It's been 10 years since Mark Sandman's death, but the legacy of this Revere-born, Cambridge-bred icon thrives. Old friends, bandmates, and admirers unite for the Mark Sandman Memorial Concert, a tribute to the Morphine frontman's soul, talent, and enduring influence. Playing will be Orchestra Morphine, Elastic Waste Band (with Dana Colley of Morphine), Treat Her Right (Sandman's pre-Morphine band), Mean Creek (see below), Faces on Film, Zili Misik, and many more, with a raffle, auction, and food sale to benefit the Mark Sandman Music Project. The Concert's at Pacific Park, but meet for a parade starting from Mark Sandman Square, Mass Ave + Brookline St [in front of the Middle East], Cambridge | 12:30 pm | Free 

You will likely not be surprised to learn of our abiding love for local indie quartet HOORAY FOR EARTH, who we've been fans of since we first heard about them back around 2006. Actually, that's not true; we've been fans since they were still called Raymond. They're just a band whose music demands to be heard by more people. We wish their show at the Pill at Great Scott this Firday (9/18) was to celebrate the release of a new album, but we'll have to get along with just a one-off single, "Form." Download below (right click, save as).

Spitzer Space Telescope

The line-up of Thursday’s Grand Ole Hoot also represents the discography of the Mama Bird Recording Co., a collective label helmed by Lonesome Vince and populated by a loose family of devout Hooters. (If right now you’re picturing some sort of awesome knife-fight dance-duel thing between these guys and the Whitehaus Family Record, I’m way ahead of you.)

Ascendant Philadelphian Kurt Vile brought his band, the Violators, to town this past weekend as part of Dan Shea's massive Homegrown Psych Fest at Church. Our own K. Bonami shot some footage, and, as you can see, it was pretty awesome. After watching, you can head over to the Matablog, read about Vile's new album, and download a new track. You can do that last one right here, too.

Our pick for Florida's best new artist, Yo Majesty's DOMINIQUE YOUNG UNIQUE, will be pushing "HOT GIRL" as a back-to-school single in September. But it's just too heated for us hang onto until then, so we're dropping it now. Just 17 years old, but with 5 years of experience under her belt already, Dominique busted out of Tampa's projects and has been spitting nu-skool electro jawns that have folks hyping her as a gnarlier Santigold. This ish right here is magma -- add to your iPod beachparty mix immediately. #thatswhatsup. 

We're not above getting all hysterical and shit when anyone -- ANYONE -- covers a Neutral Milk Hotel song. Really, we're not. Which is why as soon as everyone started blogging their faces off about the dude from Fleet Foxes covering NMH during a solo show over the weekend, we zapped ourselves right over there and downloaded it, stat. And we're not even mad at the Fleet Foxes dude for forgetting the last line or two. I mean, come on -- you can't even decipher half the shit Jeff Mangum sings anyway. 

All we're saying is, like, could someone cover something besides "Two Headed Boy" once in a while? First of all, it isn't even really the "hit" off that record -- the show-stopper was "Oh Comely" -- and second, 2HB is now becoming a bit of an indie-folk trope. Suggestion: start covering the fast/loud/fuzzy shit off On Avery Island. 

Fresh off their performance at East River State Park in Williamsburg (with Fucked Up!), Boston post-punk legends Mission of Burma announced (or, rather, their label, Matador, announced for them) today that they'll release a new album this fall. Entitled The Sound, The Speed, The Light, it's their third post-reunion release. Matador describes it as "is a departure from the pinned-needles roar of 2006’s The Obliterati. The new album sounds far more spacious and dynamic. It is more or less divided into 4 sets or suites of 3 songs. Each suite explores a set of moods or colors, across the usual dizzying array of lyrical topics, from alcoholism to fleshly concerns." All we've heard so far is the first song, "1, 2, 3, Partyy," which just sounds like Mission of Burma to us, though they do sound slightly more restrained than usual. Listen for yourself below and get excited.

LISTEN: Yo La Tengo, "Periodically Double or Triple" (mp3)

Yes, Yo La Tengo sort of released an album already this year, but did you really think that was going to be it? They've just announced they will release Popular Songs on Matador this September. In the meantime, listen to "Periodically Double or Triple," a nifty little organ-driven track that we bet will sound great live.

Bowerbirds, "Northern Lights" (mp3)
Bowerbirds hail from Raleigh, North Carolina, and their country-folk style seems like the kind of thing you'd expect to hear in the Appalachian wilderness. The lead singer's voice reminds me a little bit of a different musical Bird. They played T. T.'s last month; if, like me, you slept on it, catch them when they come back around in the summer.

Kicking Ourselves Dept.: The National played in town this past Saturday, and I totally slept on it. "What's the point?" I thought. "They're not doing anything new or anything like that." 

Score.

Lawrence English

There’s a fine array of experimental- and electronic-music releases set to bloom this spring. Here are five choice examples:

LAWRENCE ENGLISH | A COLOUR FOR AUTUMN | 12k | This seasonal release on 12k is a bit out of sequence, but the hazy, sublime sounds of A Colour for Autumn are perfect listening any time of year. Australia’s Lawrence English, who runs the Room40 label, uses a delicate mix of field recordings, live instruments, and electronics to evoke the beautiful tension of a season that is somehow neither here nor there.

DOWNLOAD: Lawrence English, “Galaxie of Dust” (mp3)

(4 MORE AFTER THE JUMP)

Rock n roll is way out of fashion these days, but Georgia's DEAD CONFEDERATE have that early-'90s lost-boys-burning-shit-in-the-woods thing on lockdown. Not that this will help you decide whether to listen to 'em, but they sound to us like someone rolled up all of Verbena's records into a single ball of fire. And DC also got that uncanny Nrrrrvana-ish ability to claw you to death with power chords, then rip your heart to shreds with the ol' acoustic guitar. They're capable of doing their single, "The Rat," either way -- this morning they played it acoustic on WFNX, and tonight they'll likely rip it closer to the album version when they open for the Whigs at the Paradise Rock Club up on Comm Ave. Check it:

If the words "new Andrew W. K. song" don't automatically set your mouse a-clicking, then I'm not sure what to tell you. It's even got the word "party" in its title; what else do you need to know, exactly?

W. K., now contractually permitted to release albums in the US and soon to be seen on Adult Swim, will release a two-disc retrospective album later this year. Download now (via Stereogum):

LISTEN: Andrew W. K., "Party (You Shout)" (mp3)

DOWNLOAD: Ryan Walsh,  "Famous Last Words (Faces on Film cover)" [mp3]