In The News: Wilco, The Apples In Stereo, Pavement, Nada Surf, The Buzzcocks, Liars, The Pretenders, Elvis Costello, Tortoise, Wallpaper And Free MP3s

Producer Bob Blank, famed for his work with the New York scene of the mid-’70s and early ’80s, is being celebrated with a compilation. The album, Bob Blank: The Blank Generation/Blank Tapes NYC 1975-1985 (Strut), features songs by Gladys Knight, Sun Ra and Lydia Lunch … Blank isn’t the only producer making the news this week. Ashley Beedle has announced Mavis, a new project celebrating the music of soul icon Mavis Staples, out on !K7, with remixes and reinterpretations by artists including Ed Harcourt, Kurt Wagner and Candi Staton. Download “Puzzles & Riddles” … Wilco has announced 16 tour dates in the new year, beginning in Miami on March 22 … The Apples In Stereo will release new album Travelers In Space And Time (Yep Roc/Simian/Elephant 6) on April 20 … In honor of Pavement’s upcoming reunion tour (which we are awaiting with thoroughly baited breath), Matador Records will be releasing Quarantine The Past: The Best Of Pavement on March 9. Matador is also running a guess-the-track-listing contest on its blog, with prizes for correct guesses including tickets to see the band live and a complete Pavement vinyl discography. Download “Gold Soundz” … Nada Surf has announced the March 25 release of If I Had A Hi-Fi, an album entirely of covers, including songs originally performed by Kate Bush and the Go-Betweens … It’s the beginning of a good year for Mute Records fans, with new albums by Goldfrapp and Liars and expanded rereleases of the Buzzcocks’ A Different Kind Of Tension, Another Music In A Different Kitchen and Love Bites. Speaking of Liars: They will be touring in support of Sisterworld, out March 9. Download “Scissor” … Rock icons the Pretenders will release a new CD/DVD set, Pretenders: Live In London (E1 Music), in February. The title might not be that creative, but the band’s performance no doubt will be … One of rock’s great concerts is finally getting a full release, thanks to Universal Music, which will be issuing Elvis Costello And The Attractions‘ 1978 gig at Hollywood High School, out on Tuesday … If you’re looking to celebrate Charles Darwin’s bicentennial (and really, who isn’t?), make sure to pick up the studio version of Tomorrow, In A Year, an opera based on Darwin’s life and work, performed by the Knife in collaboration with Mt. Sims and Planningtorock, out on Mute with a digital release in February and a physical release in March. Download “Colouring Of Pigeons” … Tortoise has announced a tour in support of Beacons Of Ancestorship (Thrill Jockey). Download “Prepare Your Coffin” … Wallpaper has released a free mix tape of its most popular remixes and mash-ups, including Passion Pit, Jay-Z and Wale … Mercurial psychedelics the Brian Jonestown Massacre are returning with 10th album Who Killed Sgt. Pepper? (A Recordings), out February 23.