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Pop music fans, this is for you. Sub Pop Records, the mighty indie-rock label of the Great North West has been in the process of a great metamorphosis over the last several years. Growing beyond the image of the Seattle grunge, and Nirvana, they have been increasing the number of pop acts. Bands like The Shins, The Beachwood Sparks, and Hot Hot Heat are becoming the standard fare. Here is the most recent batch of records from Sub Pop that will have pop-kids dancing with glee.

There's an interesting rumor that's been rolling around on European tech-geek sites this week. Apparantly someone's discovered that European copies of the new BEASTIE BOYS album, "To the 5 Boroughs," comes complete with a nice little executable trojan program that installs itself when you put the CD into your CD-ROM. The program then proceeds to wreak all kinds of copy-protection higgeldy-piggeldy in your hard drive, attempting to disable your computer from ripping and burning the disc. Again, this is just a rumor right now and involves no confirmation other than people talking about it in computer forums... AND it appears as though the program is ONLY on the European version of the disc and NOT on the American OR British versions of the disc. Just to be on the safe side, though, if you DO own the disc, and you DO want to stick it in yer CD-ROM, all it takes to defeat the Auto-Run feature on Windows is to hold down your SHIFT key while loading the CD.

Oh, how we CANNOT wait for this. There's an article in Billboard today about the current happenings of Ben Folds. Folds' new solo album was originally scheduled for release this summer, but has recently been pushed back to 2005. Why? Because Folds is busy co-writing, producing, and releasing the first new album in umpteen years from WILLIAM SHATNER. Yes, THAT William Shatner. And, in addition to guest appearances by Folds, Aimee Mann, and Henry Rollins, the album should be notable for two other reasons -- the first being that one of the tracks is a composition co-written by Folds and "High Fidelity" author Nick Hornby... which is only topped by the news that another of the tracks will be a duet between Shatner and Joe Jackson -- and it's a cover of Pulp's "Common People."

Fans of Mr. Show will understand when I say that PETE DOHERTY is rapidly becoming the Ronnie Dobbs of the music scene. When we last left the estranged Libertines frontman, we were told he was headed off to France for another round of drug rehab. Well, turns out that was a lie. "France" was, in fact, another round at London's Priory clinic (they made up the France bit to throw the press off-track.) Didn't matter in the long run, as Doherty skipped out of the voluntary clinic after only a few days. Then last week it was announced that Doherty was being sent to... yep... a Thai monastery. But not just ANY Thai monastery... but rather the Thamkrabok Monastery, known world-wide for its drug rehabilitation success. But is that enough to hold our Pete? Nope. After a mere two days at his new home, Doherty checked out of his own accord, found his way to Bangkok, caught a flight back to London... and promptly got arrested for possessing a knife while being pulled over for a driving infraction. It's hard NOT to start viewing Doherty in a comical light, but at the same time, we're watching the rather public unraveling of a guy with some pretty serious musical potential... which is actually a bit sad, really. We wish Pete the best, and hope he finds SOME kind of help before he completely loses it.

Wow. Didn't see this one comin'. The decision has been made just tonite by organizers of this summer's Lollapalooza tour to CANCEL ALL DATES due to POOR TICKET SALES. The tour was expected to have arguably the best Lollapalooza line-up yet, including The Thrills, The Polyphonic Spree, Gomez, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Morrissey, DJ Danger Mouse, Sonic Youth, The Flaming Lips, Broken Social Scene, The Datsuns, Elbow, Modest Mouse, and more. In fact, maybe, if anything, the line-up was TOO good, with no real revenue-generating behemoth of a headliner. Man. That sucks. This likely will also wreak havoc on the Gomez/Thrills/Polyphonic Spree mini-tour, which was to coincide across the U.S. on their days off from Lollapalooza. We'll try to find out and keep you informed.

File this one under "Cutest Thing In the World EVER." An elementary school music teacher in Menlo Park, California has filmed his students performing THE POLYPHONIC SPREE track "Light and Day." The end result is something between The Langley Schools Music Project and Muppet Babies gone to hell. It'll make you smile.

"Light and Day"
Oak Knoll Elementary School

Well, it's official. Our favorite Scottish Band That Could, the TRASH CAN SINATRAS, have signed a deal with spinART Records for their new album, "Weightlifting" (not to be confused with the Weightlifting EP released by the band earlier this year!) The record will be out August 31st, with a FULL U.S. TOUR IN SEPTEMBER! The Trashies have long been one of our favorite bands, and their web community is too beautiful for words (the band's online fans have continually raised money for the group with donations and homemade releases - it's really magical.) We're SO excited that they're back.

Bobby and Beth are back. They've bounced back from their split with Shinkansen to a new label (Elefant) and are preparing a limited edition single, "Southern Skies Appear Brighter". The advance single hasn't been officially released yet but is available now through Elefant and Darla. The five song sampler is a preview of their new album "The Seven Autumn Flowers" that Spanish label Elefant will release worldwide this fall.

You know, when it comes to 15+ member pop bands, one name stands out from all the rest! Well, okay, so only one name exists. THE POLYPHONIC SPREE are set to return next month with their highly anticipated sophomore album, "Together We're Heavy." And, to kick things off, the band's website, thepolyphonicspree.com, is prepping a pretty cool offer. For only $60 through the online store at the band's site, you can now order what's being referred as the "Ensure Your Reservation" package. Shipped in order to arrive on the album's release date of 7/13, the package contains:

- a copy of the new CD autographed by EVERY member of the band
- a limited edition technicolor robe as featured in the album art
- an exclusive Polyphonic DVD entitled, "The Earth Giving Birth"
- an exclusive image of the band available nowhere else
- the ever-popular "other special surprises"

Kind of a cool idea, we think. Noodling around on the band's revamped site will also allow you to hear audio snippets from the new record. Very cool.

It hasn't been a good month for Pete Doherty of the LIBERTINES. As you probably know by now, Pete was kicked out of the band months ago for excessive and self-destructive drug use. After first being thrown in jail for trying to rob bandmate Carl Barat's house, Doherty was eventually released from prison and welcomed back into the Libertines fold. This month, however, Doherty checked himself into The Priory, the UK's famed drug rehabilitation clinic. During his stay, Doherty was posted on message boards and forums about his struggle to stay clean and his experiences in rehab, which included a rather chilling post about being placed on suicide watch. A few days later, Doherty checked himself out of the clinic. Last Friday, according to NME, Doherty gave an interview to a UK tabloid wherein he basically sacked himself from the band, claimed that Barat had "given up" on him, and spoke of checking into a French rehab facility. A band spokesman now confirms today that Doherty was indeed taken to a French clinic by his mother. No word how this will affect the Libertines' second album and upcoming tour, both slated for early summer.