Primus, Erasure, Shortlist list, Pearl Jam

Primus regroup

Primpus, the prime American alt-rockers believed to have split up, are regrouping for the first time since 1999. The band have recorded five new tracks for a CD/DVD compilation and have planned a North American tour to coincide with the release of ‘Animals Should Not Try To Act Like People’ in the US on 07 October.

According to Billboard.com, the first half of the gigs will feature songs taken from the band’s back catalogue, while the second half will see them playing their 1991 album ‘Sailing The Seas Of Cheese’ in its entirety.

Shows confirmed so far are in Los Angeles (Wiltern Theater, 07 October), Denver (Fillmore, 21 Oct.) and San Francisco (Warfield, 31 Oct.)
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Erasure’s second set of ‘Hits!’

Erasure are set to release their second Best Of compilation, ‘Hits!’, on 13 October. This set of charting songs has 18 singles on it plus a new recording of ‘Oh L’Amour’, for the difference for the first collection ‘Pop’ (1992) that contained 20 tracks. But, ‘Hits!’ also contain five post-‘Pop’ singles such as ‘In My Arms’.

Early copies come with a bonus CD of rarities. A 2 DVD set, out on the same day and also titled ‘Hits!’, has videos of all 35 singles, plus interviews, TV appearances and live performances.
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Shortlist, a long version

Radiohad, Blur, Interpol and The Coral are amongst the list of nominees announced for the annual American Shortlist Music Prize (i.e. US’ version of Mercury Music Prize). A total of ten finalists will be chosen from the current list of 86 artists - which also includes The Mars Volta, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beck, Hot Hot Heat, Turin Brakes, The Libertines and - The Streets - with the winner announced on 16 October.

The Shortlist Music Prize, established in 2001, has previously been won by Sigur Ros (2001) and N*E*R*D (2002). The voting panel is made up of a range of judges from the entertainment industry, including Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme, Chris Martin of Coldplay and Tom Waits.
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Pearl Jam: more live discs

Pearl Jam has tacked on an additional item to a slate of live albums due mid September via Epic. The group’s 08-09 July stand at New York’s Madison Square Garden will be issued in its entirety as a 5-CD set, augmenting by previously announced stand-alone releases of the two New York shows and a two-set, 45-song 11 July performance outside Boston.

The group is taking a break following the conclusion of its 2003 world tour but will be back in action in late October for Neil Young’s annual Bridge School Benefit outside San Francisco. Also in the works are a DVD of a March show in Yokahama, Japan, a comprehensive 2003 tour DVD and a double-disc collection of rare and unreleased tracks.