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Hassidic reggae rapper Matisyahu’s debut studio album, “Youth,” will feature a newly recorded version of the track “King Without a Crown,” the live take of which is at a new peak of No. 17 this week on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart. That song is drawn from Matisyahu’s “Live at Stubb’s,” which peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Reggae Albums chart.

Due Jan. 31 via Epic/Or Music/J Dub, “Youth” is expected to feature such tracks as “Late Night in Zion,” “Unique Is My Dove,” “Indestructible” and “Fire of Heaven/Altar of Earth.” The album was largely overseen by noted producer Bill Laswell.

Matisyahu’s busy touring schedule will continue through the end of the year, including a six-show Hanukkah tour that begins Dec. 24 in Philadelphia.

Source billboard.com.

Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph has drawn up an eclectic guest list for the follow-up to 2003’s Unclassified, due in April. Eric Clapton is confirmed, while the list of hopefuls ranges from Lauryn Hill and Maroon 5 to the Roots and Gretchen Wilson.
“It’s like making a pot of spaghetti,” says Randolph. “A lot of different spices make up that sauce.”

Currently recording his sophomore effort in Nashville with gospel producers Tommy Sims and Pete Kipley, Randolph will eventually head to Toronto to cut tracks with Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan) before finally hitting Los Angeles for sessions with Dave Matthews Band producer Mark Batson.

Randolph, who recently contributed to Santana’s latest album, All That I Am, also has a handful of live dates scheduled for the remainder of 2005: from December 28th in Kingston, New York, through New Year’s Eve in Washington, D.C. He’s also set to play the Langerado Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale, Flordia, in March, on a bill that includes the Black Crowes, the Flaming Lips and Wilco.

Source rollingstone.com.

Irish rockers the Thrills have returned to their musical roots — in California. Though the guitar-led five-piece are currently in a Dublin studio working on demos for their third record, they recently trekked back to the Golden State, whose landscapes provided inspiration for their 2003 debut, So Much for the City.

“After complaining and yearning, we finally got off the road a few months ago,” says frontman Conor Deasy. “But after a couple weeks, everyone was getting restless and itchy again. Touring changes you: You’re always wondering what’s going on somewhere else.”

Grabbing guitars, ukuleles and harmonicas, three of the five Thrills members — Deasy, keyboardist Kevin Horan and bassist Padraic McMahon — decided to cruise along the West Coast highways, down the 101 and beyond. The outfit even ventured to Big Sur — despite their own lyrical warning, “Just don’t go back to Big Sur,” in the song named for the scenic, coastal locale.

To read more visit rollingstone.com.

As posted on Trey Anastasio’s website, Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann will be performing with Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon at Warren Haynes’ 17th Annual Christmas Jam. This will be the second recent appearance for Anastasio and Kreutzmann, as the Dead’s longtime drummer sat in with Anastasio’s band 70 Volt Parade last Friday night in San Francisco for versions of “Iko Iko,” “Going Down The Road Feeling Bad,” “Eyes of the World” and “Casey Jones.”

The final nominations list for the 48th Annual GRAMMY

New York’s legendary music venue CBGB will remain at its current East Village location for one more year after reaching an agreement with its landlords on Wednesday. The punk rock club — known for launching the careers of the Ramones, Blondie, the Talking Heads and others — had been fighting eviction by the Bowery Residents’ Committee, the club’s landlord, which refused to renew CBGB’s lease on August 31st after a series of disputes over back rent.

The agreement calls for CBGB to close its doors on the Bowery by October 31, 2006, giving Kristal time to look for other possible sites in downtown New York, Times Square, and even Las Vegas.

Source: rollingstone.com

If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “J Mascis’ guitar solos piss me off”, well, maybe his drum solos will touch you in the right spot. The long-haired dude from the recently-reunited Dinosaur Jr. is now behind the kit in a new stoner rock band: Witch. Standing in front of J in Witch are Kyle Thomas of Feathers on vox, Asa Irons (also of Feathers) on guitar, and Mascis’ longtime pal Dave Sweetapple on bass.

For those lacking faith in Mascis’ ability to pull a reverse Dave Grohl, have no fear. He was originally the drummer in Deep Wound, his pre-Dino Jr. hardcore band with Lou Barlow, and has pounded the skins with people like Mike Watt, Epic Soundtracks, the Velvet Monkeys, and Gobblehoof, as well as on various Dinosaur Jr. records.

As for Feathers…why does that name sound familiar? Well, the eight-piece Vermont band bearing crazy mountain instruments like the dulcimer and the lap harp have been opening for quite a few big shots lately, like Sufjan Stevens, Smog, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and, of course, Dinosaur Jr. They also guested on Devendra Banhart’s Cripple Crow album (hey, who didn’t?), and self-released an album last summer.

Witch’s self-titled debut album, recorded with John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Son Volt, Screaming Trees) is due out on Tee Pee Records on March 7, 2006. The tracklist is short. This either means no bang for your buck or, more likely, lots and lots of solos. Check it out and don’t let track three put you to sleep:

01 Changing
02 Seer
03 Rip Van Winkle
04 Hex
05 Hand of Glory
06 Black Saint

Source pitchforkmedia.com.

Indie pop-rockers Tegan & Sara are set to release their first full length DVD, entitled It

In a post on their website, due to Jim James’ health complications from a recent case of pneumonia, My Morning Jacket has announced the cancellation of their New Year’s Eve show at Madison Square Garden and their European tour that was to be begin on January 18th. My Morning Jacket hopes to reschedule the European dates as soon as Jim is fully recovered and able to perform.

Nine Inch Nails has added new dates to its North American tour, which now extends to March 2006. The Trent Reznor-led act will take a two-month break after performance Saturday (Dec. 10) at KROQ Los Angeles’ Almost Acoustic Xmas show and resume touring Feb. 10 at University of Illinois