The wildly-popular indie pop/rock band The Shins have announced U.S. concert dates and released a long-anticipated follow-up album to their masterpiece Chutes Too Narrow, released in 2003.

There has been confusion in the blog world this week about the release date of the band's new CD - Whincing The Night Away, and concert dates, venues and locations of the band's upcoming U.S. tour.

A Tower Records commercial during John Stewart's Daily Show last night (Jan. 25) said the album would be available in the stores this coming weekend (Jan. 27), but the online store and iTunes have had it available for the past two days on their websites.

So, for everyone out there who doesn't think the album is available yet, it is. You can also head down to your local record store or pre-order the CD on Amazon for a Jan. 30 release date.

If you are unable to get your hands on it at the moment, you can still listen to samples of each song at any number of music-selling websites, like Amazon or Rolling Stone.

The CD-only release of the Whincing The Night Away comes with a Digipak and is currently on sale at Tower's website.

Whincing The Night Away is The Shins best work so far. It is a more structured band, but that does not infringe on the group's famous melodic, meandering harmonies and compelling lyrics.

It's a safe bet that this album will be one of the biggest albums of 2007 - with songs like "Phantom Limb," "Australia" and "A Comet Appears".

By the way, the tune "Split Needles," which every Shins fan would eventually want in their collection, is only available online. And, for vinyl lovers, Subpop Records is selling a LP limited edition of the album on their website.

So now that you have sampled, purchased, and listened to the album, where can you go to see The Shins play live in 2007?

Well, the band polished off an early '07 U.S. a few days ago in Portland, Oregon and are now reportedly resting up for what is sure to be a busy year for the band.

Make sure to check back with IRC as we keep close attention to changes, additions and cancellations of concert dates for dozens of artists like The Shins.

Finally, IRC is trying to verify and clarify what happened to a number of gigs that were booked earlier this month for places like California and are now not listed on the band's website.

The Shins '07 Concert Dates:

Here are The Shins' most up-to-date (as of Jan. 26) concert dates and show venues for 2007 (notice the two new London dates).

February 9 at 8:00 PM
Eagles Ballroom - Milwaukee WI

February 10 at 8:00 PM
Congress Theatre - Chicago IL

February 11 at 8:00 PM
The Pageant - Saint Louis MO

February 12 at 8:00 PM
Liberty Hall - Lawrence KS

February 13 at 8:00 PM
Liberty Hall - Lawrence KS

February 15 at 8:00 PM
Fillmore Auditorium-Denver CO

February 16 at 1:00 PM
In The Venue - Salt Lake City UT

February 20 at 8:00 PM
Paramount Theatre-Washington in Seattle WA

February 21 at 9:00 PM
McMenamins Crystal Ballroom in Portland OR

February 25 at 8:00 PM
Astoria, London, UK

February 25 at 9:00 PM
Bush Hall, UK

Labels: Best Indie 2006, Best Indie Artists, Shins Concerts, The Shins, The Shins Concert Dates, Whincing The Night Away

The Kooks announced a blitz two-week spring tour of the U.S. that will start with their performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 29.

The band's debut album, Inside In/Inside Out, released on Astralweeks, has been one of the hottest-selling debuts for any indie band in years.

The debut has already gone quadruple platinum in the U.K. and the band is catching on in the U.S. and Europe as one of the hottest new indie rock groups to emerge in recent years.

Make sure to check the IRC website for an exclusive set of live acoustic gigs featuring songs from their debut album and TWO new songs - “Need To Be” and “Miss You”.

The Kooks Tour Dates:

(not all tickets on sale yet. See which are.)

04/29 – Indio, CA – Coachella
04/30 – San Francisco, CA - Slim’s
05/02 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
05/03 – Seattle, WA – Crocodile Cafe
05/05 – Chicago, IL – Metro
05/07 – Columbus, OH – The Basement
05/08 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
05/10 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
05/12 – Washington DC – 9:30 Club
05/13 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club

Labels: Coachella Music Festival, Debut Album, Inside In/Inside Out, Kooks Tickets, Popular Artists, The Kooks, The Kooks Tour Dates

Labels: AFI, AFI Concert Dates, AFI Concert Tickets, AFI U.S. Tour, Alternative Rock Concerts, Indie Concert Tickets

No, it's definitely not the Rosie and the Donald slug fest on the national airwaves, but it's getting almost as ugly as the verbal feud between two indie rock bands heats up.

The whole sordid affair is either an ill-guided argument about what constitutes good music, or a planned public relations stunt.

The popular emo boy band My Chemical Romance was slammed by the Kasabian's lead singer Tom Meighan, who called the band "clowns" with "make-up". (photo to the left is Gerard Way of MCR)

In his interview with the New Music Express (the "Rolling Stone magazine of the U.K."), Meighan volleyed an unwarranted series of bitch-slap fireballs at the wildly successful MCR by comparing the band's music to a group of "ventriloquists."

(photo to the right is Kasabian)

"[Their music] is weird and dark," Meighan told NME. "They don't have anything positive to say. The only good news is that it won't last. These clowns won't be around for much longer. Their make-up will flake off and the scene will die out. And it can't happen soon enough."

It didn't take long for MCR to bite back.

"It was obviously meant as a slam, but it was so poorly worded that it ended up sounding like a compliment!" MCR lead singer Gerard Way told NME. "'Weird and dark?'... that just makes them kinda ignorant. This band has never had a bullshit war ever.

I haven't found an opponent worthy enough yet. If you're gonna take me on, you'd better have the balls for it! If you're gonna talk shit about us, you'd better have the juice. And we haven't found anybody with the juice yet.”

Note to IRC feed subscribers: Please remember to visit the website for updates on this and other features, profiles and stories. Updates do not necessarily get individually sent out by the system. You can fire off an email to indierockcafe.com@gmail.com with any comments, questions or suggestions. :-)

Related Links:

My Chemical Romance Dedication

MCR Official Website

MCR Complete Lyrics

Labels: Emo Music, Gerard Way, Kasabian, MCR Concerts, Music Video, My Chemical Romance, My Chemical Romance MP3s, New Music Express, Rock Fueds, Rolling Stone Magazine

The red-hot U.K. rock band Snow Patrol announced today that the group's drummer, Johnny Quinn, broke his arm snowboarding in the French Alps.

The band, which has a number of shows in Germany in early February, will replace Quinn with a long-time friend and ex-Therapy drummer Graham Hopkins, according to the following note Quinn posted on the band's official website:

"I thought it was time that someone from Snow Patrol learnt to snowboard, so I took myself off to Chamonix [France]." Quinn continues, "on the first day, I tumbled down a hill and broke my elbow...the rest of the band did not want to play with another drummer for the upcoming European dates but I didn't want to cancel anymore gigs after last year, so we've asked longtime friend and ex-therapy? [sic] drummer, Graham Hopkins to step in."

The band has suffered a number of health issues over the past year. They were forced to cancel shows in 2006 after the group's bassist Paul Wilson was injured and singer Gary Lightbody lost his vocal.

Grazed Knees [mp3]

Doctors have reportedly told Quinn his arm needs six weeks to heal properly, but his note insists he will be back in action when the band kicks off their Australian tour.

The group has already canceled its performance at next week’s Meteor Irish Music Awards.
Whether the band will perform with Graham or Quinn at the Brit Awards on Feb. 14 is unclear. They have been nominated in the Best British Group and Best British Single categories.

The band’s manager Jazz Sumner said, "Johnny has said he'll play the Brits, even if he has to go on stage in plaster. But on TV things have to be right.”

Snow Patrol's official website

Labels: Best Single, Brit Awards, Gary Lightbody, Graham Hopkins, Irish Meteor Awards, Johnny Quinn, Paul Wilson, Snow Patrol, Snow Patrol Concert Dates