Wilco Defect from Nonesuch to own label

Feb. 6, 2011

Wilco Defect from Nonesuch to Own Label
Chicago rockers Wilco, who have been based at Nonesuch Records for years (and who featured their transition to that label in a critic and fan-acclaimed documentary about the band), have just announced that they’re leaving their label home to start their very own record company, which they’ve dubbed dBpm Records. dBpm’s releases will reportedly be distributed through Los Angeles indie label Anti Records, which includes such similarly rebellious DIY musicians as Nick Cave and Merle Haggard on its roster. Wilco themselves are currently keeping busy in the studio in Chicago, working on the follow-up full-length record to their 2009 release, Wilco (The Album)...
Aussie indie-dance band Architecture in Helsinki have wrapped work on their own album - their latest in four years, which they’ve titled Moment Bends - and will drop the disc on May 3 of this year on Cooperative/Downtown Records. To help promote the disc, the band is also booking a huge tour that will kick off in their native country, and will proceed through Europe and the U.S., including stops in London (4/13), Cologne, Germay (4/18), Berlin(4/20), L.A. (6/1), Minneapolis (6/10), and Chicago (6/11)...
The 2011 Hangout Music Festival, now in its sophomore year, is set to take place this year in Gulf Shores, Alabama, right on the beach, and they’ve announced their headliners and several other artists. Topping the bill this spring will be Paul Simon and the Foo Fighters, in addition to secondary acts like the Black Keys, Bassnectar, Matisyahu, Minus the Bear, Portugal the Man, and Ween. A fifth stage has been added to the event this year as well, as have art installations, a saltwater shaded lagoon called “Hammock Beach,” new DJs, and a sky tower that will offer attendees 360-degree views of the fest. For more info, check out hangoutmusicfest.com...

And Lupe Fiasco’s new album, Lasers,has finally been given a release date (March 7) in part due to his fans’ assistance. Fiasco worked on the album for two years, but his record label, Atlantic, kept stalling on the release - until the fans stepped in with an online petition to get the album released, plus a street protest outside Atlantic’s offices in New York. The label never explained what the stall was all about - but the album will be in stores next month regardless, preceded by the single “The Show Goes On” on February 21...

MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:
Peter Bjorn and John are back this spring, and after several genre detours they’ve returned with the poppy sound that they first became known for - check out the title track from the band’s sixth album, Gimme Some, here: http://stereogum.com/623851/peter-bjorn-john-second-chance-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/

MINI BUZZ:
Speaking of PB and J, they’re hopping on the tour bus to promote that aforementioned album starting next month...
American Idol ‘graduate’ Casey James has been tapped to open this March for country-popsters Sugarland’s road tour...
Britney Spears’ long-discussed new album is now set for release on March 15 in Jive Records, as recently announced by MTV...
Elton John is currently developing a movie musical about his life, whichthe performer says will be more “surreal” than your typical biography; no actors or director are attached as of yet...
Scottish singer Edwyn Collins will be returning to the U.S. for some live shows for the first time since 2003 - Collins will be promoting his new album, Losing Sleep, which is due out on March 8...
Thee Oh Sees are embarking on some American tour dates, too, including stops in Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Georgia, and several dates in Florida...
And embarking on the final leg of getting their music in stores and into your MP3 players are this week’s new releases... Cut Copy’s deluxe Zonoscope... And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead’s Tao of theDead... Thompson Square’s Thompson Square... Esben and the Witch’s Violet Cries... and Teddy Thompson’s Bella… and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.
Questions, comments, rants, raves on this column? Send ‘em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com.