Brock (left) with Rokoff and Mayor Adams (far right) Courtesy of Mayor Sam Adams

1. Following a handful of terrible news, Interpol has announced that they have a new bassist in David Pajo. The band has also announced their upcoming album will be called Interpol and is set to release sometime in September. (via Pitchfork)

2. Luke Steele of Empire of the Sun has revealed that he hasn’t spoken to his bandmate Nick Littlemore since last February. But Steele isn’t put off by not seeing Littlemore saying, “Once it (the tour) starts it becomes the norm. You’ve got to keep the show on the road. This is rock ‘n’ roll.” (via NME)

3. Portland Mayor Sam Adams has, among other things, a portrait of Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock. The singer, who is standing in front of a boar, dressed in lederhosen, and holding a guitar, recently stopped by the mayor’s office to see the portrait that Alexander Rokoff created in person and answer a few question with the artist about it. (via Pitchfork)

4. MGMT has released rather specific details on their new audio recording at live shows. The band will have special sections at live shows where fans will be allowed to record the band and they will be prohibited to record anywhere outside of this reserved area. The band is still prohibiting video recording. (via NME)

5. Belle and Sebastian has announced their first tour in quite some time. The band is planning on a short tour with about nine dates in the U.S. in the fall. The band is also close to finishing off their next album saying they were in “final stages of recording the new album.” (via Spinner)

WKNC 88.1 FM announces the debut of SoundOff, a new music-related podcast from the student radio station at N.C. State University. The 40-plus minute program divides its time between dissecting a handful of music news and reviewing a new album.

“The idea for the show was clear, take some of the most interesting news articles to discuss and do one in-depth review of an album that had some real weight to it,” said the podcast’s producer Michael Jones, a freshman in history and one of WKNC’s assistant indie rock music directors. Jones hosts the show with fellow DJs Sarah Hager, a sophomore in management, and graphic design sophomore Kirsten Southwell.

“SoundOff goes beyond the brief time we talk about music during our time on the air,” Jones said. “We’re able to give people who listen to WKNC on a regular basis and those who just love the type of music we play a greater understanding of what we DJs think about some of the biggest releases.”

The first SoundOff episode discusses Modest Mouse front man Isaac Brock contributing music for a Cartoon Network show, the Libertines reunion and how The White Stripes almost didn’t release the single “Seven Nation Army.” The album review is of Matt Pond PA’s “The Dark Leaves” from Altitude Records.

“SoundOff is a great opportunity for our listeners to receive the full musical package,” Tommy Anderson, WKNC general manager and a senior in political science, said. “You get the background and commentary of an album or news story, rather than just a sound bite.”

The podcast also represents a milestone for WKNC, as it will be the station’s first program designed specifically for the Internet rather than traditional over-the-air delivery.

In our inaugural episode of SoundOff, Michael, Sarah, and Kirsten talk about Isaac Brock writing new material for a Cartoon Network show. They discussed The Libertines reunion and the impact of Pete Doherty’s criminal record. The three discussed what The White Stripes would have been without Seven Nation Army as their lead single. This week they reviewed the latest release by Matt Pond PA, titled The Dark Leaves. Remember to follow us on twitter @wkncSoundOff or email us soundoff@wknc.org.

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