Aaron Shaul reports:
Scotland's twee superstars Belle and Sebastian are coming back to North America for a handful of spring dates but, dammit, too early for the prom. This time, instead of limiting themselves to the Pacific time zone, they're actually hitting the Eastern and Central zones, too. (Thanks, ladies, we appreciate it.) But of course, the band still seems determined to break someone's heart-- this time it's those of you who were dealt the cruel blow of residing under the oppressive fist of Mountain Standard Time-- by missing a few heavily fan'd locales. Belle and Sebastian's live shows have been a bit giddy and rambunctious of late, tossing in covers like "Space Oddity," "Turn, Turn, Turn," and "The Boys Are Back in Town" alongside their sparkling new material.

As previously reported, Belle and Sebastian recently finished writing and recording a score for Todd Solondz's Storytelling. However, there's been much ballyhoo about whether the material the band wrote for use in the film will actually be packaged as a soundtrack to the film, since Solondz only used a fraction of their work in the finished product. Regardless, Matador says they're tenatively aiming for the album to see release before the end of the band's U.S. tour ("hopefully next May"). As if there wasn't already enough for sale at the merch table.

Belle and Sebastian will stage a massive European sweep before lunging headfirst into the depths of America, including an April Fool's stop in their native Scotland. For the first three dates on their April intinerary, Belle and Sebastian plan to coordinate a "treasure hunt" in the cities of Edinburgh, Manchester, and London with coveted VIP guestlist/backstage treatment for the detectives that hunt down prizes hidden in those cities by Belle and Sebastian operatives. Clues will be disseminated on the official Belle and Sebastian website.

Just as a side note, Belle and Sebastian are playing in the same size venues as Latin god Enrique Iglesias on his latest tour. However, some venues might have to eliminate the first few rows to accommodate the now thirteen-piece band. Tourdates:

03-16 Aarhus, Denmark - Vox Hall
03-17 Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega
03-18 Malmö, Sweden - KB
03-19 Stockholm, Sweden - Cirkus
04-01 Edinburgh, Scotland - Usher Hall
04-02 Manchester, England - Apollo
04-03 London, England - Brixton Academy
04-06 Rotterdam, Netherlands - Motel Mozaique
04-07 Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique
04-08 Lille, France - Aeronef
04-09 Paris, France - Grand Rex Theatre
04-11 Bourges, France - Printemps De Bourges Festival
04-13 Rimini, Italy - Velvet
04-14 Modena, Italy - Vox
04-15 Rome, Italy - Horus
04-16 Milan, Italy - Propaganda
04-28 Indio, CA - Coachella Festival
04-30 Austin, TX - The Backyard
05-03 Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre
05-04 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
05-05 New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
05-07 Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis
05-08 Toronto, ON - Kool Haus
05-10 Detroit, MI - State Theatre
05-11 Chicago, IL - Congress Theatre
05-13 Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle

.: Pitchfork Review: Belle and Sebastian: Fold Your Hands, Child...
.: Belle and Sebastian: http://www.belleandsebastian.co.uk
.: Matador: http://www.matadorrecords.com
.: Jeepster: http://www.jeepster.co.uk

Brock Kappers and Raymond Kensington Suzuki III report:
Tired of glitzy, over-the-top production values of most of today's concerts? Annoyed with the idea of falling asleep during acoustic ballads? Are you lacking the funds to get soused at a bar? If so, I've got a new suit that will fit you quite nicely. How would you like a drunken soiree with four inebriated slobs from Ohio? Then a Guided By Voices show is your ticket to a great evening! Robert Pollard is packing up his backing band and, more importantly, a tap for the onstage keg, for a string of roaring good times all throughout our fair country. The tour is in support of, uh, well, nothing but an alcohol-drenched good time!

Pollard and his two current backing servants are breaking in a new "drone" on February 22nd: drummer Kevin March, who previously kept time for outfits like Those Bastard Souls and the Dambuilders. Yessss, he should be much easier to assimilate than the notoriously un-obidient Jon McCann, who Guided by Voices' website claims "has decided to leave the band and get back to a more consistent life of not being on the road." Lies! He's chained up in the cellar being cross-bred with Mitch Mitchell and those guys from Cobra Verde to create a hideous subhuman species of bar-rockers. We're onto you, Pollard.

In other GbV-related news, the band's deal with TVT Records has reportedly not been renewed for a third album following somewhat disappointing sales of Isolation Drills. The hazy days of being Sevendust labelmates behind them, Pollard and his cronies are forging on with a new album or three for 2002, including a new Guided by Voices offering later this year. As reported last week, the new song "Everywhere with Helicopter" will be released on Amazing Grease's 10 Years of Noise Pop compilation in March, and you can catch them with the impeccably pedigreed Preston School of Industry at this year's fest. This song is called "Kappers Tourdate Type-athon" 1...2...3...4...

02-22 Bloomington, IN - Bluebird *
02-23 Columbia, MO - Mojo's *
02-24 Kansas City, MO - *
02-26 Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre >
03-01 Anaheim, CA - House of Blues +
03-02 Sacramento, CA - Colonial Theatre
03-03 San Francisco, CA - Noise Pop Festival +
03-05 Seattle, WA - Crocodile Cafe
03-06 Vancouver, BC - Richards on Richards
03-09 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
03-10 Champaign, IN - High Dive
03-16 Dayton, OH - Dublin Pub
04-02 Grand Rapids, MI - Intersection
04-03 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
04-05 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
04-06 Buffalo, NY - The Continental
04-09 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
04-13 Towson, MD - Recher Theatre

* with the Anniversary
+ with Preston School of Industry
> with Desaparacedos

.: Pitchfork Review: Guided by Voices: Isolation Drills
.: Guided by Voices: http://www.gbv.com

Will Bryant reports:
Details are finally emerging about Pedro the Lion's third full-length, Control. The album, due April 16th on Jade Tree, has been the object of bulletin-board speculation for some months now-- in part because its creator, Pedro braintrust David Bazan, has spent so much time meticulously polishing its surface. Originally slated for mid-2001, Control was completely re-recorded over last fall and into early this year.

Another concept album in the vein of 2000's Winners Never Quit (which explored issues of betrayal, sin, regret and redemption), Control is billed by Jade Tree as the "loose, raw tale of a hyper-modern marriage gone wrong." Fair enough, but then Jade Tree go on to liken one song to Bedhead, then express a desire that Control will strike down Pedro's rep as "a quiet, folky outfit." Let's see... Bazan tours mostly with just a drummer, when he's not going completely solo... where did we get that impression?

Indeed, the MP3 samples posted on Jade Tree's site yesterday represent a more aggressive Pedro in the vein of Winners' "Never Leave a Job Half Done." The ringing, U2-inspired guitars and heavy drums of "Penetration" add bombast to a generic tale of lost idealism or perhaps a dotcom layoff: "We're so sorry, sir, but you did not quite make the cut this time/ And we'd appreciate it if you cleared your stuff all out by five." And holy crap, is that the synth from "Teenage FBI" lurking in the background of the extramarital gut-wringer "Rapture"? Maybe the guy really does want to be Bob Pollard.

Other song titles include album opener "Options," and of course, "Unoriginal." (Unnnghh!!!) Bazan being the wry, ironic type, that may prove to be the most challenging song of the lot. Or at least a decent ripoff of "Snacks and Candy."

Pedro the Lion's tour dates have changed since our report last month. At the end of the month, Pedro will play the Noise Pop Festival with Seldom and ex-Velocity Girl Sarah Shannon. The remaining dates are David Bazan solo shows:

02-28 San Francisco, CA, Slim's (w/Seldom, Sarah Shannon)
03-27 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
03-28 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
03-29 Eugene, OR - WOW Hall
03-30 Seattle, WA - Graceland
03-31 Portland, OR - Berbati's Pan

.: Pitchfork Review: Pedro the Lion: Winners Never Quit
.: Pedro the Lion: http://www.pedrothelion.com
.: Jade Tree: http://www.jadetree.com

Brandon Dameshek reports:
When I think of western Massachusetts, only two things come to mind: Dunkin' Donuts and the members of New Radiant Storm King (mmmmm, donuts). Since rising from the Pixies-addled ashes of Hampshire College circa 1990, NRSK has done nothing but tour and drop new albums on our collective ass. With Winter's Kill, the Kings' first new offering in three years, the band intends to reclaim that soothing mix of folk-rock and early-90s flannel. Sort of.

Founding members Peyton Pinkerton (Pernice Brothers) and Matt Hunter (Wharton Tiers) continue to front NRSK, despite the loss of original drummer Elizabeth Sharp. The band is currently rounded out by Ken Maiuri (bass), George Berz (drums), and occasionally Jeremy Smith (keys, percussion). In support of their new album, the King plans to play a showcase at Austin's Rehab Lounge on March 16th as part of SXSW. The band will kick off a full evening of Rainbow Quartz artists including the Grip Weeds, Rockfour, and Outrageous Cherry. Maybe if we're lucky they'll get that Joe Pernice guy to show up and do something cool. Do we have a tracklist for you? Shit yeah, we do!

01 In the Spirit of Distance
02 Golden Parachute
03 Lesslie Skyline
04 Colony Falls
05 Vieja
06 Montague Terrace
07 Constellation Prize
08 Bombs and Broccoli
09 Winter's Kill
10 Small Broken Words
11 Your Better Half
12 View of a Wedding Through the Hubble Telescope

.: Pitchfork Review: New Radiant Storm King: Singular, No Article
.: New Radiant Storm King: http://www.nokarma.com/nrsk
.: Rainbow Quartz: http://www.rainbowquartz.com