Among the new releases out this week, the biggest is perhaps R.E.M.'s Accelerate. Recent years have seen them resting, some would say sleeping, on their laurels a bit, with a series of releases that, while strong in spots, simply were not up to the bar the band had set for themselves. Excitement has been building for the new one, though, based largely on positive early critical returns and whispers of more energy, shorter songs, and a greater emphasis on guitars than we've heard from them in the past few years. It's no stretch, then, to anticipate the best effort of the post-Bill Berry from the (now) trio, and we'll get to it in earnest tonight on In House. R.E.M. begins their first tour in three years May 23rd in Vancouver, BC, with still no Portland date announced despite that six day gap between opening night and May 29th in Los Angeles.

Video: REM- "Living Well is the Best Revenge" (Live in a moving car, courtesy of La Blogotheque)

Video: A recent special announcement from R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe

Also out this week is the fifth full-length from the Akron, OH-based duo The Black Keys. After having already accomplished more with their sound than anyone would have thought possible for a Led Zeppelin/Junior Kimbrough-influenced guitar and drums duo, the Keys take another step outside of their original lines on Attack & Release with the added presence of producer Danger Mouse, whose credits also inlcude Gnarls Barkley and Gorillaz. It was Danger Mouse, in fact, who approached the duo about writing up some material for an Ike Turner album he was working on before Turner's death last year. It's that same material that forms the core of the new release, which at times exhibits the retro soul-heavy elements Danger Mouse has become known for, although the band can still turn it up loud and gritty like their Thickfreakness days. The Black Keys play the Crystal Ballroom this coming Friday, April 4th.

Speaking of shows, plenty of those in the week ahead, too. Jeffrey Lewis returns to town with his band the Jitters, playing the Doug Fir Lounge on Wednesday night on a bill that includes The Cribs and Ra Ra Riot. 12 Crass Songs, Lewis' latest, features his anti-folk takes on songs by the British anarch-punk band Crass. Also Wednesday, an outstanding bill at Holocene sees The Ruby Suns, Loch Lomond and Le Loup sharing the same stage. Elsewhere this week, the American Music Club plays the Doug Fir Lounge on Friday night along with Carla Bozulich and Ghost to Falco. The AMC's latest, The Golden Age, is their second album since Mark Eitzel and company revived the band. Also on the way: Tom Brosseau, Holcombe Waller & the Healers, and The Golden Bears at the Doug Fir Lounge (Thursday), Karl Blau at The Artistery (Friday), and Rachel Taylor Brown's CD release show at Mississippi Studios (Saturday), among many others.

The thread's open, use as you see fit.....

Posted by jpetersen on Sunday, March 30 at 9:21pm