So the big news this week is that the My Bloody Valentine reissues are finally going to get released.  Good for them that it's finally getting done.  Also good for Kevin Shields that he's finally working on some new material.  It's only been 20 years.

The other link about Rodney on the Roq is kinda random.  My friend Brian asked me if he was still on the air so I looked him up and was happy that he's still being broadcasted on KROQ in Los Angeles.  His show is where I heard a lot of bands for the first time on the radio.  Granted I was getting most of my new music from friends, reading NME, and watching this public access show called Request Video.  But as Brian pointed out those were simpler times.  You'd read about bands in the NME, then Rodney would play them, then you'd make the hour long drive out to some dingy record store in LA to buy the import single for 10 bucks.  That's right, TEN bucks for three or four songs.

Don't get me started on how pissed I was when bands started doing that CD1/CD2 bullshit.  There are a lot of people that long for the good ol' days of record collecting, but I can't stand it.  Going to a good record store and casually walking around and picking up stuff is fun every once in a while.  But when we were kids we were obsessive about it.  And we poured tons of money into it.  So I'm glad that technology has brought us to this point where we can access way more music for less.  I think it opens it up to more people.  More people who can't spend 20 bucks on two CD's with 6 songs each.  Oh yeah, and since it's a double single, the main track is going to be on both CD's.  Plus that main track is already on the album anyway.  So you're really only buying four bsides for 20 bucks.  And if they just phoned it in by throwing on some bullshit remixes then fuck them.  God I love music but it's so frustrating.

Following the lead of the similarly psychedelic "Three Women" clip, the Julian House-directed video for "Neon Beanbag" initially looks like the song's title suggests before moving into a muted collagist landscape of faded '50s (and beyond) pop imagery and ubiquitous thought/action bubbles that also act as tear drops, beanbags, and straight-up graphic design. It's the opener from Chemical Chords, Stereolab's new previously mentioned first proper album in four years, from which we've also seen them do a live "Valley Hi!." - Source

During the early days of June we posted photos from Sterelab's "secret" fan-only show at the Windmill in Brixton, where they premiered new songs from the forthcoming Chemical Chords. We've already seen and heard brassy "Three Women," but the propulsive "Valley Hi!" -- which isn't a Xiu Xiu song by the way -- is newer to our eyes and ears. While you absorb it, keep watch for some of the whitest dancing ever captured on tape. If you miss him the first time, no worries: The camera person noticed dude's moves as well. - Source

Stereolab's Chemical Chords will hit stores on August 18 in the UK and August 19 in the US. As expected, the band will be touring in support of the release, and as a result will - Source

Last week we posted "Three Women" from Stereolab's forthcoming Chemical Chords, their first proper album in four years. They've gone and created a video for the sunny, horn-y strutter. The visuals fit well with the album art's loopy geometry. The images don't go to far to helping us figure that out the "three women" of the song title, but they should go well with your lava lamp, shag rug and de Chirico (or, in name, Picasso) prints. Turn on, tune in, and etc.
- Source

As previously reported Stereolab are planning to release their new record, Chemical Chords, in August. They put a sneak peek of some of one of the new tracks on their - Source

Stereolab's forthcoming Chemical Chords is their first proper album in four years. Wow and flutter. (We've decided not to count 2006's Fab Four Suture EP, because four years sounds more dramatic, and that way we got to make a bad pun, too.) Have to say, the fact that they've been around for almost 20 years at this point makes some of us feel really old. Like, those of us who remember buying Peng! the week it was released in 1992 or driving around in a beat-up Impala and obsessing a cassette copy of Mars Audiac Quintet. Sheesh. All these years later and "Three Women" sounds like Stereolab, though in a sunny, horn-y, strutting late-period way. It's a decent track, but like much of Laetitia Sadier and Tim Gane and Co's back catalog, it'll likely work best nestled into the whole. - Source

Stereolab have revealed details of their forthcoming studio album. - Source

Stereolab singer/lyricist Laetitia Sadier here takes a slightly more elegant take on her day job's search to find the pop in the avant-garde. - Source

Oh those pesky Frenchmen, AIR are headed back stateside for a few dates with Frenchwoman/Englishkids STEREOLAB. Still in support of their latest album, Talkie Walkie, Air will be playing with Stereolab for three September shows in San Diego, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. The last date with Stereolab will ALSO be the debut of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra as members of the AIR entourage. Roger Neill (who worked with Air on 10,000 Hz) will be conducting the LA based orchestra. Dates can be found in our tour section and keep an eye out as more bands are expected to be added to the bill.