Morning Music Notes – Godspeed You! Black Emperor Announce New Album, PeteHatesMusic Explodes With Happiness

Godspeed You! Black Emperor Return With New Album on October 15/16

One of my top 10 bands of all time is Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The Montreal instrumental post-rock / insert-a-million-adjectives band broke up after 2002’s Yanqui U.X.O., but reunited in recent years for a series of short tours (including one that blew our minds at Lee’s Palace in Toronto). After slight hints about recording new material, we get a huge bombshell (of Rockets Fall on Rocket Falls proportions) – Godspeed You! Black Emperor have announced a brand new album (via Consequence of Sound). Fuck yeah!!

The album (with artwork featured above) is called ALLELUJAH! DON’T BEND! ASCEND! and those caps lock are not from my crushing excitement. The album will be amazing! out on October 15 in Europe, October 16 in North America. The band haven’t ditched their epically long song format – there will be four songs only and it will be 53 minutes long across those songs. The official press release from Constellation Records says:

“Having emerged from hiatus at the end of 2010, GYBE picked up right where they left off, immediately re-capturing the sound and material that had fallen dormant in 2003 and driving it forward with every show of their extensive touring over the last 18 months. The new album presents the fruits of that labour: evolved and definitive versions of two huge compositions previously known to fans as “Albanian” and “Gamelan”, now properly titled as “MLADIC” and “WE DRIFT LIKE WORRIED FIRE” respectively. Accompanied by the new drones (stitched into the album sequence on CD; cut separately on their own 7? for the LP version), GYBE have offered up a fifth album that we feel is as absolutely vital, virulent, honest and heavy as anything in their discography.”

The band have been selling the album on their current tour, too, including at a show in Boston last night. If you don’t know the band, check out one of their many sprawling tracks below.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Dead Flag Blues

Would You Have a Vegetarian Coachella to See The Smiths Reunite?

Sorry for the hypothetical question, because it’s not like you have a vote in the matter. Former Smiths’ singer, Morrissey, has said that Coachella organizers would have eliminated meat at their festival if Johnny Marr and Morrissey would play together at a Coachella event as The Smiths (via Hollywood Reporter). Sorry, bassist and drummer – you are not needed! Morrissey, famously a vegetarian, played Coachella in 2009 and didn’t like the smell of meat. While one festival did go meat-free for Morrissey, he turned down the offer for a “Smiths” reunion. Coachella organizers clubbed seals in disapproval at his rejection.

Rdio to Pay Artists $10 For New Subscribers

Here’s an interesting new business model – FREE MUSIC FOR ALL! online streaming site, Rdio, are offering artists a smacking crisp $10 bill for each new subscriber they rope into Rdio (via Hollywood Reporter). Rdio CEO Drew Larner said “It’s incredibly hard to make a living doing it. … We’re aligning our focus on social music discovery with our fundamental belief that artists deserve to get paid for their work.”

Several artists have signed up for the service already, including Snoop “I’m in need of $10” Dogg, Chromeo, A-Trak, and Scissor Sisters.

It’s Confirmed – Adele to Sign Bond Theme Song

Thursday evening in the US of A is when Adele will debut the Bond theme song for the upcoming movie, Skyfall. It’s pretty amazing how well the James Bond franchise has accomplished an iconic checklist of things that have to be a part of their movies. Bond girls, Bond gadgets, one-liners, ridiculous stunts, the martini line, the “I’m Bond, James Bond” line, and the Bond theme songs. Hopefully it’s a good one (and I mean both the movie and the theme song). Quantum of Solace pretty much sucked the big one.

Watch! Alabama Shakes – I Ain’t The Same

Alabama Shakes have filmed a video at Konk Studios in London, England. The track is I Ain’t The Same, which is how I felt immediately after my sex change. The mid-tempo rock track has that laid back, bluesy-soul sound that have made Alabama Shakes popular. Check it out below.

Alabama Shakes – I Ain’t The Same