Hello everybody and welcome to Navel Gazing: your look back at the week in Punknews. I’m Adam White and I’ll be your guide through some of the most popular, notable, and otherwise attention getting stories of the past seven days. Each and every Punknews story is built from tips contributed by you fine folks, and here’s what got the community talking…

Continuing with the general lack of subtly and grace that accompanies all Dead Kennedys happenings, fill-in vocalist number two is out with a vengeance. Jeff Penalty quit the group this week and had some harsh words for his former band mates. Not that anyone should be surprised, but the cultural parasite known as American Idol gorged itself on the Clash this week by creating a Ford commercial out of an insipid cover of “Should I Stay Or Should I Go.” On a similar note, we now have Kurt Cobain shoes that are decorated with writings that the late Nirvana frontman probably didn’t want released anyways, let alone adorning the feet of the nation. There were some updates for the mall crowd this week, as Fall Out Boy plans to break some seemingly arbitrary record on an upcoming tour. Also, various rumors about Paramore may or may not be true. Or something. Whatever. The guys in Every Time I Die discussed an apparent fracas with security at a show in Houston. See, that’s just the type of bad behavior that keeps people away from concerts. When George W. Bush turns down the Eels‘ invite you know who to blame.

We’ve got lots of releases in the pipe for this year. Vinnie Fiorello’s new label Paper and Plastick will release the final Explosion full length and the upcoming Landmines record. The legendary Elvis Costello is done with CDs, planning to only release vinyl and digital copies of his new record. The folks at Bridge Nine discussed new albums from H2O, Have Heart and Ceremony. The Green Day related Foxboro Hot Tubs will release a physical album in April as well. The Receiving End of Sirens called it a day this week after five years together. New music landed on our desks from Goldfinger, with the song “Get Up,” and Death Cab For Cutie, with their new single “I Will Possess Your Heart.” Between a full album stream from Panic at the Disco and Katy Perry’s new video “Ur So Gay” we’ve got all the makings of a party. Or maybe not.

On a more somber note this week we said goodbye to Mikey Dread (1954-2008), dub reggae legend and Clash collaborator.

This week we spoke with George from Blacklisted to discuss the band’s forthcoming release Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God (interview. Our Video of the Week featured part two of an interview / performance from the Gaslight Anthem. The thirty first edition of Vinyl File featured a chat with Matt Flood of Asbestos Records and a look at a number of upcoming releases. This week also brought new Streaming Music from Engineer Records‘ upcoming three-way split between Elemae, Memorial and Soon (stream).
Source Continue reading March 23rd, 2008 →

Shane Roeschlein pointed us to some footage of Hot Water Music that he shot at SXSW. The video features the band performing “Trusty Chords” from their 2002 album, Caution.

Source Continue reading Hot Water Music: “Trusty Chords (live at SXSW)” →

Ben Weasel has posted a video for “Got My Number.” The track comes from These Ones Are Bitter. You can check the video out below.

Mr. Weasel recently starting working on the followup to his 2007 release.
Source Continue reading Ben Weasel: “Got My Number” →

Due medical reasons, John Darnielle has been forced cancel the Australian The Mountain Goats tour scheduled for April. Darnielle had this to say:

As some Australian ticketholders have already heard, we have had to cancel the Australian tour. This is really devastating for us to do. Everybody knows I don’t cancel a show unless I absolutely have to; what’s worse, coming to Australia is the highlight of our year. So many of our favorite shows ever are from our Australian tours, and we were excited about showing everyone the full-band lineup. The note sent out by our wonderful Australian agents, Handsome Tours, says “for personal medical reasons,” and that says as much as need be said; if it weren’t serious, I would be leaving for Oz next week, believe me. You’ll be doing me a great favor if you keep me in your thoughts and prayers, and if you know in your heart that I don’t play around in doing right by the people I love: I will be back to make this up to you.
Thank you for your understanding and again I am really really sorry. Love to you all
John D.

The band released Heretic Pride in March of this year.
Source Continue reading Mountain Goats cancel Australian tour →

NYC ska mainstays the Slackers have announced the return of Slackfest, the third iteration of the event. The show will take place this year at Irving Plaza on June 7th and will feature the Slackers with DC’s Pietasters and up and coming Boston soul singer Eli “Paperboy” Reed.

In the coming weeks the band will celebrate the release of their new full length Self Medication with a listening party. The “CD version” of the record (their words, so we can assume something different on the LP) will be played in its entirety at Otto’s Shrunken Head in NYC on April 3rd. The music will start at around 10 PM, to be followed by DJ sets from the band’s Agent Jay and a number of others spinning reggae and soul music. The album will hit stores on the Pietasters founded Indication Records on April 29th.
Source Continue reading The Slackers Slackfest returns / Self Medication listening party →

The Jonbenet have posted a new song from their upcoming 7-inch, Devil Music, Volume II. The track will be backed by a cover of Swan’s “Sex, God, Sex.”

You can find the song on their myspace page.
Source Continue reading The Jonbenet: “The Memphis Blues” →

Drive By has posted a full stream of their forthcoming sophomore full-length, A Delicate Situation, via their iLike page.

The album is due out April 8 through Riot Squad, following up 2006’s I Hate Everyday Without You Kid.

The band also has a few dates scheduled prior to a full tour with My Chemical Romance and Billy Talent.
Source Continue reading Drive By: ‘A Delicate Situation’ →

Goshen, Indiana’s Kingston Falls will be heading out on tour to support their new album Armada on Mercury, released via Facedown Records. The group will be heading through most of the US through August, including seven CD release shows and an appearance at Facedown Fest.

The group also recently posted a video for the song “Freakin’ eXtreme.”
Source Continue reading Tours: Kingston Falls →

EW has posted a list of what they describe as the best indie rock albums of each of the past 25 years. The list includes a decidedly un-EW-like group including Fugazi, Pavement, The Pixies, My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr., Archers of Loaf, Sleater-Kinney and more.

The full version with photos and descriptions can be seen here.
Source Continue reading EW names Hold Steady, White Stripes, Pavement, Fugazi as part of “Indie Rock 25” →

EW has posted a list of what they describe as the most adventurous artists of the past 25 years. The list includes a decidedly un-EW-like group including Fugazi, Pavement, The Pixies, My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr., Archers of Loaf, Sleater-Kinney and more.

The full version with photos and descriptions can be seen here.
Source Continue reading EW names Hold Steady, White Stripes, Pavement, Fugazi as most adventurous →

Deep Elm has signed emo/post-rock act Moving Mountains. The band draws comparisons to acts like The Appleseed Cast, Explosions In The Sky, Brand New and Cursive and Deep Elm will be widely releasing their 2007 debut, Pneuma in April.

You can check out some music from the record on their myspace page.
Source Continue reading Deep Elm signs Moving Mountains →

Pluto has signed Delaware-based My America Is Watching Tigers Die. The hardcore band has drawn comparisons to Breather Resist, Refused and older Every Time I Die.

The band is working on their next full length, Stone Ages with producer Chris Owns. The record is due out this summer. You can check out some music on their myspace page.
Source Continue reading Pluto signs My America is Watching Tigers Die →