After finishing a US run with Neko Case, Deer Tick started a three week European tour last week - upon their return to the US on Dec. 13 the band will be entering the studio to put the finishing touches on its as-yet-untitled third album, which will be released in the first half of 2010.  The band will again be touring relentlessly in 2010, to SXSW and beyond. Taken mostly from a month-long recording session in upstate New York nicknamed "The Black Dirt Sessions", More Fuel for the Fire features three new studio tracks as well as a live version of "Straight Into A Storm" (from Born on Flag Day) recorded in Charlotte, NC at the Visulite Theatre.

Langhorne Slim sings Pavement songs in the shower. I learned this while drinking Yuengling with him at a Holiday Inn Express a few hours before his sold-out show at The Bell House in Brooklyn. - Read Ryan Henriquez's interview with the man here.

The guys in Fiasco create the kind of angular, wire-tight bursts of frenetic math-punk that can simultaneously move crowds and impress even the most technically-minded musicians. The songs are a mind-boggling juggling act of interlocking guitar and bass riffs and manic drums, and they always carry an underlying punk influence (Fiasco started out as a punk covers band, after all). Just check out “Oh You Horny Monster” from Native Canadians (or the entertaining A cappella version on Myspace) for a taste of the fun and complexity that makes up the band’s songs. - Read Bill Dvorak's interview with the band here.

Living about 1700 miles apart (namely in Austin and Brooklyn) doesn't prevent brothers Jared and Michael Bell from conjuring up beautiful instrumental music. Ah, the miracles of inspiration (and of the internet)! Apparently though, also the good old telephone played a role in Lymbic Systym's latest CD called "Shutter Release". After touring with acclaimed bands like Broken Social Scene, The Books, Crystal Castles, the band is about to embark on a west coast tour, scheduled for early January. Definitely a good time to spend a few days in San Francisco, LA, San Diego, Tucson and Austin... The band also released a free download of the song "Bedroom Anthem" - check it out here.

Yes we have a weak spot for Chris Garneau - here's his new video "Fireflies" from his latest album "El Radio"