Joe Cardamone and the boys of The Icarus Line are set to head into the studio to record their fourth full length album later this month. Should be interesting to see what kind of musical transformation the band has in store for fans. Over the last decade, they have gone from hardcore to more of a sludging stoner rock style then finally progressing into a more experiment noise rock sound.

Shaking things up is what The Icarus Line is all about. The band has been testing the waters with some new material at live shows recently and from the sound of things they seem to be mixing it up once again. Sounds like some down and dirty classic rock if you ask me. Color me excited!

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If you can remember a while back I mentioned that the amazing Rick Froberg (of Drive Like Jehu and Hot Snakes fame) had been hatching work on a new band entitled Obits and had even released a few live tracks. With alittle searching, some performance footage can even be found echoing the internet airwaves.

Now word has come through that the band has signed to indie mammoth Sub Pop Records. They hope to release Obits' debut record sometime in the first quarter of 2009.

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Sub Pop have just dropped some tasty news on Oxford's own Foals. The band is set to release a six-song EP exclusive through iTunes which will be known as Gold Gold Gold.

The album will include tracks and remixes previously only available on 7 inches and iTunes in the UK. The record will include their latest single Olympic Airways along with UK only b-sides Dearth, Gold Gold Gold, Titan Arum. Rounding out the EP are the re-imaginings of Red Socks Pugie (Henrik Schwarz remix) and Cassius (Kieran Hebden Version).

For the occasion Foals have even shot a new video for Olympic Airways which can be found here.

The digital EP Gold Gold Gold will hit iTunes on September 9th.

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Sorta old news but new to me so I thought I would mention it. Appleseed Cast, you have made some truly great records in their time, are back with another record with a so far unreleased titled.

All that is known at this time is that the album is nearly finished with the band even dropping an intriguing instrumental track for you all that can be heard here. The track is entitled "Road West" and should find a home on their new record Sagarmatha.

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I can remember the days when Richard Linklater's Slacker set in motion a new wave of no budget filmmaking. At the time, nothing had reached the rawness and reality like that film did. Sure films like Clerks and El Mariachi came strolling along and made waves but those films were more centered in the movie world. IN real life lets face the fact that not everyone is as witty as Randal, as foul-mouthed and humorous as Jay, and most people in Mexico do not carry a guitar case full of guns. Slacker seemed more true to life very much like the Mumblecore movement of recent years.

Filmmakers such as Aaron Katz, Joe Swanberg, the Duplass Brothers and Andrew Bujalski have gained critical acclaim for their mostly relationship based uber-low budget films. A few indie distribution companies have made it easier to obtain these staples in the new generation of film. Benten Films, who so far have released Swanberg's LOL along with Katz's Dance Party USA and Quiet City, is one DVD company in particular that has made it possible for a wider audience to see these films. Created and run by two film critics, Andrew Grant and Aaron Hillis, Benten Films' latest offering is from Andrew Nenninger, a Kentucky native now living in Memphis who hopes to find viewer's stamp of approval with his film Team Picture.

Writer/Director/Actor Nenninger is also known in the filmmaking business as Kentucker Audley a pseudonym obviously inspired by his hometown. Audley's Team Picture perfectly captures low class living and what better location than the ultra laidback Memphis, Tennessee as the set piece. Essentially a film not really about anything, Team Picture follows the everyday doings of David (played by Nenninger) as he gets dumped by his girlfriend, quits his job and parades around in Chicago with hopeful love Sarah (played by newcomer Amanda Harris).

While some may find the film dry, amateur, and a bore those in the mood for a little of the "new talkies" and willing to stick with it until the end will enjoy the feel and calmness of the picture. If you honestly give the film a chance you may see a lot of yourself in these characters. Actress Amanda Harris also has a chance, if she plays her cards right, at a career along the same lines as mumblequeen Greta Gerwig.

The Benten Films release comes housed with not only a commentary track by Nenninger and co-star Timothy Morton but also two short films by by the director (one of which is a follow up to Team Picture shot by Joe Swanberg), music performances, deleted scenes and the original trailer.

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