On March 15, Sub Pop is releasing J Mascis‘ Several Shades Of Why, the first solo studio album from the Dinosaur Jr frontman. The mostly acoustic, 10-track LP features guest appearances from Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene), Ben Bridwell (Band Of Horses), Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession) and others. Download “Not Enough” … Since the Guided By Voices reunion tour was a resounding success, the band is playing a show on New Year’s Eve in New York City, with other 2011 dates tentative. Plus, Robert Pollard will be keeping busy in the new year with the release of Space City Kicks (a solo album due January 18), Waving At The Astronauts (a Lifeguards LP with Doug Gillard due February 15) and The New Theory Of Everything (a Mars Classroom album with Big Dipper’s Gary Waleik due March 2) … The Bottletop Band is a new supergroup featuring the Libertines’ Carl Barat, Arctic Monkeys’ Matt Helders, Babyshambles’ Drew McConnel and Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys. They’ve just recorded a charity album, Dream Service, which will be out April 11, with the proceeds going to education and employment projects in Brazil, Africa and the U.K. Download “The Fall Of Rome” … Middle Brother—the lead singers of Dawes, Deer Tick and Delta Spirit—is issuing its self-titled debut album on March 1 via the Partisan label, with plans for a spring tour … Against Me! has announced the imminent release of a new two-song single on Sabot Productions, and the band is hitting the road for a U.S. tour this winter … A new digital single from She & Him is available now via Merge, featuring the duo’s rendition of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell On You” and a live version of “Lingering Still” from Volume Two … Rhino Handmade is releasing a two-disc deluxe edition of Tim Buckley’s self-titled debut album, complete with nearly two dozen unreleased demos, on January 11 … On March 15, the New York Dolls will issue their fifth full-length, Dancing Backward In High Heels, via 429 Records … Wye Oak’s third album, Civilian, will be out March 8 on Merge. The band is touring North America this winter into the spring with dates supporting the Decemberists, the Lower Dens and Callers. Download “Civilian”
—Emily Costantino
