speed of dark

I didn't write a Finally Friday this week, because Thursday night we were out late at a show and I was a mess the next day on three and a half hours of sleep. So instead, enjoy these Sunday morning tidbits.

The Dears are currently working on their follow-up to 2006's Gang of Losers, which was featured on my best of list. In the words of Natalia Yanchak, keyboardist and wife of lead singer Murray Lightburn, "this record has been busting out from all convention" and "it sounds great, the album is amazing, incredible, mind-blowing, whatever, but really how else could I describe something so pure and real, something with an undeniable energy, channeled from the souls of a handful of musicians and written from the heart by one anointed composer? It feels like The Dears are The Dears again." I can't wait for the album and to see the band live again.

In support of Boy With a Coin, Iron & Wine kicks off a tour on November 26 in Tucson, AZ and continues through early December all over the northwest and southwest (L.A. dates are 11/28 and 11/30) before heading to Europe. Click here for full listing.

Nada Surf will release their fifth album, Lucky, in February and have dates scheduled internationally (none in L.A. at this time, sadly). Lucky will feature several guest appearances, including Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), Ed Harcourt, and John Roderick (Long Winters).

Check out the MTVU Woodie Awards Show, featuring Rilo Kiley, Tokyo Police Club, and more.

See Aquarium Drunkard's review of The Whigs' rock n roll show.

And finally, we add another blog to our blogroll, Concrete Circles, who started his blog about the same time we did, and introduced me to Coco B's, who should be featured here soon.

the dears: this is a broadcast [buy]
iron and wine: lovesong of the buzzard [buy]
girls in hawaii: blizzard of '77 [nada surf cover] [buy Nada Surf | buy Girls in Hawaii]
coco b's: i live in L.A. [buy]