CHAD REX, a longtime protégé of country-punks DRAG THE RIVER, released his initial VICTORSTANDS album in 2002. Four years later, an eternity by most bands’ standards, REX has finally offered up his follow-up entitled Gravity Works Fire Burns. Country influences and instrumentation blanket the album, but calling Gravity Works Fire Burns an alt-country record would [...]

Atlantic Monthly magazine reporter James Fallows narrates a fascinating slideshow about his recent trip to the city of Shenzhen, an area in the world that is at the forefront of electronics exports to the United States and elsewhere. I’ve been reading quite a bit about the incredible economic growth in cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen, but watching the slideshow is mind-blowing and conveys so much more that merely describe the scope of operations.

From the inbox:

Columbia Records is proud to announce the release of COHEED AND CAMBRIA’s No World For Tomorrow out October 23, 2007. The album is the band‚Äôs fourth record, and second for Columbia. The new record follows the successful and critically acclaimed Good Apollo I‚Äôm Burning Star IV, Vol 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness, which peaked at number 7 on the ‚ÄúBillboard Top 200.‚Äù

Coheed and Cambria (Claudio Sanchez – vocals, guitar; Travis Stever – guitar; Mic Todd – bass) spent the first half of 2007 working on No World For Tomorrow in Los Angeles with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush, Stone Sour) and mixer Randy Staub (Metallica, Nickelback). With original drummer Joshua Eppard out of the band, Coheed recruited Taylor Hawkins from the Foo Fighters to play drums on the record. The making of No World For Tomorrow marks the band’s first time they have worked with new Columbia co-Chairman Rick Rubin, who played an A&R role in the making of the record.

No World For Tomorrow is a notable progression for the band, who has now added ex-Dillinger Escape Plan drummer Chris Pennie as an official new member. Sanchez says: ‚ÄúJosh leaving the band was a big deal for us, but having Taylor on the record, and now having Chris in the band full time has really allowed us to progress in a way that is really exciting for all of us.‚Äù While still very much a Coheed record in sound, No World For Tomorrow is a much more personal document for Sanchez as he allowed the emotional events of recent years to profoundly effect the lyrical content for the first time ever. Still, the new record does complete the story of the Amory Wars, and is in fact the final chapter in the saga of Coheed and Cambria Kilgannon, the main characters in a story that wraps all of the band’s concept albums into one.

“I found it impossible to write this record without allowing my personal life to creep into the direction of the story,” Sanchez shares. “I had a clear vision of where I wanted the record to go musically in terms of experimenting with new instrumentation, but when it came time for the lyrics, I opened myself up to let things go to where they naturally were going. It turns out that what happened to me over the last couple of years helped shaped the conclusion of the story better than I could have ever imagined. So it all worked out.”

- I gotta wonder – has COHEED’s time run out? Do enough people still care to put up with the band’s over-the-top songwriting and themes? After the musical bloatedness of the last one, I seriously wonder if the band has any discipline left. Then again… if there’s one person to reign them in, it’s Rick Rubin.

PORTUGAL THE MAN – Church Mouth

- Corey reviewed this release in fine detail a couple of weeks ago and I finally got around to listening to it today. Breakout stuff.

Southern punk rockers O PIONEERS! have added a new song to their MySpace titled “Yo Bones.” The tune comes from their new split with BOMB THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

- O this split should be great!

Somehow, each of the following bands got signed to a record label of moderate means. I’m still trying to figure it all out. Here are some theories.

1. GREELEY ESTATES

- These guys have to be the most anonymous screamo band in existence. Tens of thousands of people have likely seen them on a Warped Tour stage, but have never stopped to ask who they are. Signing theory: nepotism is the only thing remotely rational.

2. ESCAPE THE FATE

- Maybe”Uncle Brett” likes it when the kids come around and play 80s Glam-Metal Dress Up. Thank you VH1 – we are now seeing the fruits of the Behind The Music generation.

3. MY AMERICAN HEART

- I’ve got nothing…

4. CUTE IS WHAT WE AIM FOR

- At first I was mildly disgusted that Fueled By Ramen was systemically destroying its credibility with a number of pathetic signings, but now I think it has taken on a trainwreck-like characteristic. Never before have I seen a label shred its built up goodwill so hard and so fast. While the signing of LIFETIME was a nice momentary diversion, releases from groups like COBRA STARSHIP, POWERSPACE, and CUTE IS WHAT WE AIM FOR present one of the most shallow musical runs in recent memory. I can’t recall a lick of CUTE IS WHAT WE AIM FOR’s sound (besides feeble pop), but I sure have read a lot about the singer’s hair!

5. FOUR LETTER LIE

- Every year Victory has a few pop bands that sprout like dandelions. They peak for a couple of days, usually around springtime, and then they get stomped on and heavily poisoned, left to die quickly and out of sight. Signing theory: an intentional desire to build up a band’s dreams and then shatter them into a thousand pieces.

From the inbox:

TRACK A TIGER (Chicago, IL) will be touring the UK in support of their new full-length We Moved Like Ghosts. Limited to 1000 copies, the album is now available from Deep Elm Records.

AUG 07 – Newcastle, England @ The Head Of Steam

AUG 08 – Glasgow, Scotland @ Bloc

AUG 09 – Liverpool, England @ Korova w/ VOO, fightfightfight

AUG 10 – Leeds, England @ Brudenell Social Club

AUG 11 – Bolton, England @ Dog & Partridge

AUG 13 – Chatham, England @ Tap N Tin

AUG 14 – Plymouth, England @ The Voodoo Rooms

AUG 15 – Exeter, England @ The Cavern

AUG 16 – Margate, England @ Qubar

AUG 17 – London, England @ Fighting Cock