For their fourth full-length album, BITS, Oxford Collapse reportedly wrote over 30 songs – more than twice as many as they needed. "The economy has been bad, so we decided to write more songs," explains Michael Pace. It was originally assumed that BITS, their second album on Sub Pop Records, would be a double album, but in the end 13 tracks round out the CD, to be released on August 5th. One song, "The......

ART: We've been loving the Love=Love show at Jen Bekman Gallery, which just opened earlier this week. The exhibition by Kent Rogowski is comprised of six large-scale photographic prints based on altered puzzles, as well as a selection of the original objects. Think of a puzzle collision resulting in collage art; also: see pictured. Friday and Saturday // Noon to 6 p.m. // Jen Bekman Gallery [6 Spring St] // Free DESIGN: This weekend brings......

We'll be liveblogging the MTVU Woodie Awards tonight (hopefully Jared Leto won't break our blogging fingers) -- if you're looking for something else to do though, here are some suggestions... READING: Spend an evening with Global City Review contributors Linsey Abrams, Fred Tuten, and Michelle Yasmine Valladare. The publication "celebrates the difficulties and possibilities of the 'global city' and other constructions of community...while honoring the subversiveness and originality of ordinary lives," and reflects on New......

Porn on the 4th of July The theme to this summer's outdoor concert season seem to be coming up with new ways to deal with rain. While Manu Chao embraced it and Cheeseburger/Oxford Collapse had to cancel because of it, the New Pornographers just kind of went on despite it. First, indie one-hit wonder Midlake opened with a perfectly serviceable set. After came out the newly bearded A.C. Newman and the gang to play a......

PARTY: The L Magazine celebrates their fourth year and 100th issue tonight at their Fourth-Annual Centennial Party. There will be complimentary tequila and goodies from Brooklyn Industries and Crumpler. Come, drink, celebrate and don't think about the hangover you'll have tomorrow. 8pm // M1-5 [52 Walker St] // Free THEATER: This weekend concludes Stone Soup Theater Arts’ double bill of Edward Bond’s 1976 short play Stone and The Maguffin, an original farce that imagines a......

In 2004 we asked a bunch of New York bloggers to suggest sonic stocking stuffers. This year, we asked New York bloggers, bookers, musicians and more, what they'd give as a gift this holiday season. Here you go...commence shopping! Jack "Skippy" McFadden, Union Hall booker The Isles "Perfumed Lands" Ian Love's self-titled cd Wes Verhoeve, Cross Pollination / The Undisputed Heavyweights A Brief Smile - R.E.S.T. My Brightest Diamond - Bring Me The Workhorse Kevin......

Oxford Collapse make music that sounds made to play over a montage at the end of a weekly Primetime Drama. A cool one, though. Like How I Met Your Mother or The first season of the OC. It's not sappy or overintellectualized, but pleasantly upbeat and refreshing. The vocals are a bit rough and hysteric, not unlike the Walkmen or Modest Mouse and everyone, but the contrast with the sunny, hopeful music backing them......

To be perfectly honest, we didn't know a single thing about The End of the World till a friend emailed us recently telling us to check them out. We did and we really dig it. These guys seem to have a perfect grip on making really accessible music in the vain of Spoon and the Walkmen. Really don't sound much like either of those bands actually, but the attitude and the execution is totally......

For some reason there doesn't seem to be a lot going on this week. Tonight Cold War Kids take over Pianos, catch them there before they're headlining Bowery (and then having that show switched over to Webster Hall to accomodate all of their fans). What we're trying to say is...there is buzz. There are plenty of shows to go to Tuesday night incase you missed out on Yeah Yeah Yeahs tickets (which you should be......

Last chance for Brokeback jokes and the Pita's Music Picks: Unlike Ennis, we know how to quit you. Next time it'll be someone else's picks. See you in the clubs![Ed. Note - This is Catherine's last week on the music roundup-- thanks, Catherine!] We have never set foot inside Avalon, and we suspect tonight may be many Mogwai fans' first foray into the club, too. This is the first show that's come up on our......

Thank god the holidays are finally over and bands are getting back into the swing of things. Now we can sell off all our unwanted gifts on eBay (how much do you think we can get for a hypercolor "hip" bible?) and spend the cash on evil rock and roll, which is back with a vengeance in our fine, fine city. Why are secret shows never really a secret? The Mooney Suzuki play in semi-secrecy......

Recently nominated for the the UK's Mercury Music Prize, NYC's Antony & The Johnsons released one of the most unique and captivating albums of 2005. "Antony , the ethereal voice of Antony and the Johnsons, sings like a Wim Wenders angel and—when necessary—can swear like a sailor" [Village Voice]. Last time Antony played Bowery Ballroom, he was joined on stage by Rufus Wainwright and Boy George, both of whom also appear on his album.......

Much to do this weekend. Much to do. Rothko, recently overhauled and much improved, has been on a roll as of late--if you can actually get in the door. Tomorrow night, there's yet another great show at the Lower East Side club: Bad Wizard and the Izzys. As is always the case, expect a lot of amped-up '70s rock, beer, whiskey and wailing guitar solos when the mighty Bad Wizard takes the stage. It's a......