Experimental-deep-fried-southern rockers, My Morning Jacket, are on the verge of one of their most important years as a band. Following up their critically acclaimed album, Z, the band will be releasing their brand new album, Evil Urges, on June 10. Besides gracing the recent cover of SPIN Magazine, My Morning Jacket can also be found playing Saturday Night Live this weekend, May 10, as well as playing a sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall and a marquee spot at this year's Bonnaroo Festival next month.

(above: My Morning Jacket at this year's SXSW in Austin, TX. Look at this live show, you can't tell me they shouldn't be playing arenas).

I sat down with My Morning Jacket's resident drum pummeler, Patrick Hallahan, to discuss the band's big year and the possibility of becoming rock's next arena-worthy act:

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Tags: Evil Urges, My Morning Jacket, Patrick Hallahan

Next week, alternative-hip-hop-country twanger Tim Fite will release his brand new album, Fair Ain't Fair (Anti-). Over the last couple years Fite has been wowing critics with both his full-length debut album, Gone Ain't Gone, and his free-to-the-public, hip-hop album, Over The Counter Culture--which was chock full of thoughtful wit and social commentary.

(left: The hilarious, is-he-being-serious, is-he-not-being serious Tim Fite.)

Fite has developed a Pee Wee Herman-like talent for disguising his messages behind scribbled artwork and childlike behavior. Once you figure out what the big kid is up to, you realize he isn't so childish after all.

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Tags: Dr. Leisure, Fair Ain't Fair, Tim Fite

In the 90's, most bands originating from the Pacific Northwest were known for their somber sound and style. That changed when The Presidents of the United States of America arrived on the scene. Their hilarious songs and music videos proved that Seattle, indeed, had a sense of humor. Following their self-proclaimed "Led Zeppelin years," the Presidents briefly broke up, although by the time they got back together a few years later, their break up seemed more like an abbreviated hiatus.

(left to right: Newest President, Andrew McKeag, and incumbent, Jason Finn)

Last month, The Presidents of the United States of America released their brand new album, These Are The Good Times People. For anyone who lost track of the power-trio near the end of the alternative 90's, rest assured that the Presidents are still touring, still putting out albums, and still putting on a fun live show. The only difference now is that Andrew McKeag has filled in for original guitarist, Dave Dederer, and their once roll-polly drummer, Jason Finn, is rolly-polly no more.

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Tags: Andrew McKeag, Interview, Jason Finn, TALK, The Presidents of the United States of America

Last week the fun-loving Jim Noir released his eponymous sophomore album, Jim Noir. At this point in time, most Americans are probably more familiar with the commercials (Target, Adidas) his songs have appeared in, than the actual songs themselves. Noir's catchy hooks are radio-friendly, easy-to-digest, pop goodies that will get stuck in your head after just one listen.

(left: Jim Noir talkin' about the new album, Jim Noir)

Teaming up with Barsuk Records--the same label that brought us the indie goodness of Death Cab For Cutie and Nada Surf--Noir is hoping to make a big splash stateside with his second go-around:

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Tags: Interview, Jim Noir, Talk

When people discuss the "blog band" phenomenon, one of the first groups included in that conversation are Minneapolis' Tapes 'N Tapes. Their debut album, The Loon, gained great notoriety from various internet blog postings--and furthermore--a favorable review from Pitchfork Media (which is now talked about like a Babe Ruth homerun) garnered the group even more positive attention.

This week Tapes N' Tapes released their brand new sophomore album, Walk It Off (XL Recordings). Will the hot lights of the blogosphere shine brighter on the band? Or will bloogers and message-board-posters wordwide turn a critical eye (as they've been known to do from time to time)?

(left to right: Josh Grier, Matt Kretzman, Jeremy Hanson, and Erik Applewick)

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Tags: Interview, Talk, Tapes 'N Tapes, Walk it Off

Late last year in a move that surprised many, Saul Williams released his brand new Trent Reznor-produced album, The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust, as a free download on his website. Why was this such a surprise? Well, with the proper hype, the album could have been spun into a marketing blockbuster, considering it was pieced together by Saul Williams, one of underground hip-hop's most gifted lyricists, and Trent Reznor, producer extraordinaire for Nine Inch Nails. Besides Reznor's increase in productivity over the last few years, what's also amazing is that Williams (who many critics believe can stand toe-to-toe with any "mainstream" MC) reemerged on the hip-hop scene looking through the apocalyptic lens of NIN (with a little sprinkle of stardust from David Bowie):

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Tags: Niggy Tardust, Saul Williams, Talk, Trent Reznor

In an internet second, Vampire Weekend went from playing college house parties to being heralded by SPIN magazine as "The Year's Best New Band...Already." Pretty amazing stuff, considering the band posed for the publication's cover before their debut album was even released. In the last three months alone, the recent college grads have played a string of sold-out shows, performed on Saturday Night Live, and had to turn people away at their "filled-to-capacity" showcase at this year's SXSW.

How did it happen so quickly for Vampire Weekend? Are they just that good? Or did the internet bloggers of the world help give them a shortcut to success?

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Tags: Chris Baio, L'Homme Run, Rostam Batmanglij, SXSW, Vampire Weekend, XL Recordings

For anyone who has ever seen hip-hop legend KRS-One in concert, you know one of his famous boasts is: "The real hip-hop is over here!" If a similar boast was made in the punk rock world, it would seem very appropriate to say it in the vicinity of Strike Anywhere, a fiercely political punk band originally hailing from Richmond, VA.

I met up with their frontman, Thomas Barnett (pictured left), on the opening night of their current East Coast tour, and was very relieved to find out that there are still some wonderful souls out there carrying the punk rock torch with great passion and sincerity. At face-value, Barnett does not look like your typical punk frontman--he favors dreadlocks over mohawks, and his on-stage attire of what look to be wall-climbing sneakers and a pair of paint splattered work-shorts (that sometimes ride a good six inches above his knees) don't necessarily scream anarchy or uprising. But as you'll soon find out, judging a book by its cover, may be one of the most un-punk rock things you can do.

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Tags: Dead FM, Fat Wreck Chords, Interview, Punk, Strike Anywhere, TALK

I'm sure there are still some Dischord-loving D.C. kids who are bummed that their favorite band, Q and Not U, is no more. It's hard to stay sad for long, considering that one of their members, John Davis, has teamed up with another multi-talented singer-songwriter, Laura Burhenn, to form the feel-good indie-pop of Georgie James (Saddle Creek).

We shared some small talk about Davis' former boss, Ian McKaye, who he calls "a good guy with a great sense of humor" and about sharing the same name as the frontman of Korn. Though it's highly unlikely the two will ever be confused, Davis mentioned how he was coincidentally in a band named Corm just as Korn was getting big in the '90's.

Here's what else we talked about:

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Tags: Cake Parade, Georgie James, Interview, Need Your Needs, Places, Saddle Creek, TALK

Last year, socially conscious folk-punk-rockers Against Me! released their major label debut, New Wave (Sire). Their efforts were applauded by various music critics (the album found its way on many year-end top-ten lists), while being simultaneously protested by many of the band's early (live-and-die-by-punk-rock-ethos) followers. The band has not stopped touring since the album's release, and will continue to stay out on the road (including playing this summer's Warped Tour) until the end of the year. We caught up with them on their most recent gig--opening up for the Foo Fighters on their current U.S. Tour:

Jim Shearer: Last time I saw you guys, you were working on your major label debut. I know there are always expectations before a group releases an album--what were your expectations before you released New Wave and have they been met?

Tom Gabel: It's kind of an awkward question, because it's like asking someone, "You're going to see the movie Atonement, what are your expectations of the movie?" You could answer that question, but I can't answer what the expectations are for the record that I made--

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Tags: Against Me New Wave Tom Gabel Andrew Seward James Bowman Warren Oakes Sire

You may recognize her as the captain of Sufjan Stevens' cheerleading squad, but roundoffs, cartwheels, and pom-poms aside, My Brightest Diamond (Shara Worden) is a lo-fi loving, classically trained vocalist who will make Portishead, PJ Harvey, and Bjork fans stand up and cheer. We met up in Union Square (New York City), months before the release of her highly anticipated album A Thousand Shark's Teeth (Asthmatic Kitty Records) and weeks before her performance at SXSW:

Jim: You grew up singing along to Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey albums. When did you get into the heavier stuff, so to speak, like PJ Harvey and Bjork?
My Brightest Diamond: Probably my third or fourth year in college. I was a hardcore R&B head for a really long time.

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Tags: My Brightest Diamond, Shootin' the Breeze, Sufjan Stevens