Music fans and middle-aged dads across the country, here’s something to get excited about: the launch of the AmericanaramA Festival of Music, which will spend the summer launching in Florida, traveling across North America, and ending up in California. And what is the AmericanaramA, you ask? Why, it’s a rock tour fronted by Bob Dylan, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket.
Looks like Wilco is sidestepping the major studios and following Radiohead’s example, as the band has announced that they will release their eighth studio album, The Whole Love, all by themselves on September 27th. The disc will be the first release for their new label, dBpm.
In somewhat of a surprise move, Wilco is saying goodbye to Nonesuch Records, a relationship that started in 2002 and included four studio albums and a live collection. With their Nonesuch contract fulfilled, the band are now planning to launch their own record label, guitarist Nels Cline has revealed.
“I don’t know the name of it,” Cline told Express Night Out. “Jeff [Tweedy] and [manager] Tony Margherita are the masterminds, so I’m just cruising with what they want to do.”
Vinyl fans it is time to rejoice–Record Store Day is upon us tomorrow, that special day when our favorite artists release a dizzying array of obscure or unreleased material on vinyl for their hardcore fans and record fetishists.
Rolling Stone took time out from obsessing/ cultishly worshiping (with goat sacrifices and everything!) every retirement-age rock star within spitting distance to list a few late, but very exciting, additions to Record Store Day release lineup:
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Because nothing says “Wilco” like thinly sliced oven-roasted turkey with cream cheese, cranberry sauce and a hint of stuffing served on cranberry and cream cheese bread, Toronto’s Sky Blue Sky Sandwich Company has created a Wilco-based and themed sandwich shop in honor of the Chicago-based band. Essentially, every sandwich in the shop is named for a Wilco tune that at least tangentially ties into the title or theme of a Wilco song – check the cheeky menu out here. And while this is all well and good, if a bit ridiculous, did they have to and associate one of the all-time great Wilco songs (with Billy Bragg via Woody Guthrie), “California Stars,” with mayonnaise? Ugh.
That said, “Kingpin” and “Sonny Feeling” do look (and sound) pretty good .
Looks as if Wilco have no problem planning ahead. Like September 2010 ahead. The band are now confirmed as the headliners for the 2010 edition of the End of the Road Festival. And guess what? Tickets for the 3-day event are already available from the official website.
The festival takes place at Larmer Tree Gardens in Dorset/Wiltshire from September 10 – 12.
Now that we’ve sufficiently listened to Wilco [The Album] enough times since its release in June, clearly it’s time for Wilco [The Next Album] – or whatever Wilco plan to title their follow-up album, which, according to one band member, they are preparing to start recording in early 2010.
Speaking with The Ampersand, bassist John Stirratt said the band has “a big session” in January where they will start on the new record.
“We’re trying to get on the ball as fast as we can because the touring has been pretty much non-stop.”
If you’re still up in the air for what to do Saturday night, perhaps tuning-in to a live performance by Wilco on Garrison Keiler’s A Prairie Home Companion broadcast is an option.
Well, live from Thursday. The band performed this week from the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minn, which is featured on this week’s edition of A Prairie Home Companion. The concert also features country singer Patty Loveless.
In case you didn’t already know Neil Finn is collaborating with bands such as Radiohead, Wilco and Johnny Marr for a benefit LP titled 7 Worlds Collide: The Sun Came Out. The record isn’t out until August 31 in the UK, but currently you can listen to some minute-long snippets from it at the album’s Myspace page.
Find out more about the album after the jump.
