The band recently completed their first semi-extensive jaunt through the Americas last week, playing to venues packed full of obsessive fans, showing off heretofore unknown charisma, showmanship and a curiously dead-on rendition of "Billie Jean." The octet have two Brazilian gigs planned for October, followed by a November stint in Japan. We've heard that tickets will go for upwards of 6,000 yen. Outrageous, we know.

10-26 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Museum of Modern Art
10-27 Sao Paulo, Brazil - Jockey Club of Sao Paulo
11-12 Osaka, Japan - Zepp
11-13 Nagoya, Japan - Diamond Hall
11-14 Tokyo, Japan - Blitz
11-15 Tokyo, Japan - Blitz
11-19 Fukuoka, Japan - Drum Logos

.: Pitchfork Review: Belle and Sebastian: Fold Your Hands Child...
.: Belle and Sebastian: http://www.jeepster.co.uk/belleandsebastian

Brandon Dameshek reports:
Having recently relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico, the one-time Chicago-based husband-and-wife duo of Brett and Rennie Sparks, more commonly known as the Handsome Family, will embark on a U.S. tour in support of their forthcoming album, Twilight. The new record will by released by Carrot Top (the record label, not the unbearably annoying freak hocking cheap phone calls on TV) on September 24th.

Twilight marks the first release by the loving, ever-uplifting couple since last year's In the Air. While the band may have had their fair share of experience with anti-depressants and mental restabilization, they never disappoint musically, and have managed to turn their personal turmoil into a gift for us all. My, that was awfully nice of them.

09-21 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room
09-22 Austin, TX - Stubb's Outdoors
09-23 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
09-24 Atlanta, GA - The Roxy Theater
09-27 Austin, TX - Emo's
09-28 Houston, TX - Rudyard's
09-29 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room
10-02 Chapel Hill, NC - Go Studio
10-04 Arlington, VA - Iota
10-05 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's
10-06 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
10-09 Cambridge, MA - Middle East
10-11 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
10-12 Detroit, MI - Majestic Theater
10-13 Columbus, OH - Bernie's Distillery
10-14 Cincinnati, OH - The Comet
10-16 St. Louis, MO - McMurry Music
10-20 Denver, CO - Lion's Lair
12-08 Chicago, IL - Old Town School of Folk Music

.: Pitchfork Review: The Handsome Family: In the Air
.: The Handsome Family: http://www.handsomefamily.com
.: Carrot Top Records: http://www.carrottoprecords.com

Brandon Dameshek reports:
Clem Snide, who released the wonderfully eclectic and somewhat comedic The Ghost of Fashion only a few short months ago, are coming to a venue near you. Already in the midst of their current U.S. tour, Eef Barzelay and the boys were recently approached to pen and perform the new theme song for NBC's "Ed." Rumors have sprouted that the band's initial song idea-- which began with the lyrics, "Come and knock on our door/ We'll be waiting for you"-- was rejected almost immediately, as it rang of familiarity.

While the fine-tuning and details are still being worked out, the band is honing their skills as musical craftsmen at the following locations. Don't forget to bring the lyrics to your favorite TV theme song.

09-20 San Diego, CA - The Casbah
09-21 Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland
09-24 San Francisco, CA - Make Out Room
09-27 Eugene, OR - Sam Bond's Garage
09-28 Portland, OR - Dantes
09-29 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile Cafe
10-01 Salt Lake City, UT - TBA
10-03 Denver (or Boulder), CO - TBA
10-04 Omaha, NE - The Music Box
10-05 Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar
10-06 Chicago, IL - Schuba's
10-07 Lafayette, IN - Duncan Hall

.: Pitchfork Review: Clem Snide: The Ghost of Fashion
.: Clem Snide: http://www.clemsnide.com
.: SpinART Records: http://www.spinartrecords.com

George Pletz reports:
In a time when hard rock means caterwauling over hip-hop flavored metal, San Francisco's Black Rebel Motorcycle Club get their kicks doing it the old-fashioned way. In case you're too young to remember the "old-fashioned way," that means hollering and mumbling over walls of Marshall stack-melting guitar. Noises like these have not been heard since the sneaker-staring apex of cult groups like My Bloody Valentine and the Jesus and Mary Chain. In the desperation to stretch the Anglo lineage game to its absurd limits, much has been made of their drummer Nick Jago's UK background. Now all they have to do is isolate the Kevin Shields gene and we'll have an army of rabid shoegazers! For now, we'll just have to settle for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's upcoming tour, supporting their Virgin Records debut.

The buzzsaw noise-rock trio will be feeding back and falling over in tiny clubs and smoky bars all across the US starting later this month. The dates will be shared with Bomp Records' latest discovery, the Warlocks, who are embarking on their first national tour.

09-21 New Brunswick, NJ - Court Tavern
09-22 Baltimore, MA - Fletchers
09-23 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
09-25 Washington, DC - Black Cat
09-26 Carrboro, NC - Local 506
09-27 Charlotte, NC - The Casbah
09-28 Nashville, TN - Buzz Festival
10-01 Indianapolis, IL - The Patio
10-02 Champaign, IL - High Dive
10-03 Madison, WI - Club 770
10-04 Milwaukee, WI - The Globe
10-05 Iowa City, IA - Gabe's Oasis
10-06 St Louis, MO - Mississippi Nights
10-09 Denver, CO - Fox Theater (W/ The Strokes)
10-10 Salt Lake City, UT - Liquid Joes

.: Pitchfork Review: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: BRMC
.: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: http://www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com