Tony Weinbender of Southern Lovin' has been kind enough o drop some new releases my way in the past few months and I thank him for that. The first couple batches of records, however, have been pretty mediocre in my opinion.

That is until the other day. Three records landed in my mailbox all of which contained worthwhile material but one stood out like a damn sore thumb - the debut record from Bridge & Tunnel. The album, coined East/West, honestly kicks your ass from the opening track "Wartime Souvenirs." If you didn't know any better you would have figured that Chuck Ragan was through being a puss and decided to deliver our eager ears with a brand new harder than ever Hot Water Music record. Other tracks like "Rubrics" and especially "White-Color Crime Scene" represents the band under a more Braid-esque sound, which equally compliments their amazingly original sound.

I was originally oft put a bit by cuts like "Night Owls" and "Town Hall Gatherings" in which vocalist Jeff Cunningham takes backseat to sometimes singer Rachel Rubino. While Rubino brings to the table a bit of a Pretty Girls Make Graves flavor, I found it at first to simply shed the band in a different yet unsure light. However, after multiple listenings I have grow to enjoy the diversity and mixture which I feel really sets the band apart from a lot of the stuff that treads on similar ground. One of the strongest tracks comes just two songs in with "Call to the Controller's Office", which by songs end, one may feel whether or not the album can honestly get any better?

The answer is yes and the record does give up until the last chord of the end track "As Close As I Can." East/West was recorded by former Elliott drummer Kevin Ratterman at his now famous Funeral Homes Studios (housed in an actual funeral home). I suggest you listen to it now. I also suggest you go out and by this exceptional record.

For some acoustic takes on the Bridge and Tunnel track "Call to the Controller's Office" head on over to If You Make It and Issue Oriented.

Don't forget to do yourself a favor and catch the band on their current 2-month long tour which is too long to list but can be found here.

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As we get closer to the eventual release of the Envy/Thursday Split album, the home of the LP/CD release has leaked a track each of both artists for your listening pleasure:

Envy - Isolation Of A Light Source

Thursday - As He Climbed The Dark Mountain

The label is currently taking pre-orders for the release which streets on November 4th.

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Many believed the day would never come but alas the latest record from The (International) Noise Conspiracy will finally hit shelves on November 25th thanks in part to Vagrant Records. The record, entitled Cross of My Calling, had long been announced as their follow-up to the 2004 Armed Love.

The album was originally announced as in production as far back as 2004 but more concrete word came through last year as the album was in the mixing stages and nearing release. And then nothing...that is, until now.

Cross of My Calling's release will be a joint effort from Vagrant Records and American Recordings with producing guru Rick Rubin behind the boards. The album contains fourteen blistering tracks that only Dennis Lyxzen and company could truly do justice.

The band has even released given fans a bit of a tease by release their potential first single "The Assassination of Myself" to the masses, which can be heard here. The complete track listing is as follows:

1 Intro
2 The Assassination Of Myself
3 Dustbins of History
4 Arm Yourself
5 Hiroshima Mon Amour
6 Boredom of Safety
7 Child of God
8 Interlude
9 I Am The Dynamite
10 Washington Bullets
11 Satan Made the Deal
12 Storm the Gates of Beverly Hills
13 Black September
14 The Cross of My Calling

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If you were cool enough to listen to Brighton, UK's Help She Can't Swim I am sure you were desolated after the band officially announced their split earlier this year. Fear not, you may not have to jump just yet. Former frontman Tom Denney has gone and started Lonely Ghosts.

With Lonely Ghosts, Denney has taken the more tighter and developed sound of late Help She Can't Swim and has crafted something new all its own. UK's One Inch Badge Records have been kind enough to release Lonely Hearts debut mini-album Dont Get Lost or Hurt, which contains 8 heart-wrenching tracks of delight.

Lonely Ghosts plans to release a full-length record in February 2009.

So what are you waiting for. Go take a listen now.

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Those crazy kids of MSTRKRFT (featuring Jesse F. Keeler of Death From Above) have decided to release their follow up to 2006's The Looks at the home of Steve Aoki and the fine folks at Dim Mak Records.

The first track from the forthcoming EP called Bounce was released earlier this year on iTunes but may make its way onto a hard copy single in the fall. Expect the EP to follow sometime next year.

For now, fans can stalk MSTRKRFT on their "Fist of God" Tour which begins in late September and will hit the following dates and locations:

Sep 26 2008 THE HENRY FONDA THEATRE LOS ANGELES, CA
Sep 27 2008 HOUSE OF BLUES SAN DIEGO, CA
Sep 28 2008 THE EL RAY THEATRE LOS ANGELES, CA
Sep 30 2008 THE GLASS HOUSE PAMONA, CA
Oct 1 2008 SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Oct 2 2008 SHOWBOX SHOWROOM & LOUNGE SEATTLE, WA
Oct 3 2008 CELEBRITIES VANCOUVER, BC
Oct 4 2008 THE EXCHANGE EVENT CENTER WINNIPEG, CANADA
Oct 6 2008 FIRST AVENUE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
Oct 7 2008 METRO CHICAGO, IL
Oct 8 2008 THE ROYAL OAK MUSIC THEATRE ROYAL OAK, MI
Oct 9 2008 BOMA COLUMBUS, OH
Oct 10 2008 WEBSTER HALL NYC, NEW YORK
Oct 11 2008 VASSAR COLLEGE (students only) POUGHKEEPSIE, NY
Oct 12 2008 TLA PHILADELPHIA, PA
Oct 13 2008 THE ESTATE BOSTON, MA
Oct 15 2008 BEDROCK BALTIMORE, MD
Oct 16 2008 THE (CHARLOTTE) FORUM CHARLOTTE, NC
Oct 17 2008 MERCURY LOUNGE NASHVILLE, TN
Oct 18 2008 MASQUERADE MUSIC PARK ATLANTA, GA
Oct 19 2008 HARD ROCK CAFE MEMPHIS MEMPHIS, TN
Oct 22 2008 WAREHOUSE LIVE HOUSTON, TX
Oct 23 2008 LA ZONA ROSA AUSTIN, TX
Oct 24 2008 HOUSE OF BLUES DALLAS, TX
Oct 27 2008 LIBERTY HALL LAWRENCE, KS
Oct 28 2008 OGDEN THEATRE DENVER, CO
Oct 31 2008 SALT PALACE CONVENTION CENTER SALT LAKE CITY,

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