The Weeknd announces mixtape trilogy release date - 09.11.2012


The Weeknd has been planning an official release of his mixtape trilogy -- House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence -- for some time now, and as of today, there is a release date. On Nov. 13, The Weeknd will release the trilogy with some new and previously unreleased material, via Universal Republic.

The Weeknd hasn't "signed" with Universal Republic, so to speak, and the two parties are calling this a "strategic partnership."

Hydra Head Records closing up shop - 09.11.2012


Long running Los Angeles-based metal label Hydra Head has made a sad announcement today: come December, the label will be shutting down. Label head Aaron Turner posted a lengthy statement explaining the situation.

Turner cites numerous reasons for the decision, some personal and some financial, but this paragraph seems to sum up the situation best:

The decision to pull the plug has not been an easy one, and in some ways is a not a choice at all. The simple fact of the matter is we've been running on empty for a while now and cannot afford to keep our doors open for much longer. Years of imbalance between creative ideals and financial realities, personal problems amongst the label operators, an unwillingness to compromise our aesthetic standards, a tendency towards releasing challenging (i.e. unmarketable) artists, and the steady decline of the music industry in general, are amongst the chief reasons for our inability to continue. It is a harsh but undeniable reality, and one which we are attempting to confront with as much integrity and grace as is afforded by the circumstances.

The label plans to keep running through the end of the year, keeping its commitment to all releases planned for release through the end of the year. From that point on, the label plans to sell off as much as it can, which will include pricing inventory at discounted rates, repressing some items and generally doing what it can to close with some solvency.

On a personal note, this deeply bums us out, and Hydra Head has long been one of our favorite independent labels, having released various great albums by the likes of Jesu, Torche, Cave In, Harvey Milk, Xasthur, Botch, Old Man Gloom and numerous others.

The National, They Might Be Giants to play marriage equality benefit - 09.11.2012


On Oct. 30, Freedom to Marry is holding a concert to benefit marriage equality efforts. Among the scheduled performers are The National, Rufus Wainwright, Thomas Bartlett (Doveman), They Might Be Giants, fun., Justin Vivian Bond, John Cameron Mitchell with Stephen Trask, and many others. The show will be held at New York City's Beacon Theatre.

Ticket info is here.

Massive Attack announce Blue Lines reissue - 09.11.2012


Massive Attack has announced an expanded reissue of their 1991 debut, Blue Lines, due Nov. 20 via EMI. The album has been remixed and remastered, and will come in a variety of different formats: CD, digital download, and a deluxe box set that includes the CD, DVD with 96K/24 bit high resolution audio files, the album split over two 180g vinyl LPs, and the original Blue Lines promo poster.

Massive Attack is also reportedly at work on the follow-up to 2010's Heligoland.

Tracklist:

1. Safe From Harm
2. One Love
3. Blue Lines
4. Be Thankful For What You’ve Got
5. Five Man Army
6. Unfinished Sympathy
7. Daydreaming
8. Lately
9. Hymn Of The Big Wheel