Still Haven't Found What They're Looking For

It looks like Bono has been too busy trying to save the world. The highly anticipated U2 album that was supposed to come out this holiday season has been pushed back until at least 2009. Apparently the band has written over 60 new songs, but I guess this just isn't enough for them. The band hasn't released new material since 2004's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.

Even Stronger

Apparently, Kanye West hasn't stolen the spotlight enough this year. News has filtered in that he will be releasing his fourth album this December. Although there is no word yet on the title of the record, it has been confirmed that the first single will be "Love LockDown". I'm sure it will be as good as Ye will inevitably claim it to be.

Another Secret To Everybody

Don't be fooled by the moniker, Mark Knight's Tropic Zone. This band is really Tokyo Police Club incognito, and the excellent news is that they will be playing Mercury Lounge this Sunday night. If you're in the mood to hear some great indie rock at a venue that's way to small for these guys, do yourself a favor and pick up some tickets now while they are still available. They're 10 bucks. Again, feel free to thank me afterward.

No Longer Fighting It

It looks like the inevitable is finally happening -- Ben Folds is reuniting with his former bandmates Robert Sledge and Darren Jesse. For the first time in nearly a decade, Ben Folds Five will play an exclusive one-off performance later this month at UNC's Memorial Hall. But here's the catch -- the band is only playing 1999's underrated final BF5 album The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner in its entirety. Those looking forward to hearing "Kate" or "Brick" will unfortunately be out of luck. I have a feeling that this might lead to an eventual tour, but this will likely have to wait after Ben is finished promoting his solo album which comes out later this month. But hey, I'll take what I can get here.

M.I.A., Literally

According to numerous sources, British-by-way-of-Sri Lanka visual artist/songwriter/producer, M.I.A., has pulled a Barry Sanders -- quitting the scene at the top of her game. Earlier this summer, she cryptically shocked the music world after her set at Bonnaroo by announcing that she had just played her last gig. A lot of people speculated that this was just a stunt, but no one thought this would really be the end for her. She was recently interviewed by AceShowbiz.com, where she confirmed, "It was my last ever show. And it still is. I stopped touring after that and I didn't want to make music again. I was quite happy to just leave it all behind. I was happy with what I had achieved."Needless to say, we've heard this before -- The Eagles, The Smashing Pumpkins, Jay-Z -- pick your poison. I have a feeling once the royalities of "Paper Plans" start to peter out, she might reconsider. Hmm...just when we thought neon was making a comeback.

Viva La EP

Not to steal The Verve's thunder or anything, but it looks like Coldplay might actually end the year on top. According to Paste, the band is confirmed to release an EP of leftover recordings from the Viva La Vida sessions by the end of the year. The EP, which comes out on December 26th (can't believe that's already months away) is tentatively titled Prospects March or Prospects Songs or “something like that”. The band is still on tap to release a new album in 2009.

No Longer Bitter, Just Sweet

The last time we heard from The Verve, the band was in the midst of a heated legal battle that, when all was said and done, left them stripped of any of the royalties they would have garnered from their most popular single to date, '90's anthem, "Bittersweet Symphony". This was ten years ago, and although we've encountered some of frontman Richard Ashcroft's solo exploits, nothing he's done has really left a longlasting blip on our radar. Well, it looks like time sometimes really is the best medicine. The band reunited in 2007 for some gigs, and this apparently got the creative juices flowing. Less than a year later, we are given the appropriately titled Forth, which just happens to be (surprise, surprise) The Verve's fourth studio album. Gotta appreciate the play on words. And while on paper this appears to be just another check in the old comeback album column, you'd better think again. Afterall, this was the band that many a music critic felt should have been Oasis. In any case, it looks like the guys have put their tumultuous past behind them, and are ready to move on with their lives -- all the while taking a stab at making some pretty great music. And in true Verve fashion, this one is anything but forced. Forth picks up right where Urban Hymns left off; the leadoff track "Sit And Wonder" is trippy shoegaze bliss. The outstanding single "Love Is Noise" is better than anything we've heard from Chris Martin and crew since 2000. But buyer beware: if it's three and half minute Britpop you're looking for, you'll be a little disappointed. Most tracks on Forth thankfully surpass the five minute mark, which allows the band to further explore the expansive space rock they introduced to us fifteen years ago. Case in point -- standout track "Noise Epic". Building up slowly, this one blasts out like canonfire before unleashing an all-out assault of distorted guitars at around two-and-half minutes. From then on, it is epic indeed. You'd be hard-pressed to find a track on Forth that doesn't match up with some of their best material from their trio of '90's albums. And unlike their contemporaries Oasis, this band wisely took the time to not release forgettable drivel. Hell, "Mover," a throwaway b-side that they gave away for free on their website, even strikes my fancy. While this year has had its host of music highlights, I am gonna go ahead and award these guys the "feel good" story of the year. Because quite honestly, The Verve are one of the most underappreciated bands of the past twenty years. For them to come back with such quality material is living proof that that this industry might just very well be on the upswing. I'd say that's pretty sweet.

My Rating: 8.2/10