ticket or can’t get in to the show because it’s full (ticket does not guarantee admission), the show will be streaming on MySpace.

- Arcade Fire are good people. They’ve already done a fair bit for Haiti, according to Paste, and now singer Win Butler has told audience members of a recent show that “They could donate $5 to the relief by sending a text to 30333 and that Arcade Fire would match every dollar, up to $1 million (Canadian).”

- Hold on to your hats, music nerds: Guided By Voices have reunited and will be playing a show at Buckhead Theatre on October 23. Tickets go on sale July 24 at 10 a.m.

- Matisyahu will be joined by the new reincarnation of Sublime, Sublime with Rome, for a super-mellow night of reggae at The Masquerade on July 23.

- Tickets are now on sale for Kenny Leon’s True Colors 2010-2011 season. And if you order your subscription by July 15, you’ll get two free tickets for the always-popular Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity. The offer expires tomorrow (Thursday, July 15) so get on this now. More information here.

- Local rock ‘n’ roll heroes Death on Two Wheels will be kicking off their summer tour with The Rocketboys at The Masquerade on July 30.

- Our favorite harp-wielding folk rock duo Last Chance Runaround will be playing Decatur’s ace watering hole Twain’s on July 22. The gig is free, the place brews their own beer – what more could you ask for?

- Though most of us have already obtained and listened to Dark Night of the Soul, the album – featuring the work of Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse (AKA the recently-departed Mark Linkous), with guests like Vic Chesnutt (who we also lost too soon), Wayne Coyne and Iggy Pop – finally saw the official light of day yesterday. USA Today has a pretty great story and Paste Magazine has a small review.

- I know this is a music blog centered around Atlanta, but you really should know about this new movie Red, coming out in October. At first glance the synopsis seems a bit trite and daft – ex-CIA crew being hunted down and get the “band back together” to kick ass – but really, seeing Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis, John Malkovich and (oh hells yes) Helen Mirren as retired killers teaching those young ‘uns a lesson is pretty hilarious. Trailer below.

By Alec Wooden

It’s often no coincidence when a band releases an eponymous record a few releases deep into its discography (save Weezer. There’s nothing deep there … just a total loss of creativity – wait, did I say that out loud?). It’s also not rocket science unlocking the underlying meaning — a rebirth, a remake, a fresh start, new beginning – choose your metaphor. Steel Train follows this maxim, and for the New Jersey rockers, the shoe fits. Recently split from long time label Drive Thru Records, the quintet is happy on its own, feeling born again and free to explore new musical territory on Steel Train, self-released on June 29. Frontman Jack Antonoff talks to AMG about the band’s transformation, touring habits, and what the future holds for Steel Train.

I’m curious how your outlook on Steel Train’s “sound” has changed over the last six or so years since the release of 1969 EP, an homage to the year that was said to define “your sound.”

The way we felt making [1969 EP] is probably the opposite of how we feel now. At the time, we were younger and just sort of coming up, and it’s really easy to look towards the past. Now, there’s a really exciting round of great bands coming out with new and interesting music — and I’m way more concerned with being a part of something current. It’s a confidence thing. You’ve got to reach some level of confidence personally and also within your career that allows you to say, “Well, maybe my generation isn’t a joke.” I don’t think anyone ever made anything really, really inspiring just by picking up where someone left off. Any band that I listen to right now that sounds like something else, I always just end up putting on an old Beatles record or something because it made me think of that.

What can we expect from the just-released record?

[We're] really excited about it. We did it all ourselves. The last record was made in a moment of real turmoil in terms of us getting off our label and dealing with the whole business of the industry outside of trying to create music. That really impacted the process. So I think now, we’re really emotionally connected to this record on a level that I couldn’t have anticipated. I feel like we really enjoyed the process more. Not doing something for a label I think really pushed us to have a good time and make the music that we really wanted to hear.

Where and for how long was it recorded?

March, April and May of 2009 in Los Angeles.

Talk about the Terrible Thrills, Vol.1 record that consists of a handful of female artists covering Steel Train songs. What was behind the idea for that?

It’s interesting and it’s fun to do something beyond your record. And that’s not a new concept, obviously. People make remix records, the put DVDs with their records, etc. We wanted to do that but try to think of our own idea. We didn’t really notice anyone doing the female artist thing, which was a really easy decision because, for me, that’s my favorite type of artist and what I listen to the most. I’m thrilled with the way it turned out, and so excited at how seriously everyone took it and made the songs their own. When we did the project, it wasn’t like, “Here, remix this and slap your name on it.” We really wanted them to take songs and make them their own. It’s their record – our songs were just the platform.

Describe Steel Train’s mentality on the road and how you’ve gotten better at touring.

We’re really good at it at this point [laughs]. We all know what to expect from each other at this point. Nowadays, I look back at all the huge mistakes we made early on and it’s funny. Everything, really – where we ate, what hours we chose to drive, whatever it was. People always get so stressed out about it, but touring is really not that hard. It’s sort of what you make of it. It’s our job, and our job involves a lot of traveling [laughs].

You’ve had the good fortune to tour with some great names over the last few years (Tegan and Sara, Ben Folds, The Fray, Silversun Pickups, Hanson, The Format, Gomez, O.A.R., Barenaked Ladies, to name a few). Do you make it a point to pick something up from each of those bands as you go along? Or does that sort of thing happen naturally?

It definitely happens. Every band is like their own little industry in a weird way. Everyone does things a different way, so you pick up and learn things. From bands that support us, we learn about having good times. And from bands that we support, we learn much more about business, especially if they’re a band that’s at or been at a higher level.

What is it that generally drives you to create? Are there certain moods or situations to which you default?

For me, it’s about hard work. I’ve never worked well in term of forcing myself to create. I think it’s like anything else where it becomes a habit and becomes second nature. If you’re forcing yourself to write, you sort of forget how to do it or you get embarrassed around yourself writing lyrics. But if you put a work-like quality to it, it’s hugely helpful. I wake up the morning, eat breakfast, and go to work for five hours. If I think of things, great. If I don’t, I’ve learned something, anyway.

You’re in one relatively high profile side project — the band called “fun.” How important are side projects for you? What do you gain as an artist?

One thing that I’ve learned is that having other outlets for music and art makes it easier to be more mature within each outlet. Now, it’s not like I’m vomiting every idea into one thing. Like with this new Steel Train record, I feel like it’s really specific, and a really specific sound. I felt no pressure in getting every last concept or idea I ever had onto this record. So that’s one really nice quality about it.

Define success for Steel Train over the next six-12 months.

There’s all different levels of that. The core level is for people to understand and appreciate the record and the live show and support us, hopefully. I know that will happen with a few people, but I hope that will happen with a hundred million people [laughs]. Success for us is just to continue on the road we’re on.

It’s amazing the amount of bands who release records with a total lack of confidence in the industry to which they’re releasing it. What’s your take on the exciting and depressing sides of the industry?

The things that are depressing are the very same things that are exciting about it. Like any situation, you can focus on the negative elements or you can focus on the positive elements. Ya, the music industry is completely dying and no one wants to buy records. But it’s not that no one gives a fuck, it’s just that everything is different. In many ways, you’ve gotta pick a side: you’re either angry or bitter, or you’re going to make the best of it. It’s ridiculous at this point to try to fight it, and the labels and people that are [trying to fight it] are probably coming up really short and having a hard time. I’m just super, super excited that we are a band active in a time when the rights have been diverted back to the bands. The rights are being given back to the bands, and you’ve gotta be brave enough to take them.

Steel Train plays with Young Giant and Rachel Goodrich at Drunken Unicorn on July 13.

- Rosanne Cash, country star and daughter of the legend that is Johnny Cash, will be signing her book, Composed, at Agnes Scott College’s Presser Hall on August 14. The event is presented by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival (AJC DBF) and Yuengling Beer and is hosted by Agnes Scott and A Cappella Books, and will include a performance by Cash herself. She’ll also be auctioning off the custom-made guitar she’ll be playing, which was given to her by Yuengling Beer. Tickets include a copy of the book.

- Band of Horses play The Fabulous Fox Theatre on October 30, and the pre-sale starts tomorrow, Thursday, July 8 – the password is BULLDOGS. Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, July 9.

- Scissor Sisters come to the Buckhead Theatre on August 21. Expect a sparkly, glittery experience that will fill you with joy and all things good (hint: we can’t wait for this one!). Tickets go on sale on Saturday, July 10.

- R.E.M. will release a special two-disc set of the band’s third album, Fables of the Reconstruction, in honor of the record’s 25th anniversary. Apparently, “The new edition features the digitally remastered original album, plus 14 previously unreleased demo recordings, cut prior to the album’s studio sessions, including one long-sought track that has never been released. The album will also be released on 180g vinyl.” Yup, it’s fancy. The tracks will be steaming on MOG until the record’s release on July 13.

- Our hometown hero Big Boi released his long-awaited solo album, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty, yesterday, and we’re pretty sure you picked up a copy. As a little treat, here’s the video for the latest single from that record, “Follow Us,” featuring local lads Vonnegutt.

By Alec Wooden

On the surface, Los Angeles-based rock band Rooney has had it rough over the last 12 months. They’ve lost a label (Geffen) and a bass player (Matt Winter), all the while cutting a new record for the first time without benefits of mountains of label aid, engineers and producers. It takes little time talking to guitarist Taylor Locke, however, to figure out that the opposite is quite true. Instead of “losing” a label, they feel freed from one. Winter is gone, but has become no less a friend and avid supporter. And Eureka, the new and aforementioned uphill climb of a record, has left the band energized and excited about controlling their own direction more so than at any time in the past decade. One week into the band’s summer tour, Locke talks about all the reasons why, perhaps now more than ever, Rooney feels right at home within themselves.

What are we to expect sonically from Eureka?

Everyone these days uses the word “organic” in every album review … so I’ll try and shy away from that. The record has a polished sound to it, but slightly less so than our past records. Louie [Stephens, keyboardist] played lots of upright piano, which lends a cozy, barroom feel to the songs. I played more slide guitar than usual. Ned [Brower, drums] takes a lead vocal on one track. Matt [Winter, recently departed bassist] played much more active bass lines. However, you’ll still get plenty of synthesizer hooks, and of course, Robert [Schwartzman]’s voice, which are hallmarks of our groups’ sound.

Talk about the mentality of making this record, now that you’re independent, older and wiser.

Eureka is the first record we’ve done on our own. We didn’t work with a producer or an engineer, it was just the five of us. Also, we didn’t have an A&R person, or even a manager at the time. So what you hear is completely unadulterated Rooney. It’s the most true to our voice as a band, because there was literally no one outside of the band to influence it. The same goes for our EP last year [Wild One]. Having said that, it still sounds close enough to the Rooney people know from our past releases. Certain songs are musical departures, but there are plenty of songs that are good old Rooney.

Was the songwriting a collaborative process, or a solo affair? Is that different from records past?

Robert demoed up a bunch of tunes, as per usual. Louie contributed “Into the Blue,” and Ned and I co-wrote “The Hunch”. There were lots of other tunes by all of us in contention for the record. In the end, we went with mostly Robert’s material, because that is the foundation for the Rooney sound.

Longtime bassist Matt Winter left the band earlier this year. What have things been like in the wake of his departure? Was it strange hitting the road again for the first time without him?

We are handling the change quite well. In fact, Matt came to two of our shows, and even jumped up onstage and played on “When Did Your Heart Go Missing”. We respect his choice to leave and pursue other things. He played his ass off on Eureka, so we’ll always have that. The chemistry is different, but its quite positive. When someone doesn’t want to do something, they shouldn’t have to! It’s a rock ‘n’ roll band, not homework. The whole notion of being an artist or joining a band is to follow your muse, so if it doesn’t feel right, you gotta move on.

Who has stepped in and what’s the new dynamic like?

The young, talented and handsome Brandon Schwartzel is our new bassist. He learned a ton of songs even before our first rehearsal with him. On this tour, we are changing the setlist every single night, which keeps us on our toes. However, it keeps Brandon especially on his toes, because there are songs being thrown at him hours before showtime that he has never played before. We’ve been really impressed with his delivery of the goods, and he’s a super fun guy to be on the road with. We attempted some rehearsals as a quartet, with Robert handling bass, and me as the lone guitarist. It was fun, and some songs sounded pretty cool. However, our arrangements were built for a 5-piece, so we’d be selling the songs short by doing anything less.

Do you enjoy being on the road?

I love the road. This tour is long, and I’ll be honest, I was concerned to see the schedule at first. But we are a week deep, and having fun. Playing as many nights as possible (minimal days off) is my preferred method. I’m out here to perform, not sit in a parking lot somewhere.

Take us through some of the regularities of a day on tour.

We do a group huddle before each show. We’ve never missed one. I like to warm up my voice. That’s about it. Ned likes to take as many showers as possible. Standing naked in a parking lot and pouring bottled water over his head is considered a “shower” when a traditional one is not available.

Talk about Rooney’s live show – what do you try and do every night you go on stage?

We’ve been at it for awhile now. We don’t have any stage production. No fancy set dressing or planned moments. We just play the songs. We change the set list every night to keep the kids on the internet talking and comparing notes, and to keep ourselves interested. We’re all pretty focused on our jobs up there. I don’t like to make too many mistakes. We only have an hour in the day to go up there and get the music right. I like hearing our harmonies in tune, and I’m pleased when I pull off all my guitar solos properly. We try to deliver our best, no matter where we are, or how big or small the crowd is.

What was it like hearing your music on television for the first time?

The OC was the first big one. We were actually in the episode. It was not unlike shooting a music video. We went up on the set, strapped in and lip-synched the song a bunch of times. It was fun to see it on TV — we threw a party and we played live after the episode aired. TV reaches lots of people, so its always a big deal.

You guys have “come of age” as a band during a really interesting time in the music industry. I’m curious, as you become veterans in music, how your views of the current state of the industry are changing. Is it natural to become cynical as you get older and increase repetition within an industry? How do you avoid that?

We got very very lucky to get in and out of the major label system when we did. We signed with Geffen at a time when their “machine” was still effective. The promotional push they gave us was a great jump start to our career. On the second record we broke through in Europe, and that was so exciting. The major label system has since suffered substantially, both from illegal downloading and a lack of visionary label folks signing visionary artists. Things got stale. When we had the opportunity to leave, we jumped at it. It’s a great feeling to be operating on our own. We’re always looking at new ways of doing things. And yes, WE ARE CYNICAL! But to a certain extent, that suits us just fine. It keeps us defending ourselves from the bullshit that’s out there.

Rooney plays The Loft on July 10.