Indie rock trio Vivian Girls announced via their website that they will break up following three farewell shows this February and March. The Brooklyn band released three full-lengths since forming in 2007, the last of which was 2011’s “Share the Joy.”
Neil Young will release his latest album “A Letter Home” this year via Jack White’s Third Man Records. Self-described as “low-tech,” the record will likely be available this March. Though previous reports indicated the album might be a duet covers album with White, Young’s Facebook page stated “we are certain those rumours have no basis in truth.” [via Rolling Stone]
New albums: Interpol, Jenny Lewis, Mac Demarco, Damon Albarn
New albums announced this week: Interpol are at work on their untitled fifth studio album, their first since 2010’s “Interpol;” former Rilo Kiley singer Jenny Lewis hopes for a spring release for her first solo album since 2008’s “Acid Tongue;” Canadian singer-songwriter Mac Demarco will release “Salad Days” on April 1; Blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn slated his first solo album “Everyday Robots” for April 28.
Beats Music goes live
Beats Music, the new subscription music streaming service from Dr. Dre’s Beats Electronics, launched this week. Beats Music’s model focuses on providing human-curated playlists for users based on their indicated taste preferences, rather than computer algorithm-created suggestions. The service has proven so popular that excess demand and traffic has caused connectivity issues with the online service. [via USA Today]
