We say goodbyeWe’ve lost another one folks. Bobby Keys, noted saxophonist for rock band Rolling Stones, has caught the last voyage home. Keys was 70 years old, and the cause of death is currently unknown. In a statement band member Keith Richards said, “I have lost the largest pal in the world and I can’t express the sense of sadness I feel although Bobby would tell me to cheer up.” Keys also played with Buddy Holly and Bobby Vee when he was a teen, so it’s an understatement to say that he will be missed in the music world and beyond. RIP and a safe journey.Envy the SleaterIt was announced a while back that rock band Sleater-Kinney were reuniting and coming out with a new record. That’s still happening, folks. The band has slowly been sharing tracks for the past month or so, leading up to the LP’s release, and now they’ve come out with another one. The track “Surface Envy” comes off their upcoming album No Cities to Love, which drops on Jan. 20. That’s not too far off. Have a listen to the track below.Dream of the stream‘Member how I mentioned some time ago that Smashing Pumpkins were coming out with a new record (Monuments to an Elegy)? Well that hits the music-sphere next week, and to give fans a little taste (or the whole enchilada), the record is currently available for streamage via iTunes Radio. So head to Pitchfork to read more about the record and to get to streaming. Editor’s Note: These album streams are only up for a short amount of time. Apologies if they’re no longer available when you click these links.If you can scream it, you can be itPunk band Screaming Females are just one of those bands who know how to shred, how to get people’s adrenaline levels rising as they jump up and down, bump into one another or just sit and reflect on what they’re hearing (like that’s even possible). The band has announced a new record (out on Feb. 24), and though they’ve shared a couple tracks from said upcoming release, they’ve come out with another one! Yay us! Have a listen to “Empty Head” below.Rock/PoetryAfter releasing her phenomenal album Let England Shake, PJ Harvey received a huge amount of accolades, including her second Barclaycard Mercury Prize win. If you’ve not yet heard that record, for shame! Now, Ms. Harvey is coming out with a book of poems that were written mainly in the aftermath of said record, while she was touring all over the world. Titled The Hollow of the Hand, the 224-page tome hits bookshelves on Oct. 20, 2015. That’s far enough in the future to start saving some pennies.Spark it, yo!Though No Doubt hasn’t released a good album in over a decade, I still can’t help but feel a twinge of excitement when I hear that Gwen Stefani is working on something new. I was slightly disappointed with the release of her first single from her upcoming solo record, and I think that trend is continuing with her new track “Spark the Fire.” Though it’s got some catchy moments, it doesn’t seem to have a lot of staying power. But I’m sure radio stations and club DJs will disagree. Go ahead and view the video, which also features Pharrell, below.A fine montageThe first official Kurt Cobain documentary is on the way, folks. And not just that: Cobain’s daughter, Frances Bean, is an executive producer on the project that’s being helmed by filmmaker Brett Morgen. And I’m sure some people will sweep their brow in relief that Courtney Love did not have editorial control on the project, though the director credited Love with opening the door for this endeavor by bringing the idea to his attention in 2007. However, since Love is in much of the film, he didn’t want to give her any production control. The film will feature a lot of Nirvana’s music, live concert footage and a lot of unheard "Cobain originals." So keep an eye out for Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, which gets released some time in 2015.Music & filmIt was announced a while back that James Murphy, formerly of LCD Soundsystem, was going to score While We’re Young, the new film by Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Margot at the Wedding). That’s still happening, or has happened, seeing as how the first trailer for the film has been released. And since Baumbach is one of my favorite directors, I’m especially excited for this flick. Check out the trailer below, and look for the movie in theaters in March 2015.Queen of the HillI have mixed feelings about Ms. Lauryn Hill. While I’m a huge fan of her music, after seeing her live in Austin, Texas, in 2011, I was left confused at her stylistic choices. Turning her most famous songs into big-band style renditions, it was hard to dance to, hard to sing to and just plain hard to listen to. I don’t regret seeing her; it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Having said that, now Hill has turned one of her shows into a Pay-Per-View concert special, which is showing all through December. That’s titled Live From the Brooklyn Bowl. So if you have Pay-Per-View or Video On Demand, have at it! Watch a clip over at Consequence of Sound.
Rooster Roundabout: This Week’s Music Highlights
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