The Kaiser Chiefs do it again

Jan. 24, 2007

Cheeky pop-rockers Kaiser Chiefs are on the way back with a new disc, which will serve as the follow-up to their 2005 set, Employment.  Titled Yours Truly, The Angry Mob, KC’s newest, which was produced by Blur/Smiths producer Stephen Street, was deftly recorded in a short six weeks last fall, and will include tracks “Ruby,” “The Angry Mob,” “Thank You Very Much,” and “Learnt My Lesson Well.” The CD will hit U.S. shores on March 27, unless you want to snag it early as an import, as it will be released first in Europe and the UK on February 26...
 
Oasis are set to head back into the studio later this year to record what will be their seventh - and, according to Oasis’ Noel Gallagher, their “most ambitious” - album.  The roster of new songs, which began when Gallagher dug up four songs that were left over from studio sessions for their Don’t Believe the Truth album, has been expanded to include “grander” compositions, on which Gallagher explains they’re hoping to add orchestral elements, vocal choirs, and more to branch out from their reliable formula of guitar, bass, drums, and vocals;  a release date has yet to be confirmed...
 
Joni Mitchell is going to be the subject of a tribute album, on which a plethora of modern musicians are getting together to perform their renditions of classic Joni Mitchell Songs. Titled the obvious - A Tribute To Joni Mitchell - the album, which is due this spring, will include contributions from Bjork, who will cover Mitchell’s song “The Boho Dance,” Sufjan Stevens, who will do his version of “Free Man in Paris,” Sarah McLachlan (“Blue”), Annie Lennox (“Ladies of the Canyon”), James Taylor (“River”) and Elvis Costello (“Edith and the Kingpin”), among others...
 This year’s inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been announced, and among them are The Ronettes, folk-rocker Patti Smith, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and modern rock legends R.E.M., among others. To be eligible, musicians must have issued their first single or album at least 25 years ago, which means R.E.M. is only just barely eligible. The Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony itself will be held on March 12 in New York City...
 
MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:  New super-group The Good The Bad and The Queen - which consists of Blur frontman Damon Albarn, Clash bassist Paul Simonon, Verve guitarist Simon Tong, and Africa 70 drummer Tony Allen - have posted their entire new album for you to listen to (streaming) on their MySpace site, www.myspace.com/thegoodthebadandthequeen...
 
MINI BUZZ:
Kasabian, Lostprophets, and Jarvis Cocker have all booked to perform at special pre-show events for the upcoming NME Music Awards in London...
!!! are returning in March with their third album, Myth Takes, which the band recorded over six months in three different locales...
Kelly Clarkson has recruited none other than Stooges/Minuteman bassist Mike Watt to work with her on her upcoming third album...
Garbage are ending their hiatus from live shows by reuniting for a January 31 benefit show for cancer-stricken veteran drummer Wally Ingram; Keb’ Mo’ will also be appearing at the benefit...
Pelican’s post-rock new album, City of Echoes, is now in the mixing stages and is due out May 22...
Deerhoof’s newest, Friend Opportunity, is set to hit stores on January 23...
 
And here are a few new releases that you don’t have to wait for, out
this week: 
ON CD:  
The Shins’ Wincing the Night Away... The Good The Bad and The Queen’s The Good The Bad and The Queen... Of Montreal’s Hissing Fauna Are You De-stroyer... Mum’s Peel Sessions... Menomena’s Friend and Foe... and Fujiya and Miyagi’s Transparent Things (Dig)...
ON DVD:
Thomas Dolby: The Sole Inhabitant... My Morning Jacket’s Okonokos: The Con-cert... Bobby Darin
- Seeing is Believing... and Dylan Speaks... and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.
 
Questions, comments, rants, raves, suggestions on this column or your fave musicians?  Send ‘em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com