What makes us happier than anything, anything in the world, nearly? Word of the new Shearwater record Rook, due out June 3. I know, it's a long wait, but never too soon to start the buzz, right? Matador dropped the first sample mp3, "Rooks" today over on the Matablog, along with the gorgeous cover art. Fancy dancer Gerard Cosloy was right on when he mentioned the word "epic" -- if this doesn't give you chills and make your toes tingle, I worry about your general health. (Check out this lovely in-the-studio slideshow for photographic hints of what's to come.)

Shearwater -- Rooks

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I rang up the nice folks at Blog Fresh Radio recently to gush at them about the new Mountain Goats record -- James and James also put in their two cents in this episode, which means that you should probably go listen to the whole thing for some pure, undiluted enthusiasm that may or may not suffocate you with its smothering earnestness.

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We admit, we haven't done the best job in the past few months of keeping up with what all the cute kids are dancing to these days, but something tells me that they should be shakin' their tailfeathers to the party-psychedelia of Sunny Day Sets Fire. Friend of TRGAW, the rapidly ascending, Sparks lovin' Baron Von Luxxury, has remixed "Brainless," which appears on the band's new Stranger Remix EP, currently available for the buying from the I Am Sound label shop and other fine retail outlets. CSS, Mad Decent, and XXXChange from Spank Rock also contribute fab remixes. (Oh, and it should also be mentioned that unremixed, the band sounds like, well ... ELO. Which is always a good thing.)

Sunny Day Sets Fire -- Stranger
Sunny Day Sets Fire -- Brainless (Baron Von Luxxury Remix)
Sunny Day Sets Fire -- Wilderness (CSS Remix)

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Also, if you're in Austin -- go see Maneja Beto tonight (2/27) at Mohawk. We miss them so -- their perfect-pitch rock en Español is the kind of thing your correspondents get homesick for every now and then. And they do a hell of a cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" that has the power to make you realize just why the Mexicans love Morrissey. (There's an internal logic to that statement that makes sense, if you squint hard enough. Manchester.)

Maneja Beto -- Y El Vinuete y Aleyda

And, if you're an exiled Austinite in New York, and our gig at Galapagos isn't your cup of tea -- but dance parties with DJ Mel are -- go check out his guest stint at The Rub @ Southpaw Saturday (3/1) for what's sure to be an unparalleled (dirty), choice mix of old skool hip-hop.

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In summation, we'd also like to remind you to join us at Huckleberry Bar tonight (2/27) for fancy rum cocktails and a trip through our collective record boxes, and on Saturday (3/1) at Galapagos for the first Neon Lights extravaganza of 2008 with Eamon Hamilton, Titus Andronicus and Crystal Stilts. We hope to see you at one, or both. I've varnished my nails and dyed my hair especially, you know. And Pinkie's gonna look real purty too.

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Would you like to hear some Big Black? 'Cause we love Steve Albini enough to make a LOLbini. Sad -- but true!

Big Black -- The Model